Jerk Chicken

Ingredients:

1 1/2lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 green onions (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
1 jalapeño pepper (seeded and minced)
¾ cup soy sauce
½ cup white vinegar
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoons fresh thyme (chopped)
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground allspice

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1:
In a food processor combine green onions, onion, jalapeño pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, vegetable oil, brown sugar, thyme, cloves, nutmeg and all spice. Blend for 15 seconds.

Step 2:
Place the chicken in a large bowl or sealable bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Allow to marinate for at least 4 hours (or overnight for maximum flavor).Step 3: Lightly oil grill grates. Pre-heat the grill to high heat. Cook chicken until the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees.
(Makes 4 Servings)

Lime Chicken

Ingredients:


4 chicken breasts


Marinade-


½ cup soy sauce


½ teaspoon mustard


1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce


¼ cup lime juice


½ teaspoon pepper


½ teaspoon cayenne


2 teaspoons garlic (minced)



Cooking Instructions:


Step 1:
In a zip lock bag or large bowl mix all marinade ingredients. Add chicken and marinade for 6 hours to overnight.

Step 2:
Grease and heat an outdoor grill. Cook chicken breasts until no longer pink inside and the juices run clear (internal temperature of 165 degrees).


(Makes 4 Servings)

Cuban Burgers

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground chuck

salt and pepper (to taste)

½ cup mayonnaise

3 cloves roasted garlic (smashed or pureed)

¼ cup Dijon mustard

4 hamburger buns

8 slices Swiss cheese

4 slices smoked ham

2 dill pickles (sliced ¼” thick)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1:

Grease and pre-heat an outdoor grill to high heat. Form the ground chuck into 4 patties and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place burgers onto the grill and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side or until burgers are fully cooked.

Step 2:

In a small bowl combine garlic and mayonnaise. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3:

To assemble burgers – Spread both of the sides of each bun with mustard and mayonnaise. Place 1 slice of Swiss cheese on the bottom half of each bun. Place the burger on top of the cheese. Top the burger with a slice of ham and then another slice of cheese, and finally add the pickle slices. Place the bun over the pickles.

Step 4:

Wrap burgers in aluminum foil and place them on the grill. Using a heavy pan press the burgers down for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Lower the lid on the grill and continue grilling for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese has melted.(Makes 4 Servings)

Shrimp Carbonara

Ingredients:

1 1/2lbs large raw shrimp (peeled and deveined with tails removed)
1 ½ cup bacon (diced)
1 cup yellow onion (diced)
1 teaspoon black pepper (or less)
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 ½ lbs spaghetti (cooked and drained)
2 cups freshly grated Romano cheese
¼ cup butter
4 eggs

Cooking Instructions:
Step 1:
Cooked pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse, cover and set aside. In a large skillet over medium-high heat melt butter and sauté bacon and onion until onions become transparent. Add shrimp and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp have turned pink (turning once). Season with pepper.

Step 2:
In a bowl whisk whipping cream with eggs until blended.

Step 3:
Add noodles to the skillet. Add egg and cream mixture. Then add Romano cheese. Toss the noodles with the sauce and turn down the heat. Keep cooking until the sauce slightly thickens. Remove from heat. Divide into serving bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.(Makes 4 Servings)

(With a dish like this it’s no surprise Italian cuisine is one of the most popular around. Shrimp Carbonara is among my favorite Italian foods. This dish combines shrimp, bacon and onion with noodles and a sauce. The sauce is a combination of whipping cream, eggs, and Romano cheese. Like many of the recipes I post, this dish is very easy and can be on the table in about 30 minutes or less. It’s perfect if you want to make a good impression with little effort. It is a good idea to try and time cooking the noodles along with the shrimp and bacon so the noodles remain fresh)

Easy Thai Red Curry Chicken Recipe

This easy Thai Red Curry is fragrant and sumptuous, and can be made anywhere from mild to red-hot, depending on how much spice you prefer. It's a healthy and hearty curry dish that will awaken your senses and boost your mood. Note that in Thailand this curry would be simmered in a wok over a stovetop, but in this case I have adapted it to suit Western cooking methods so that it can be baked in an oven (easier for most North Americans). This means it can be put together and in the oven in under 20 minutes!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium chicken, cut into parts (remove as much of the skin as possible)
• 2-3 kaffir lime leaves (purchased frozen at Asian stores), OR substitute 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1 cinnamon stick (OR substitute 1/2 tsp. cinnamon)
• fresh basil and coriander/cilantro for garnish
• RED CURRY SAUCE:
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 shallots OR 1/2 cup purple onion, sliced
• 1 thumb-size piece galangal (or ginger)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbsp. tomato ketchup, OR tomato paste + 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 3 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder (North American type)
• 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp. ground coriander
• 2 heaping tsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Asian stores)
• 1-2 fresh red chilies, minced, OR 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, OR 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. dried crushed chili
• VEGETABLES:
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2-3 tomatoes, sliced into wedges
• optional: 1-2 cups chopped eggplant (leave skin on), OR 4-5 Thai eggplants

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place chicken pieces in a fairly large casserole dish.
3. Place all curry sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process well.
4. Pour the curry sauce over the chicken. Stir well, so that each of the chicken pieces is covered with sauce.
5. Add the kaffir lime leaves and cinnamon, mixing these into the sauce.
6. Cover and bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
7. Remove dish from the oven. Add the vegetables and stir them into the sauce. Return the curry to the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is well cooked.
8. Do a taste test. If the sauce isn't salty enough, add more fish sauce (1 Tbsp. at a time). If it's too sour, add a little more brown sugar. If too spicy, add more coconut milk. If not spicy enough, add a few fresh-cut chilies or dried crushed chili/cayenne pepper.
9. Ladle the curry into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle generously with fresh basil and coriander (cilantro), and serve with plenty of Thai jasmine-scented rice.

Thai Chicken Salad

This Thai chicken salad is easy to make and pops with flavor. As a bonus, it's low in calories and fat while remaining extremely high in taste. The chicken is marinated in a light peppercorn marinade, then grilled (or oven-broiled) and served over a bed of cool greens together with a tangy Thai dressing. Before Portuguese traders brought the chili pepper to Thailand, the Thai people spiced up their cooking with green and black peppercorns. I find this flavoring especially delicious with chicken, and the fresh mint that's added to this salad makes for a nice contrasting flavor. Hope you enjoy it!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: SERVES 2-3 as a Main Entree

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless chicken breasts OR 4-8 skinless chicken thighs, cut into thick strips
• large bowl of salad greens (enough for 2-3 people)
• handful fresh mint (about 8-10 leaves)
• handfuls of fresh coriander/cilantro and basil
• garnish (optional): 1 fresh red chili, sliced
• MARINADE:
• 1 Tbsp. black peppercorns, coursely ground with pestle & mortar, coffee grinder, or a peppermill that can ground coursely
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. fresh-squeezed lime juice (or substitute lemon juice)
• DRESSING:
• juice of 1 lime
• 4 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper OR dried crushed chili

Preparation:

1. Stir together the marinade and pour over the chicken strips. Toss to coat, then set in the refrigerator to marinate while you prepare the salad fixings and warm up your grill.
2. Stir the salad dressing ingredients together in a cup. Taste-test the dressing, looking for a tangy taste that is a balance between sweet and sour, salty and spicy (it should have some kick to it from the cayenne/chili). Add a little more sugar if it's too sour. Set aside.
3. Prepare your bowl of salad greens. For the mint, stack the leaves on top of each other, then thinly slice into slivers and toss in with the salad. Also add some fresh basil and coriander if you have it (optional).
4. Before grilling, lightly brush grill with a little vegetable oil. Grill your marinated chicken, basting it with the left-over marinate the first time you turn it. For oven-broiling, place chicken strips on a broiler pan (or on a foil-covered cookie sheet, turning up foil at the edges to prevent spilling). Set oven to broil setting and place chicken on one of the upper racks, turning it every 3-5 minutes, or until well done.
5. When ready to eat, toss the salad with the dressing and serve the cooked chicken strips overtop. If desired, reserve a little dressing to drizzle over the chicken too. Garnish with a few extra mint leaves and thinly sliced red chili (if you're not afraid of spice). Pair this dish with a cold white wine or lager, and enjoy!

Zucchini Saute

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 zucchini, halved and sliced
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion with salt and pepper for 2 minutes. Stir in zucchini and mushrooms. When zucchini begins to soften, add tomatoes, garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook until heated through.