Lately a group of my friends have gathered for Sunday suppers.  Last night it was my turn to cook so I made Grilled Ribeye Steaks with Steak Sauce. It is a fun way to wind down the weekend.  We sit around sipping a glass of wine and nibbling on cheese and crackers.  Being single we have created our own weekly family meal in a way.

My friend has a beautiful barbecue that we have been putting to good use.  I used a spice mixture from Bobby Flay and then adapted his steak sauce.  I am a huge Bobby Flay fan, I love the flavor he injects into the food with rubs and sauces.  It is no secret Mesa Grill is one of my favorite restaurants but I don’t make it to Vegas or New York enough so I am often cracking open one of his cookbooks.

This was a big hit with my friends.  They put this on the repeat list.  The steak sauce really makes this meal and it is so easy.  You dump all the ingredients in a bowl and mix.  How simple is that.  It will last for two weeks in your refrigerator so you can have it on hand for another meal. 

Grilled Spiced Ribeye Steak with Mesa Steak Sauce

adapted from Bobby Flay
Prep Time:  20 minutes     Cook Time:  15 minutes

Ingredients

4 Ribeye Steaks
2 tablespoons canola oil

Preheat a grill to medium-high or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the steaks with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Rub one side of each steak with about 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture.

Grill the steaks, rub side down, until lightly charred and a crust has formed, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip over the steaks and top with 2 teaspoons of Mesa Steak Sauce. Continue grilling for 5 to 6 minutes more for medium rare; the steaks will be bright pink in the middle.

Spice Rub

2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon Spanish paprika
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.

Mesa Steak Sauce

1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 1/2 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Mix ingredients in a small bowl.  Refrigerate until you use.  Will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator.

1.  Hoisin BBQ Chicken with Tropical Salsa

2.  Pineapple Glazed Chicken with Jalapeno Salsa

3.  Grilled Firecracker Chicken

4.  Grilled Chicken with Spicy Peach Sauce

5.  Grilled Chicken with Mango Pineapple Salsa

Looking over these recipes is making me hungry. Spicy Peach Sauce or Firecracker Chicken? I think I might have to make one of those tonight.

What is your favorite way to grill chicken?

This Grilled Chicken with Fireworks Sauce has become my go to barbecue this summer.  The sauce is sweet and slightly spicy making for a delicious addition to your sauce collection. I made it for a few get togethers with friends and even used the sauce for dipping a few homemade onion rings in.

We finally have had summer like weather here in southern California.  Not that I was complaining.  I was pretty happy with the cool summer we have been enjoying this year.  But all good things must come to end so the saying goes.  If you are enjoying one of the last weekends of summer with a barbecue make this sauce and see for yourself.

Spicy Dry Rub

2 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Grilled Chicken with Fireworks Sauce

by Cooking with Rachel Ray
4 servings

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for rubbing
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup smoked sweet paprika
2/3 cup ketchup
Juice of 2 lemons (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 pinches of cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2-1/2 pounds), pounded 1/2 inch thick

Preheat a grill to medium-hot or a grill pan to medium-low. Place the 3 tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the paprika and cook for 1 minute more. Add 1 cup of water and the ketchup, lemon juice, orange juice concentrate, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and cayenne pepper. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and simmer until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve half of the sauce to serve at the table.

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with the Spicy Rub on both sides.  Grill for 3 minutes on each side. brush some of the sauce on both sides of the chicken and continue grilling until cooked through and still juicy, about 3 minutes more per side. Serve with the reserved sauce.

Summer entertaining is here.  Since I am not a meat eater, I am always looking for new ways to cook chicken.  This Hoisin BBQ chicken with Tropical Salsa is one of the new ways I am cooking it this summer.  The hoisin sauce is sweet yet spicy.  The salsa has pineapple, mango, strawberries and red pepper.  This one has just a hint of ginger but you could add cilantro or mint if you want to.

They are both easy recipes, one bowl each.  Just a bit of chopping and stirring.  You can make both earlier in the day, the Hoisin BBQ sauce could be made the day ahead.

I had thinly sliced chicken breasts on hand so I ended up skewering them.  You could just cook whole breasts.  The salsa would be great on fish too.

Hoisin BBQ Chicken with Tropical Salsa

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sambal
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 clove garlic minced
1 teaspoon ginger minced
1 green onion chopped
2 boneless skinless chicken breast
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Mix all ingredients other than the chicken breast in a small bowl. Brush sauce on while cooking them on the grill.  Serve a little of the sauce on the side along with the Tropical Salsa.

Tropical Salsa

1/4 cup pineapple, diced
1/4 cup mango, diced
1/4 cup strawberries, diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.  Chill until you serve.

There is something about spring that makes you smile.  I love the light when I get home, I love the sun and the warm weather.  Last weekend I became a mad woman decorating my patio and cleaning the grill.

In the latest issue of Bon Appetit I saw this recipe for Pineapple Glazed Chicken.  As I don’t eat meat I am always looking for new ways to make chicken.  Maybe that explains the overabundance of chicken recipes on this site.  I try many recipes that never make it on this site but this one is a new favorite.  The sweet glaze is a great contrast to the spicy pineapple salsa.

The beauty of this recipe is you could make both the glaze and the salsa ahead.  You can come home, turn on the grill and have dinner ready quickly.

Pineapple Glazed Chicken with  Jalapeno Salsa
by Jill Dupleix, Bon Appetit March 2010

1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
3/4 cup 1/4-inch cubes fresh pineapple
3 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1 1/2 tablespoons canned sliced jalapeño chiles, drained, coarsely chopped
4 boneless chicken breast halves with skin (1 3/4 pounds total)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring pineapple juice, brown sugar, and mustard to boil in small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil until glaze has thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
Mix pineapple, red pepper, cilantro, onion, and chiles in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Line baking sheet with foil. Place chicken on sheet and brush with glaze. Bake 15 minutes. Brush again with glaze, then broil until cooked through and golden, watching closely to avoid burning, about 5 minutes longer. Let rest 5 minutes.
Spoon salsa over chicken and serve.

I brought my grilled vegetables to a dinner last weekend.  It is my go to side dish especially this time of year when there are so many fresh vegetables.  This is a mix and match dish.  You take your favorite vegetables chop them up and throw them in a large ziplock.  Then add your favorite herbs, a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

It is that easy. Throw them on a grill pan or basket and cook until slightly charred and tender but still crispy. You can adjust the amount of vegetables and for variety mix up your vegetables.

Grilled Veggies
Serves 6

2 red bell peppers, seeded & cut in squares
1 orange bell pepper, seeded & cut in squares
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded & cut in squares
2 zucchini, sliced
1 summer squash, sliced and halved
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
drizzle of olive oil
Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon of fresh herbs chopped, I used rosemary and thyme

Clean and cut up your vegetables.  Place them in a ziplock bag and add the remaining ingredients.  Close up the bag and mix them up with your hands.  Place in the refrigerator for 1 to 8 hours.

Place on a grill pan and cook until lightly charred but crisp.

Years ago I took a cooking class at the Mondavi Food and Wine Center in town.  The instructor, Hugh Carpenter, made 5 amazing dishes. Each one was bursting with flavor.  I had forgotten about them until I went looking for a quick and easy marinade for flank steak.  I pulled out his Fast Entrees cookbook and found a tasty glaze to try out.

I was putting together a dinner for friends at another friends house.  That is sort of my story, I cook on the road.  My personal chef days prepared me and I usually end of cooking at someone else’s house.  Mostly, because they have nicer and bigger houses.  I get to play with nicer ovens, I can only dream of for now. Sometimes though I end up at the friends without a few tools.  Last night it was my great knife for carving.

Flank steak is a tougher portion of meat but marinade breaks it down, tenderizes it  and makes it a great steak for grilling.  You can substitute other steaks in this recipe including beef tenderloin, flat iron, strip or rib eye.

Flank Steak with Balsamic Soy Sauce Glaze
adapted from Hugh Carpenter
Serves 4

2 pounds flank steak, fat trimmed off
2 teaspoons greshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup honey mustard
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 pound blue cheese, crumbled (optional)

Rub both sides of the meat with the pepper.  Place the steak in a shallow baking pan or a ziplock bag.  In a bowl, combine the mustard, vinegar, wine, soy sauce and garlic and mix well.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade for basting. Pour the remaining marinade over the meat and make sure both sides are coated.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes and up to 8 hours, turning occasionally.

Grill over medium heat, discarding the marinade.  Use the reserve marinade for basting.  Cook until the meat thermometer registers 120 for rare or 130 for medium rare.  Let rest for a few minutes before carving so that the meat will absorb all of those tasty juices.  Sprinkle with the bleu cheese and serve.

This time of year is all about family and friends.  Our days are spent lounging by the pool or playing at the beach.  At the end of the day we don’t want to slave over a hot stove,  but have something that is easy to pop on the grill.

This weekend I made Grilled Chicken with Spicy Peach Glaze. Last summer I became obsessed with grilled peaches.  I tried Roasted Peach Ice Cream that I had drooled over on another blog and made a salad with these peaches and the spicy glaze. I warn you the roasted peaches are incredibly addicting when paired with brown sugar shortbread.

The base for the Spicy Peach Glaze is peach preserves and you add in garlic, olive oil, soy, mustard and jalapeno.  Mix it up and you are ready to go.  If you have kids,  put aside 1/4 cup of the sauce before adding the jalapeno.

Make up the sauce the day before and you will have a tasty dinner to serve your friends.

If you don’t have peach preserves you could use easily substitute raspberry or apricot preserves.  Grilled Chicken Breasts with Spicy Peach Glaze

Spicy Peach Glaze:

1 cups peach preserves or jam
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 small jalapeno, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 ripe peaches, cut in half and pitted

Directions

Combine Spicy Peach Glaze ingredients in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve 1/2 cup.

Preheat grill. Brush the chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place on grill and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, until golden brown. Turn over and continue cooking for 5 to 6 minutes. Brush both sides with the peach glaze and continue cooking an additional 4 to 5 minutes.

Place peach halves, cut side down on the grill and grill for 2 minutes. Turn over and brush with the reserved 1/2 cup of peach glaze, grill for 3 to 4 more minutes until peaches are soft.

It is Memorial Day and while you might assume I’d be grilling, I am at the OC airport waiting to fly to Denver.

But I am still gearing up for grill time. Summer is just around the corner. If you are looking for a new way to grill chicken and keep it low cal you are at the right place. Earlier this week I tried out a new grilled chicken recipe I found on Cooking Light.

The chicken marinates in a sweet and spicy marinade making it super moist.  After grilling it you top it off with the salsa.  It is great served with brown rice or even mashed potatoes.

Grilled Chicken with Mango Pineapple Salsa
Cooking Light October 2008

Salsa:
2/3 cup diced peeled ripe mango (1 medium)
2/3 cup diced fresh pineapple
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Chicken:
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup pineapple juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Dash of crushed red pepper
Cooking spray

1. To prepare salsa, combine first 8 ingredients. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. To prepare chicken, place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Combine pineapple juice and next 5 ingredients (through red pepper) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.

3. Prepare grill.

4. Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until done.

5. Place reserved marinade in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 5 minutes). Drizzle over chicken. Serve salsa with chicken.

Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half, 1 tablespoon sauce, and 1/4 cup salsa)

CALORIES 222 (14% from fat); FAT 3.4g (sat 0.9g,mono 1.1g,poly 0.7g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 70mg; CALCIUM 27mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.1g; SODIUM 537mg; PROTEIN 26.9g; FIBER 1.3g

Ok, I owe you a winner for the children’s cooking set.  The winner of this fun set is……Celeste from Etsy It Up is the winner.

Thank you to everyone who participated in my giveaways, I will be bringing them back from time to time. You gave me many ideas for the blog in the upcoming months.  New recipes to try and old ones to update.

Last Sunday, for Mother’s Day, I decided to try baby back ribs.  It has been a long time since I made ribs but thought the kids might like them. It was a great choice, they loved the ribs.  While the cooking take a couple of hours, the prep is easy and can be done ahead of time.

I kept the sauce on the milder side for the kids but you could add more kick to it.

The sauce could be made ahead of time.  In fact, you could cook the ribs the day before and grill them right before serving.
Barbecue Baby Back Ribs
6-8 servings

1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp ancho  chile powder
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
4 lb baby back ribs (4 racks)

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 300°F. Line a 17- by 12- by 1-inch shallow baking pan with foil.

Stir together all sauce ingredients in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes.

Transfer sauce to a food processor and purée until smooth.

Coat both sides of ribs with sauce. Arrange ribs, meaty side up, in 1 layer in baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake ribs 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Finish on the grill for 10 – 15 minutes.  Baste with sauce.