It’s hot hot hot.

Great time to get out on the back porch and fire up the ol’ grill.

And cool down in the sweltering summertime.

So we’re paying homage during

Grillin’ & Chillin’ Week

First up.

One of our faves…

Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon with a Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey sauce.

Oh yeah…it’s good!

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 large cedar grilling plank

1 large wild caught salmon fillet

olive oil

S&P

1/2 T extra virgin olive oil

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

1 jalapeno seeded and chopped

1 cup mango chutney

1/2 cup Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey

3 T whole grain mustard

WHAT TO DO:

Fill your sink with water and soak your cedar plank for at least 3o minutes.

Preheat your grill to medium high.

Season your salmon with olive oil and sprinkle with S&P.

In a small saucepan heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Toss your onions into the pan and allow to sweat for a few minutes.  Add in your jalapeno and allow to cook for 4 minutes.  Season veggies with S&P.

When the veggies are soft, deglaze with Jack Daniels.  Scrape up all the good browned bit on the bottom of the pan.  Stir in mango chutney and mustard.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until your salmon is ready.

When your grill is hot, place salmon, skin side down, on the cedar plank.  Place plank on the hot grill and shut the grill cover.

Grill until cooked through, about 12 minutes.

Top with Jack Daniels sauce.

Related posts:

• Grilled Rib Eye with Jack Daniels Glaze
• Apricot Cedar Roasted Salmon
• Get Healthy Week – Salmon with sauteed veggies
• Asian Week – Salmon Dynomite
• Baseball Week – Cracker Jack Popcorn Balls

They don’t have any…

Well not anything good…

So it’s up to me to make it for us.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE fajitas.

Have for years.

I remember this one time when I used to wait tables at this great restaurant in Boston while I was in college.

It was called the Sunset Bar & Grill

I’ve told you about their AMAZING Nachos.

Well I had a customer once who ordered our famous Cadillac Fajitas but instead of pronouncing it “Fa – HEE – ta” they asked for the “Fa-JIE-tis”

Like “Fagitis” is some creepy disease you catch in the Amazon Jungle.

Still makes me laugh.

STEAK FAJITAS

WHAT YOU NEED:

2 pounds skirt or flank steak, organic if possible

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1 lemon juiced

2 limes juiced

1/2 cup olive oil

4 cloves or garlic, chopped

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 T sriracha sauce

1 T chili powder

1 T ground cumin

1/2 T ground corriander

1/2 T paprika

1 t oregano

1 t black pepper

1/2 head of chopped cilantro

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 orange bell pepper, sliced

2 onions, sliced

Toppings:

whole wheat tortillas

pico de gallo

guacamole

shredded cheddar

sliced olives

sour cream

WHAT TO DO:

Place your steak and veggies to the side while you build your marinade.  Combine all remaining ingredients, other than your toppings, in a large bowl and mix well.

Place the veggies and steak into a large ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the top.  Close the bag and let it sit in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours.  One day would be great!

Remove from fridge and let come to room temp while you heat up your grill to medium high.  Spray or oil your grill so the meat doesn’t stick.

Meanwhile heat up a cast iron skillet on the grill.  I put mine in the back corner where it’s hottest.  Cook your onions and peppers until nice and soft and charred.

Toss on your meat and cook to medium (or medium rare) about 5 minutes on the first side, then 4 on the second.

Slice your meat on an angle and against the grain into strips.

Serve in warm whole wheat tortillas with sauteed onions and peppers and toppings!

Better than a case of “fagitis” any day!

Serve these up with some Sangria and it’s a good day for the ‘rents and the kiddos!

Related posts:

• Grilling Week – Steak and Chicken Kabobs
• Philly Steak N’ Cheeseburgers
• Steak n’ Cheese egg rolls
• Stick to your ribs Steak Tacos
• Come on baby light my fire, we’re grilling corn

I certainly do…

And so do the kids!

As the calendar says spring I’m trying to wish the weather into cooperation…

Thus, I do hereby dub this week…

Grilling Week.

Come on and get your fire on!

This recipe is always a hit and you’ll laugh when you see how easy it is…This is why I love the grill!

Steak and Chicken Kabobs

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 pound organic chicken

1 pound organic rib eye steak (you can go with whatever steak is on sale if you want)

1/2 cup BBQ Sauce (or you can use store bought, I like Sweet Baby Rays)

1/2 cup italian dressing (Love Newman’s!)

WHAT TO DO:

Grab a large ziploc bag.  Pour in your BBQ sauce and your italian dressing.

Cut your chicken and steaks into 1 inch cubes.

Toss them into your marinade and put them in the fridge.

Let them marinate for at least 1 hour, but they can sit for up to 24 hours.

Remove from marinade and poke them onto skewers.  Be sure to keep your chicken on one and the beef on the other, way easier for cooking times!

Heat up your grill to medium high. Be sure to wipe it with some oil to start so your meat doesn’t stick.

Toss them on the grill and cook to your desired doneness on the steak (we like medium rare) usually about 3 minutes per side.  Leave the chicken on until the juices run clear.

I take the boys off the sticks so they don’t end up playing swords with them but how your clan likes to eat ‘em is up to you.

Serve up with some Rajun Cajun Potatoes and dinner is served!

Related posts:

• Mexican Fiesta Week – Tequila Lime Chicken
• Get Healthy Week – Chicken with whole wheat penne and veggies
• Philly Steak N’ Cheeseburgers
• Come on baby light my fire, we’re grilling corn
• Stick to your ribs Steak Tacos

There are opposite sides taken in the battle of the burger wars.  It’s sort of like Color War Week at camp.  There are those who believe you should only gussy up what goes on top of the burger, and those who believe you should work on the actual burger itself.  I’m sort of split.  So for this one, I did both.  I dress up the burger’s interior and toss some good stuff on top.  I like it when the burger is flavored through and through, but then I felt like it looked a little naked there on the bun so I felt bad for him and slapped on some grilled onions and mushrooms….the choice is yours, but what makes this a cowboy burger is what is on the inside.  Take a looksie…

2 lbs ground beef, 85/15

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

1/4 large red onion diced

2 T worcestshire sauce

1 clove garlic finely chopped

1 big T montreal steak seasoning

1/4 cup beer

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Combine all your ingredients into a large bowl.  Toss to combine with your hands just enough to incorporate all the burgers.  Form patties, I usually get about 6 big burgers.  Sprinkle with some olive oil and grill to desired doneness.  We like ‘em medium-rare to medium.  The nice thing about these burgers is that the all the ingredients help to keep them nice and moist so even if you leave them on the grill a little longer they are still nice and juicy!  We just had friends over to BBQ, uh in the rain mind you, and they said these were the best grilled burgers they’d ever had.  Yes they are!  Giddy up, Cowboys!

Welcome to all the Tuesday Tag Alongs. I can’t wait to come back and visit your sites. I love making new bloggie pals.

Related posts:

• Brewhouse Burgers
• Inside Out Bacon Cheeseburgers
• Philly Steak N’ Cheeseburgers
• Summer on a plate
• Spicy Garlic Fries

Serves: 4 (save extra for the rest of your week)  Prep Time: 15 minutes  Cook Time: 20 minutes

4 large rib eye steaks

3 T olive oil

1 T butter

S&P

2 strips bacon

2 cloves garlic minced

2 shallots minced

1 T flour

1/2 cup jack daniels

1 can beef broth

2 large onions, sliced into strips

2 large red bell peppers, sliced into strips

Heat your outdoor grill to medium high heat.  Allow your steaks to come to room temperature.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with S&P.  Put them on the grill and allow them to cook for 5 minutes on the first side, then 3-4 minutes on the second for medium rare.  Remove from grill and allow to rest.

In a large skillet heat 1 T olive oil and 1 T butter over medium high heat.  Add onion and peppers and season with S&P.  Allow to cook until soft, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a medium saucepan cook bacon over medium high heat until crispy.  Remove and set aside.  In the bacon drippings saute your shallots until soft.  Add in garlic and cook for an additional minute.  Stir in flour and let it cook for a minute stirring often.  Deglaze with Jack Daniels and allow the alcohol to cook out and the sauce to reduce, about 2-3 minutes.  Add your beef broth and bring to a boil.  Once it’s boiled bring the head down to medium and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes.  Add your bacon back in and drizzle over your veggies and steak.

Related posts:

• Beef Strogonoff
• Chicken Amazing
• Rainy Day Rib Eye
• New England Pot o’ Steamers
• Brewhouse Burgers