Barbequing / Grilling

Balsamic, Honey, Soy Sauce and Garlic Marinated Chicken (thighs and breast) can be served at room temperature – perfect for a picnic or buffet ! Prefer to grill the chicken – the marinade will help keep the meat juicy.

You know, I’d never really cooked with balsamic vinegar until today – so this recipe is my very first time preparing anything with balsamic vinegar… and I’m seriously wondering What Took Me So Long? (My son M. prepares a delicious pasta dish featuring a balsamic vinegar reduction and fresh asparagus. I’m gonna have to ask him to do a Guest Post for me so I can share his excellent recipe.)

As with many things, the higher the price – the better the product. And so it is with balsamic vinegar. I suggest buying a good quality vinegar, even if you have to pay more. It will be worth it ! Here’s a link to Andrew Wheeler’s blog Serious Eats which provides some valuable information regarding balsamic vinegar.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/05/everything-you-need-to-know-guide-to-balsamic-vinegar.html

I used skinless chicken thighs today because, to me, the meat much more flavorful than chicken breast. And don’t be put off by thinking you’ll be eating dark meat – chicken thigh is, pretty much, white meat! If you prefer chicken breast, cut each piece in half.

For grilling, chicken pieces with the skin attached will help keep the meat from drying out – as will marinating the chicken.

Oven at 400F Bake chicken pieces for about 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. honey
4 Tbs. soy sauce
4 Tbs. olive oil
2 – 3 Tbs. minced garlic ++ I use 3 Tbs.because I LOVE garlic!
3 Tbs. finely chopped fresh parsley ++ I chop it and then freeze it in a ziploc bag.
a bit of freshly ground pepper
8 chicken thighs – skin removed
Prefer Chicken Breasts? 4 large boneless chicken breasts – cut in half to equal 8 pieces
some toasted sesame seeds – perhaps 2 tsp. & some minced fresh parsley, to sprinkle over finished dish

METHOD

Place 3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbs. honey, 4 Tbs. soy sauce, 4 Tbs. olive oil, 2 – 3 Tbs. minced garlic, 3 Tbs. finely chopped fresh parsley and a bit of freshly ground pepper into a gallon-sized ziplock bag.

Zip bag and shake bag to mix ingredients. Add the chicken pieces. Allow chicken to marinate for at least four hours – overnight is even better.

++ I recommend turning the bag a few times to ensure each piece of chicken gets to soak in the marinade. ++ If possible, lie the bag down so all the chicken pieces are sitting in the marinade.

Line a baking sheet (cookie sheet with sides) with aluminum foil. Place chicken pieces evenly on baking sheet and pour over ALL the marinade. Cook in preheated oven set at 400F for 30 minutes.

Once the chicken is thoroughly cooked, place it on a warmed platter. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and simmer until marinade is reduced and thoroughly heated through. Pour marinade over chicken pieces. Sprinkle with some toasted sesame seeds and minced fresh parsley. Enjoy !!

Balsamic, Honey, Soy Sauce and Garlic Chiicken - myyellowfarmhouse.com

Boneless Chicken Breasts – Ready for the oven.

++ Recipe inspired by ‘Beyond Kimchee’ – – – http://www.beyondkimchee.com/soy-balsamic-chicken-thighs-asparagus/

“Always Moist Barbequed Chicken”

“Corny Bread – Made in Bread Machine”

“Easy Cheesy New Potatoes”

“Easy Cheesy New Potatoes” – – – ‘Brooklyn Farm Girl’s’ version – – – prepared with fresh radishes and broccoli straight from her rooftop garden. Check out Pamela’s blog at brooklynfarmgirl.com!!

Some friends came over tonight to help take my outdoor furniture out of the barn – and into the yard, where it belongs! The weather today was amazing – mild with no humidity…. the kind of day that just screams – BAR–B– QUE !!

I haven’t made my Always Moist Barbequed Chicken in a while, although it’s always a real favorite whenever I make it. (And it was a big hit tonight.) The secret lies in the marinade, and, in cooking the chicken in a 250 F oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours so the meat is partly cooked before it goes on the grill. So you can say goodbye to slightly raw – or dried out – barbequed chicken!

The Easy-Cheesy New Potatoes is something I “invented” tonight – and the Corny Bread recipe is from a cookbook that came with my bread maker. Even though there’s a half cup of cornmeal in the ingredients, it doesn’t taste like cornbread. It’s just incredibly moist and light! .

“Always Moist Barbequed Chicken”

The “Always Moist Barbequed Chicken” is marinated for several hours – or overnight – so I’m giving you those directions first.

Ingredients – (Uses 4 Large Chicken Breast Halves – bone-in and with skin.)

4 bone-in chicken breast halves with skin
3/4 cup Italian salad dressing
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
dash of pepper

Combine the Italian salad dressing with 2 Tbs. soy sauce, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder and a dash of pepper. If you like, you can add some other ingredients to your marinade, such as a bit of cayenne pepper are some cumin, for example.

Place the chicken in a bowl, a pan or a large zip lock bag, and pour the marinade over it. Marinate overnight – or for several hours, turning occasionally.

About 1 1/2 to 2 hours before you plan to barbeque (depending on the size of the chicken breasts) set your oven at 250 F, drain away the marinade and place the chicken in a low sided casserole or pan. (You can turn the chicken a few times but it’s not necessary.)

At the end of the cooking time, the chicken will look like this – all ready to be barbequed!

OK – you’re all set! Set your gas grill at medium. Slather chicken breasts with your favorite sauce, grill until the skin as brown as you like and enjoy! (If fat from the chicken makes your grill flame up – lower heat a bit.)

++ Tip from Emril Legasse – spread on your barbeque sauce at the last-minute or it might crystallize and char! My chicken breasts charred a bit because I turned up the heat when the skin wasn’t browning quickly enough for me…. and the next thing I knew, it had gotten slightly charred. Oh well, we live & learn !

Corny Bread – Made in the Bread Machine

The “Corny Bread” takes several hours, so allow yourself enough time. (Not that you have to do any of the kneading etc.!)

Ingredients

2 Tbs. milk. . . .and add lukewarm water to make 1 cup
1/4 cup honey
3 Tbs. butter, softened a bit
1 tsp. salt
3 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/4 tsp. yeast – bread machine yeast !
++ OPTIONAL – 1/2 cup canned corn – drained OR 1/2 cup frozen corn – ADDED LATER!

Place all the ingredients – EXCEPT THE CORN – in your bread machine’s baking pan in the order listed above. Select the “Basic” and “Regular Crust” settings. My bread machine lets me know when I should add ingredients such as nuts – or corn. If you’re bread maker doesn’t have this feature, you can add the corn towards the end of the kneading cycle. (My machine takes 3 hours and 50 minutes to knead and bake the bread.)

“Easy Cheesy New Potatoes”

My sister-in-law says I could make a delicious meal out of mud. And by that she means I can take a bit of this and a bit of that and – voila – some good eatin’ ! I take that as a very nice complement – thanks Sue !! These “Easy Cheesy New potatoes” were NOT made out of mud but out of what I happened to have on hand. I love the flavor and texture of new potatoes – like strawberries, they taste like spring or early summer.

Ingredients

6 – 7 medium new potatoes – unpeeled
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. butter
5 shakes of Tabasco sauce
1/4 tsp. salt – or to taste
2 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped
some sliced cheese to place on the top – about 1/2 cup – as much as you want
(I happened to have Marble Jack cheese, which is a combination of Colby and Monterey Jack)

Scrub potatoes a bit under running water, then cut into chunks of about 1″. Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring water to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook potatoes until they are fork tender. (According to my brother-in-law, I didn’t cook them enough. According to his wife, they were fine…)

Once potatoes are cooked, drain and set aside. With the heat off, mix 2 Tbs butter, 2 Tbs. olive oil, 5 shakes Tabasco sauce, 2 Tbs. parsley and 1/4 tsp. salt in the pan. Add in the potatoes and mix well. (If the potatoes begin to break up a bit… that’s fine.)

Place potatoes in a casserole. Put some sliced cheese on top and broil until the cheese is melted – that’s it ! (The cheese tends to melt quickly because the potatoes are already hot!) Enjoy !