BBQ Chicken and Ranch bowl

When it’s this hot and humid outside all we want to eat are zesty, crunchy, fresh salads. Keeping it simple and low key is crucial to not heating up the kitchen. I love a good bowl from Cava or Roots but unfortunately we live 20 minutes away from all the good salad places and sometimes it’s nice to customize it just the way we like it. This simple recipe takes less time to make than it does for us to drive into town. It’s delicious and mostly healthy too. This recipe is really adaptable so feel free to use some creative licensing. I just wrote the recipe as we prepared it yesterday.

What you need:

1 lb of chicken breast

1 tbsp bbq rub or mesquite seasoning (my go to is Shenandoah Spice company Memphis rub)

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup of your favorite bbq sauce

Salad mix (I did a mixture of cabbage, shredded brussels, and kale but mixed greens work)

1 cup of precooked rice

1/2 cup of frozen corn kernels, thawed

1/2 cup of diced tomatoes

1/2 cup of diced cucumbers

1/4 cup salted roasted nuts (we used chopped spicy pecans and pepitas)

This is my homemade Ranch dressing. Mix it up before you start everything else so that the flavors can meld. It’s amazing. In fact the kids were begging me to bottle it and start a new business venture last night : )

1/2 cup Dukes mayo

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/2 tbsp champagne vinegar

1/2 tsp dried chives

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp dried dill

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

For the chicken, it’s very important that you slice it against the grain and chop it up properly. This greatly affects how tender it is. I like to chop it in roughly 1 inch cubes so that it cooks quickly. You can ruin chicken by slicing it the wrong way, so I beg you to check out this link for a quick tutorial if you are unsure: https://www.seriouseats.com/knife-skills-how-to-slice-chicken-breast-for-stir-fries

After you have cut up the chicken sprinkle it all over with your bbq rub. Add the olive oil and butter to a skillet and warm to medium heat. Toss in the chicken and allow to sit for about 5 minutes before stirring and letting to sit for another 5 minutes. The chicken should be almost cooked through at this point so you can pour over the bbq sauce and stir. Lower the heat just slightly and finish cooking the chicken (maybe another 3-5 min) Depending on the sugar content of your bbq sauce it could burn easily so keep an eye on it. Now assemble the rest of your salad bowl and when the chicken is finished add it to the top. Pour over the ranch dressing and stir to combine. Enjoy!

Creamy Zucchini Spaghetti

It seems everyone has a recipe for zucchini and squash pasta these days but I think it’s a classic combination that’s been around since the beginning of time (or at least since the invention of pasta and agriculture). For the small amount of ingredients this dish contains, I cannot express how delicious it is. The noodles and zucchini blend together so that you can hardly tell them apart and the Vidalia onion combined with the herby and creamy Boursin cheese adds so much flavor. Fresh basil and Parmesan kick this dish up another notch and it’s going to become one of your easy weeknight summer go-tos. My husband is gluten free so I typically avoid making pasta dishes but I finally discovered one that has great texture, holds up to the sauce, and not an overpowering rice or corn flavor. The Andean Dream quinoa pasta is awesome. We used this in last night’s dish and I think now that I’ll be using it on a regular basis and incorporating pasta back into our lives : ) Hooray!

What you need:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

2-3 zucchini depending on the size (I used 2 green and one yellow zucchini, you could also use squash)

1/4 cup finely sliced Vidalia or sweet onion

2 1/2 oz Garlic and Herbs Boursin (about 1/2 the package)

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese + more for garnish

handful of fresh basil

salt and pepper

4 oz (half 8 oz box) dried spaghetti noodles

Begin by julienning the zucchini and onion (slicing into long thin strips) and add to a sauté pan with the butter and olive oil. Add some salt and pepper and cook over medium heat stirring occasionally and scraping up brown bits as they form. Meanwhile cook your spaghetti noodles according to the package directions. You could also use linguini or another long thin noodle. After about 10-15 minutes when the zucchini is soft and starting to brown on the ends turn the heat to low and add the Boursin and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle a touch more salt and pepper and melt the cheese while stirring to combine. Drain the noodles and add them to the pan, stirring to combine everything. Chop or tear the basil into small pieces and swirl into the pan to mix everything. Serve with more Parmesan and basil if desired. Enjoy!!! I promise you will love this : )

Zucchini + Boursin just before combining.

Balsamic Orange and Rosemary Grilled Chicken

My kids love chicken drumsticks, like LOVE them. I wanted to create a marinade that the whole family would enjoy and would give the chicken that just right salty, sweet, sticky taste that grilled chicken is known for. I'm feeling pretty proud of the results. We will be grilling up these yummy drumsticks all summer long.

What you need:

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of one whole orange

1 small sweet onion or 1/2 a large one

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp salt

dash of black pepper

8-10 chicken drumsticks or combo of drumsticks and thighs

Purée all of the ingredients (minus the chicken) in a blender. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle all over with salt, pour marinade over the top of the chicken in a shallow dish. Marinate for a few hours before grilling. Grill on the top rack of the grill or the opposite side from your coals to avoid flare ups at around 350° for roughly 35-40 minutes turning and basting two times during the process (will vary depending on the grill so keep an eye on them). When finished the chicken should be nicely browned and the internal temperature should be 165°. Thighs and drumsticks are very juicy and forgiving so they will still be delicious if you overcook them slightly.