Peach-Jalapeño Grilled Chicken

We got a grill. WE GOT A GRILL! 

Over the last two years, I've slowly but steadily growing a list of "things I'll make when we get a grill," but we held out, looking for a good deal. And, after two years of waiting? Not once did we spot a grill on sale that was also a grill we wanted. But earlier this month, we finally got a grill off of Craigslist -- a steal, really. 

And oh have we been grilling. Chicken. Sausages. Fish for tacos. Even brussels sprouts. This Peach-Jalapeño Grilled Chicken is one of the highlights for me so far, something that I started working on B.G. (before grill 😏) but couldn’t get quite right until we had a grill. Nothing like cooking over an open flame! 

I have been super crazy for peaches lately, gobbling them up fresh every day. This recipe uses peach preserves, so you can make it any time of year, though if it is peach season, fresh grilled peaches make for a sweet side. Jalapeños add some zing, along with a bit of fresh ginger. It's a sticky, spicy, sweet, savory combo that screams summer, Perfect with a side salad or grilled veggies. 

(And, it’s fast to make and EASY. If you know how to stir, you can make this glaze — because that’s all you have to do, stir it together. 🙌)

Peach-Jalapeño Grilled Chicken

Published July 31, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 2-3   |    Active Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup peach preserves

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1-1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 jalapeño, minced

1 pound chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts)

For serving: 1-2 peaches, cilantro for garnish, lime wedges, fresh jalapeño slices

Directions:

1. Whisk together the peach preserves, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and jalapeño in the bottom of a medium-sized mixing bowl.
2. Place chicken in the bowl with the sauce, and turn to coat.
3. Heat grill with a medium-high flame. When the grill is hot, place the chicken on the grate and close the lid. Allow the chicken to cook for 3 minutes with out moving to get good sear marks. Then, flip to the second side.
4. Cook chicken breasts until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F or the juices run clear.
5. If serving with grilled peaches: slice peaches in half and remove the pit. Lightly oil the fleshy side of each peach (use a high-heat oil such as coconut) and place on the grill. Grill for 4-5 minutes, undisturbed.
6. Remove chicken from heat, and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve hot with lime wedges and fresh jalapeño slices.

Roasted Zucchini, Corn & Basil Salad

This salad is made of three quintessential mid-summer crops: corn, zucchini, and basil.

Zucchini is one of my all-time favorite veggies, because it’s so versatile. It’s good sautéd, raw, zoodled, or in this case, roasted (any grill masters out there? You can do the roasting over an open flame if that’s more your style!). Use young zucchini in this recipe. They are more tender, have smaller seeds, and you can simply cut them in half (the long way) rather than into strips. Yellow summer squash would work well too! 

There’s a saying, “things that grow together go together,” and it’s certainly the case here. Roasted zucchini needs little in terms of seasoning, but a little fresh basil brightens this dish up. Good warm or cold, this salad is the perfect backyard grill out side dish! To turn this recipe into a heartier salad, one you could eat for lunch, try adding shredded parmesan and diced avocado. 

Roasted Zucchini, Corn & Basil Salad

Published July 24, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

4 small zucchini

3 cobs of corn

1/2 cup fresh basil

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

For the vinaigrette:

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon honey or maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Slice the zucchini into long strips, about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. Brush zucchini and corn with olive oil and place on sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes, until softened. Turn oven to high broil, and cook for 3-5 more minutes, just to get the corn and zucchini really roasted. (Note: You can also do this step on your grill, and skip the oven!)
2. Allow zucchini and corn to cool so that you can handle them with out burning yourself. Arrange zucchini in a salad bowl, and then use a knife to cut the kernels from each corn cob. Add kernels to the bowl. Cut basil chiffonade style, reserving a few whole leaves for garnish, and add to the bowl. Toss everything to combine.
3. Combine all ingredients for the dressing in a jar and shake. Pour over salad, top with reserved basil leaves, and serve.

No-Noodle Lasagna

The first lasagna recipe I published on this blog called for twenty ingredients. TWENTY! That is not a typo. (I'm embarrassed to even link to that recipe, oh how much I've learned since 2015!)

Lasagna is one of those things that just has a lot of components, but I was on a mission with this one: Simplify. Because some weeks, even just having twenty ingredients on your shopping list is stressful. Right??

This version has less than half that number of ingredients. That said, it still needs to bake for 50 minutes, so if you are trying to serve this on a weeknight, doing all the prep ahead of time will help you out.

No-Noodle Lasagna

Published July 12, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 8   |    Active Time: 90 minutes

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Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups marinara sauce (choose one that has basil or garlic, or make your own )

1-2 eggplants (1 large or 2 medium)

16 ounces ricotta

16 ounces hot Italian sausage, ground

10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup shredded parmesan, plus more for serving

1 tablespoon olive oil

Optional: minced parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F, and slice eggplants in thin, long strips — about 1/4-inch thick. Spread slices out in a single layer on a sheet pan, and brush with olive oil. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes, until eggplant begins to soften.
2. Meanwhile, brown sausage in a skillet over medium heat. Once cooked, set aside.
3. Place thawed spinach in a strainer, and squeeze out as much extra water as possible.
4. Make the lasagna: spread 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of a 9x16-inch baking dish. Arrange half of the eggplant strips as “noodles” in a single layer. Spread ricotta cheese over eggplant, and then top with sausage crumbles. Next, spread the spinach in a layer. Spread 1/2 cup sauce over top, and then layer the remaining eggplant in a second layer. Top with another 1/2 cup of sauce, and then top with shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup parmesan.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F, and bake lasagna covered for 25 minutes, and then uncovered for 25 minutes.
6. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, and then top with minced parsley. Slice and serve. Top with parmesan if desired.