Grilled Peach Salad with Pickled Ginger and Snap Peas

"So how do you come up with new recipes?"... this is question I get A LOT. It's a very complicated, scientific process in which I say to self "hmmm... I like X... I should make more things with X." I'm very advanced, you see. 

Lately I've been completely addicted to Argo Tea's ginger peach iced tea and much to the chagrin and embarrassment of the husband, I can eat ridiculous amounts of pickled sushi ginger. Like enough that the waiter or waitress has to return to the table several times. "Seriously... more please."

So I decided to turn my favorite tea/sushi side into a summer-y salad. Peaches are grilled for extra sweetness, while sugar snap peas, pickled ginger and almonds add crunch. A sesame vinaigrette brings everything together. 

I mean... this fruit is art. The gradation of color is delicately painted by nature. I shall be so sad to see them go away for the winter. 

A quick grill brings out their sweetness, leaving caramelized lines of goodness gracious.

Pops of pink and green inspire hunger.

Grilled Peach Salad with Pickled Ginger and Snap Peas

For Salad

4 cups baby spinach

4 peaches, halved

2 cups sugar snap peas

3 green onions, chopped

2 tablespoons pickled ginger

1/3 cup toasted almonds

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 teaspoon grapeseed oil

For Dressing

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Rub down peach halves with grapeseed oil and grill on medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Assemble salad with spinach, peaches, sugar snap peas, green onions and ginger. Combine dressing ingredients and lightly drizzle over salad. Top with sesame seeds and almonds. 

Ginger Beer Can Chicken with Chinese 5-Spice

I like to consider myself a woman of class. City sophisticated... I can pull that off right? A pair of heels and a cosmo, whilst throwing my head back in laughter at the city's trendiest hot spot. 

"Oh Charlotte and Miranda... Samantha made a sexy pun... how off-color." 

That was not my night tonight. Instead I hauled ass down three flights of stairs in my flip flops to unceremoniously shove a can of beer up the rear end of a chicken. And it was delicious. 

Now this is no frat house, so I did fancy it up a bit. Ginger beer, Chinese 5-spice, sesame oil and sriracha gave this flavorful flare.

Lovely spices included Chinese 5-spice, garlic, mustard, sesame seeds, coriander and sriracha salt. 

Once you've rinsed and dried the chicken, you'll need to get her good and sticky before the rub down (that sounds rather fratty doesn't it?). This is a combination of grapeseed oil, sesame oil and sriracha.

Spice 'er up with the dry rub. Don't forget her insides. Oooh baby.

Pick your favorite tall boy beer. Get 'er right in there. Instead of just beer, I've put together a mix of beer  and ginger beer. Whatever you choose, just make sure it has flavor. The can allows for 360-degree cooking, while providing moisture and flavor.

Before you know it you'll go from this... to this.

 Spices provide color and crust.

Some may think this is an inelegant preparation, but the gorgeous color, juicy meat and crispy skin are tough to argue with. No sequins or pumps required.

Ginger Beer Can Chicken with Chinese 5-Spice
1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 lbs
1 tall boy beer (drink half first)
1 ginger beer (drink half of that too)

For dry rub
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon Chinese 5-spice powder
1 teaspoon dried garlic
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon sriracha salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For sauce
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sriracha

Rinse chicken with cold water inside and out. Pat down and completely dry chicken. Combine sauce ingredients and brush all over chicken, including insides. Combine dry rub ingredients and season outside and inside of chicken. 

Combine ginger beer and beer in can, but be sure it is only 3/4 full. Hold chicken upright and place the cavity over beer can. If you prepare this regularly, it's helpful to buy a can holding contraption (ours was a gift), but the can will work just fine. Transfer the chicken to the grill, being careful to keep the can upright. 

Grill over indirect medium heat until the juices run clear, about 90 minutes. Use great care removing chicken from grill, since the can will be full of VERY hot liquid. Large tongs are particularly helpful, but it's much easier with two people. 

Let chicken rest for 10 minutes before lifting it from the can. Discard the beer and carve chicken. 

Portobello Burgers with Tomato Mayo

I got distracted watching autotune videos this week and slacked in the weeknight dinner department. We had planned to grill outdoors, but the rain put a damper on our fun. Grill pans are a great alternative; just be sure you've got the fan on.

Mushrooms are a great solution for quick weeknight meals. Flavorful, versatile and fast-cooking. A portobello burger is always satisfying for me, but I like to dress it up with some schmancy sauce to make it feel more like a meal. This time I went with a quick tomato basil mayo.

Look at these beauties. Did you know that you shouldn't actually rinse your mushrooms? They're spongey, so will soak up the water. I usually just wipe mine down with a damp cloth. Delicious fungus up in here.

Homemade mayo is as easy as dumping yummies in a food processor with a few tablespoons of your preferred mayo... and I KNOW you all have your favorites. Americans never switch.

Dinner done in just a few minutes. Dressed with saucy and greens on a whole wheat bun. Quick, homemade and something you can feel good about.

Grilled Portobello Burgers with Tomato Mayo
3-4 portobello mushrooms
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tomato, seeded
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
5-6 basil leaves
S&P
3-4 whole wheat buns
1/2 cup baby spinach

Clean mushrooms and brush with olive oil. Grill over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until tender. For sauce start by squeezing liquid and seeds from tomatoes (otherwise your sauce will be runny). In the bowl of a food processor combine seeded tomato, mayo, basil and S&P. Process until smooth. Serve mushrooms on toasted buns with sauce and fresh spinach.

Bon Anniversaire Part Deux

This is just awesome

Bon Anniversaire

Strawberry Balsamic Steak Salad

After a lively Sunday Funday in the Wrigley bleachers, we needed something light. I had met my Chicago-style hot dog quota for the day. Luckily I had marinated some steaks in the morning and we took advantage of the seasonal strawberries for spinach steak salad with goat cheese. 

Maybe it was the cool, cloudy day or that the Cubs are inching closer and closer to being mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but it felt like summer was drawing to a close. Plus when you're taking pictures of your food, you are hyper aware of the shortening hours of natural light. 

Side bar -- bloggers, any equipment recommendations? I need a flash that doesn't make my dishes look slimey. All natural light photography is just not going to be an option very soon. 

Despite my lamentations... summer is still here. So more reason than ever to enjoy summer-y ingredients. This strawberry salad hit the spot. 

Marinade started simple, with balsamic vinegar and rosemary as the stars. 

Enjoying the fresh herbs from my garden while I still can. Plus I like when my fingers smell like rosemary.

After your steaks have hung out in the marinade for 9 innings, you're ready for salad time (and a nap). Look at these strawberry beauties. They're certainly not going to look this way in January.

Perfectly grilled by the husband.

Summer salad satisfaction with a bit of grilled bread. If not playoff memories, at least we can look back on good produce.

Strawberry Balsamic Steak Salad

For the marinade

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon rosemary, minced

S&P

For salad

4 cups baby spinach

1.5-2lbs sirloin 

1/4 sweet white onion, thinly sliced

2 cups strawberries, sliced

1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles

For dressing

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 

S&P

Combine marinade ingredients and pour over steaks. Marinade at least 4 hours or overnight. Grill steaks over medium indirect heat for 6-8 minutes (depending on thickness). Allow steaks to rest before slicing thinly. Combine spinach, onions and strawberries and top with cheese and steak slices. Lightly dress just before serving.

Grilled Arugula Pesto Pizza

I told you more would be coming from arugula pesto. Pizza friends, PIZZA. Homemade pizza often reminds me of those pop-open cans of dough we used to get in the early 90s's. Friday night sleepover anyone? This is a vast improvement. Let.Me.Tell.You.

Summertime heat? No probs here. We grilled it.

Here's the truth. I did not make this dough. Trader Joe's is really good at that.

I didn't make the dough, but I DID knead it. Even used flour and stuff. #legit

You could even go all CSI and find my prints. I totally killed this dough.

Before adding toppings, you'll pre-grill the dough. Then give 'er a flip and top al fresco with delicious arugula pesto, tomatoes and real mozzarella. Back to the grill it goes.

Ready to go.

Grilled to pizza perfection. A little misshapen, but hey, this is home cooking.

Serious improvement on the middle school Friday night. We're adults now. Have a glass of wine for god's sake.

Grilled Arugula Pesto Pizza
1 packaged pizza dough (whole wheat preferably)
1/2 cup arugula pesto
1-2 tomatoes, sliced
1 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Prepare dough according to package instructions. Place on a floured, rimless cookie shoot. Preheat grill until VERY hot. Gently slide pizza dough onto oiled grill and cover for 2-3 minutes. Use cookie sheet to remove pizza and flip grill-side up. Thinly spread pesto on grilled side of pizza dough and top with tomato and mozzarella. Reduce grill to medium heat and place pizza (dough-y side down) back on the grill. Cover and cook pizza until crispy, 4-5 minutes. Remove pizza from grill and allow to set 2-3 minutes before topping with basil and slicing.