Baja Chicken Sliders

We are in the hottest part of summer around here in Southern California.  But that doesn't stop us! I've been in the mood for a party, how about you?

So last weekend we had a wonderful party that was beside the pool, with alfresco dining, and great grilled food.  

Here was the menu:
Cherryade
Summer Corn Salad
Summer Salad
Baja Chicken Sliders
Strawberry Banana Parfaits

There's nothing better that getting together with friends and sitting around the table telling stories. This is what life is all about.  Sharing stories and laughter.  Lots of laughter!

So today I wanted to share with you our main dish recipe. Baja Chicken Sliders are a wonderful handheld item with bold flavors.  I found and adapted this recipe from Taste of Home and I'm so glad I tried it because boy, does this dish 'wow' you!  Everyone at our party just loved it.  Don't you love it when everyone brags about your food? Haha!  I do!

Everything from the sauce to the slaw just 'works'.  Don't skip anything on this because each item lends to the final dish and gives it it's flavor boost.  It's soooo good!

Look how yummy this dish is!  Succulent chicken breasts with a tangy sauce and spicy slaw on a sweet toasted bun...nothing better!  

It's easy to prepare, and perfect for serving multiple people. This would be the perfect dish for your Labor Day party....Enjoy!



Baja Chicken Sliders

adapted from Taste of Home
serves 8

Sauce:
1/4 c low fat sour cream
1/2 tsp grated lime peel
1/4 tsp lime juice

Slaw:
1 c broccoli slaw mix
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned

1/4 small red onion, sliced

2 T fresh cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and julienned
2 tsp lime juice

Sliders:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
8 Hawaiian sweet rolls, split
8 small lettuce leaves
8 slices tomato

Preheat grill to medium high.  

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, lime peel and lime juice.  In a medium bowl, combine slaw ingredients. Chill sauce and slaw until serving.

Cut each chicken breast in half widthwise; flatten to 1/2-in. thickness by pounding between plastic wrap with a meat pounder or rolling pin.   Mix seasoning of cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl, then sprinkle chicken.

Coat grill rack with cooking.  Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat 4 to 7 minutes on each side or until no longer pink.

Grill rolls, cut sides down, 1 minute or until toasted. Serve chicken on rolls with lettuce, tomato, sauce and slaw.

Grilled Vegetables: A Summer Staple

We all love to fire up the grill during the summer.

Vegetables as a side dish is a no brainer and Grilled Vegetables is just a summer staple.  At least at my house it is.  Grilling vegetables brings out the natural sweetness and makes them taste deliscious (sorta like roasting does, but more intense).  Combine that with a great little marinade to pump up the flavor a notch and you have a go to recipe that you will make over and over again, until summer ends. Maybe even longer!

This recipe combines a variety of vegetables in one dish.  It's great displayed on a platter and the perfect entertaining side dish.  You can use any vegetables that you want.  I just used some basic vegetables I had on hand including carrots.  Yes, you can grill carrots!  They come out fabulous.

The key to grilling different vegetables is making sure you have a grill pan for the smaller ones that have a tendency to want to fall through the grates when you aren't looking!  A nice mesh pan works great for mushrooms, asparagus, snap peas etc. Another key is to add the items that take the longest grilling time first, then add the others in succession so they all end up done around the same time.

We served this along side a wonder steak recipe that I'll be posting shortly.  A nice piece of grilled bread and you are all set.

I hope you enjoy this.  Don't skip the marinade cause it's wonderful!  It's sweet and tangy and really adds some zip to your dish.

Enjoy!



Grilled Vegetables

serves 4-6

1/4 cup olive oil
2 T honey
4 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 lb asparagus, woody stems trimmed
3 carrots, cut in half lengthwise
1 red pepper, cut into 1-inch strips
1 yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch round slices

In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil through the salt.  Put 3 tablespoons of the marinade in a plastic bag.   Add the vegetables, seal and turn to coat.  Marinate 1-1/2 hours at room temperature.

Heat grill to medium heat.  Transfer vegetables to the grilling grate or using a grill basket.   Grill covered, for about 12-15 minutes or until crisp-tender, turning occasionally.

Place vegetables on a platter.  Drizzle with remaining marinade. 

Cherry Garcia Scones

I have fond memories of my first encounters with Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream.

I remember laughing at the puns in the titles.  All the 'stuff' they added to the ice cream to make some awesome new flavors.  This ice cream flew into the stores with such a force it became an in-thing to eat Ben & Jerry's, and to try all the different flavors.

Some of my initial favorites were Half Baked, Chunky Monkey, and of course Cherry Garcia!  Oh that cherry flavored ice cream loaded with real cherries and fudge bits. They really had me at cherry. One of my favorite fruits of summer.  I wait patiently each year for cherry season to start, and then I pounce!  Buying bags of cherries weekly during the short season.

Cherry Garcia Ice Cream is my inspirations for this week's recipe for a heavenly scone.  It has all the flavor of the ice cream; fresh cherries, chocolate bits, cream for a soft moist interior.  It's a flavor combination that can't be beat.   

Now you may be saying...geez, I have to pit all thoses cherries?  Well not to worry. There is a wonderful gadget for that.  I use Oxo's Cherry and Olive pitter.  I picked mine up from Williams-Sonoma, here for $12.95, or you can find it on Amazon, here. Wouldn't be without this little beauty!

You will notice that I grate the butter into the flour mixture instead of the usual cutting in the butter with two knives or a pastry cutter.  I saw this technique on the TV when this chef was making biscuits so I decided to try it out.  I will say that I loved this technique.  It's very easy to do and the butter seems to get more distributed amongst the dough.  I will be grating my butter in many of my recipes going forward.  Try it and let me know if you like it.

You will absolutely love these scones.  Make them this weekend for a nice treat.  Enjoy!



Cherry Garcia Scones

Makes 12

             2 cups all purpose flour
             1/2 cup sugar
             1 teaspoon baking powder
             1/4 teaspoon baking soda
             1/2 teaspoon salt
             1 teaspoon vanilla
             8 oz butter, frozen
             1/2 cup fresh cherries, chopped
             1/3 cup chocolate chips
             1/2 sour cream
             1 egg
     
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl mix flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking flour.  Grate frozen butter into flour mixture. Mix with fingers until flour resembles small pebbles or peas. Stir in vanilla, cherries and chocolate. Loosely mix together.

In a small bowl whisk together sour cream and egg.  Add to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.  Form dough into a disc.  Place the disc on a floured surface and pat into an 8 " or 9" circle about 1/2 inch thick.  Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut into 12 triangles. Place each scone on a parchment lined baking sheet, 1 inch apart. (I used two baking sheets)  Bake 15 min or until golden brown.  Cool.