Chicken Shish Kabobs with Herbs and Garlic Potato Salad

I love summer time. Great weather, long days and sunshine. What better way to cap off a beautiful Chicago day than by throwing some nosh on the grill? I can't think of one and have been enjoying a variety of grilled delights over the last couple weeks. One of the easiest and tastiest? Shish Kabobs and the ultimate summer side dish - Tater Salad. Yum, yum, and more yum...

Marinated Chicken Shish Kabobs - Serves 4 (dependent on meat/veg quantities)

Have it:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 orange or yellow bell pepper
12 white mushrooms
1 onion
Marinade (of your choice - I used a poultry seasoning I got from an Amish town in Indiana and some olive oil)
Bamboo Skewers

Do it:
1. Submerge 6 skewers in water and let soak at least 30 minutes.

2. Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts. Cut into 2 inch pieces and place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle or pour your desired marinade over chicken pieces and let marinate at least 30 minutes. I marinate 3-4 hours if time allows.

3. Cut peppers and onion into 2 inch pieces and set aside. Wipe mushrooms down with a damp towel. Do not wash as they will soak up the water and run the risk of becoming mushy.

4. Skewer peppers, onions, mushrooms and chicken onto the pre-soaked bamboo skewers.

5. Place on a hot grill for approx. 6 minutes, rotating halfway through cooking time.

Herbs and Garlic Potato Salad - Serves 6

Have it:

2 lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes

1 teas. fresh garlic (1 lg. clove)

1/4 c. chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 tbl. chopped chives

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 c. mayo (I used Hellmann's Light)

1 tbl. Dijon mustard

1/2 c. chopped celery (1 lg. stalk)

1/2 teas. salt

1/2 teas. freshley ground black pepper

1 teas. dried thyme

Do it:

1. Place the potatoes (whole) in a large pot, add enough water to cover the taters, cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are pierced easily with the tip of a sharp knife, 15-20 min. Drain and let cool until you can handle them but they are still warm. Peel and cut into approc. 1-inch cubes.

2. While the taters are soaking in their hot tub, in a large bowl stir the garlic, parsley, chives, onion, mayo, Dijon mustard, celery, salt and black pepper. Crush the thyme lightly with your fingers and stir in.

3. Add the cut potatoes to the mayo mix and toss until coated. Cover and refrigerate for several hours to overnight.

Source: Potato Salad, 65 Recipes from Classic to Cool (a.k.a. my newest go-to for summer side dishes)

Set out a few candles and pour a nice cold glass of raspberry lemonade and you've got yourself one easy and delicious backyard (or for us city-dwellers, back patio) meal!

Outdoor Seats for Eats

In my quest to create an outdoor space within the confines of the city, I've been on the lookout for a table for outdoor dining. My first idea was to make a picnic table from scratch. Seems simple enough right? Well, finding out how much wood costs (who knew trees were so dang expensive?!) and how much time would have to go into this "easy" project, I decided I would rather spend a little more moola and actually be enjoying the table before August. Enter Target. Not only do I love Target, but Target must love me because I found the perfect table and not only does it look nice and fit our patio but it folds into a bench! To make a good find even better, the table was 35% off when I found it so I ordered it online (find it here) and it was at my door 10 days later.

Upon arrival of the box (and the start of my excessive excitement) I again had the idea to be handy and decided to put together the table myself. Hubs raised an eyebrow with this revelation but I was confident in my carpentry skills after putting together our IKEA dresser with its 8,000 parts.

Sadly, it was not to be. I came upon a problem in step 1 as I did not have a clue how to tighten a nut/bolt/washer combination. Dear hubs stepped in to help and kindly put together the table, saving our future guests the trouble of falling through the table I would have constructed.

And it switches easily from table...

...to garden bench!

With the Chicago summer stretching before us, many delicious grilled meals and outdoor game nights with friends are sure to lay ahead. Care to join?

Survival of the Fittest

Summer is upon us and that means Hubs and I are a-travelin' like nobody's business. Its great fun spending weekends with friends and family enjoying long lazy days at the lake and saoking up the sunshine; It is not great coming home to sad wilted plants. After one weekend of survival of the fittest plants and hoping for rain I decided to take matters into my own hands and become a "faux Mother Nature". Enter The Plant Nanny. A simple and inexpensive way to keep my plants well hydrated without having to pester anyone to water.

On one of my many treks to a local garden center, I came upon The Plant Nanny. I picked up a six pack for my container plants and the HydroSpike watering system for my planter box and my thirsty hydrangea bush. There are other options, glass globes and the like, but they run a bit pricier and work better if you only have a pot or two.

This is just about the easiest thing to use. Just stick the terra cotta stake in the soil near your plant and screw the plastic stake onto the top of a regular water bottle. Fill the water bottle up with H2O and stick in the stake. I keep the stakes in the pots and the spikes on the water bottles and just stick 'em under the faucet on my way out for the weekend and they are good to go!

Not only have I been using these for the past two weekends and keeping my plants happy, but they are thriving and looking better than ever! Now keep in mind, I have a smaller city garden so if yours spans a true backyard, this may not be an ideal solution for you.

Chicken Marsala with Fettucine

Not your mama's marsala, this recipe adds cream and employs the use of your crock-pot. I'm already starting to drool remembering how delicious this one turned out. Rich sauce, juicy chicken breast and carb heavy pasta, ahhhhhhhhh. Alright, back to the important stuff, the how and what so you can make it too. I've included the full recipe for 4 servings but I reduced everything by half except for the liquid ingredients, which I reduced by a third, so it would be appropriate for two people without leftovers.

Chicken Marsala with Fettucine - serves 4

Have it:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbl. vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1/2 c. Marsala wine (I used a wine found near the vinegar, you can find selections in the wine section as well)

2 pkg. (6 oz. ea.) sliced brown mushrooms (I used mini-portabellas)

1/2 c. chicken broth

2 teas. Worchestershire sauce

1/2 teas. salt

1/2 teas. fresh groun pepper

1/2 c. whipping cream

2 tbl. cornstarch

8 oz. cooked fettuccine

2 tbl. chopped fresh parsley

Do it:

1. Coat 4 1/2-quart Crock-Pot slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Transfer to Crock-Pot slow cooker.

2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onion. Cook and stir until translucent. Add Marsala and continue cooking 2-3 minutes or until mixture reduces slightly. Stir in mushrooms.

Add broth, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teas. salt and 1/2 teas. pepper. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover; cook on high 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hours or until chicken is done. (I only cooked two pieces and checked at 1 hour, they were ready and tender at this point so I removed them.)

3. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let stand. Blend whipping cream and cornstarch until smooth. Stir into cooking liquid. Cover; cook 15 minutes longer or until mixture is thickened. Add salt and pepper, if desired. ( I cooked the noodles during this part and it worked out great!)

Honestly, this was one of the most delicous meals as of late. The chicken was unbelieveably tender and juicy. And even better, the Crock-Pot made this a great weeknight meal!

Source: Crock-Pot The Original Slow Cooker Recipe Collection

Care for some tea?

Or coffee? No? Well, I have a new teapot and I'm ready to break it out! A couple weeks ago I met up with some girlfriends for a GNO (girl's night out) at a local pottery studio to catch up and do some paintin'. I enjoy painting pottery but in the past have often found myself wandering aimlessly with no idea what to paint. This time I came with at least a vague game plan of adding to my kitchen arsenal and using red and black. I found a selection of teapots and a great one with a bit of spunk and whimsy.



Maybe teacups will have to be next??

Gardening is great!

Its official, I have a garden! Still a work in progress but I have carved out my own little corner of the world and filled it with beautiful plants, my little babes. Being a city dweller, I knew from the get-go I would be venturing into container growing for the time being and an important step was to find containers suitable for the wealth of plants I have been acquiring. Drainage holes are very important; don't want to drown the little guys. My vision was to find containers of varying shapes, sizes, colors and textures and thanks to Jo-Ann, CB2 & The Home Depot, the final product came together even better than I could have imagined!



Even before I had purchased all my containers, I was collecting my plants. Since all the little babes would be cohabitating in the same area, I mades sure they were all fans of sun or full sun. I was also mindful of the plants projected height and width so as not to cram a plant into a container too small. Other than that, I went about picking plants that I like the looks or smell of and A LOT of herbs as cooking is another hobby of mine. I'm looking forward to the convenience of popping outside for some cilantro of chives rather than purchasing a whole bushel that will surely wilt.

A breakdown of the plant and where I purchased the lovely container it is now housed in...
Back Row: Cherry Tomato, Jo-Ann; Catmint, Jo-Ann; Hydrangea, Home Depot

On Stand (Jo-Ann): Basil, Home Depot; Spearmint, Home Depot; Forget-Me-Not, Gift (Thanks Angela!)

Front Row: Catnip, Jo-Ann; Chives, Rosemary, Thyme, CB2; Cilantro, Jo-Ann; Greek Oregano, Parsley, Marjoram, Jo-Ann

Stir-Fried Beef with Snap Peas

The great thing about Chicago is the unlimited array of delicious cuisine. Everywhere you turn, more food! While it's great to be able to hop in a cab and grab some grub, sometimes a long day at the office or the desire for a cozy night in leads you to the kitchen rather than the door. No need to settle for boring for a meal at home, bring the excitement to you! This easy, quick and oh-so-yum stir fry is just the ticket to spice up your weeknight meal.

Stir-Fried Beef with Snap Peas - Serves 2

Have it:

6 oz. flank steak, cut into 2-inch-wide strips with the grain, then cut across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices. (stick into the freezer for 15 min. before to make cutting easier)

1 tbl. soy sauce (low-sodium is good here)

2 teas. sugar

1/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth

2 tbl. oyster sauce (can find this near the asian cuisine ingredients at the grocery store)

1 tbl. dry sherry

1/2 teas. cornstarch

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 teas. grated or minced fresh ginger

1 tbl. vegetable oil

6 oz. sugar snap peas (about 2 c.), ends trimmed, strings removed

1/2 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced into 1/4-inch-wide strips

1 tbl. water

*This recipe is best served with white rice. I used an instant rice that took less than 10 minutes to cook and it was great! Make sure to time accordingly or use a rice cooker if preferred.

Do it:

1. Toss the beef with the soy sauce and 1/2 teas. of the sugar in a medium bowl and let marinate for at least 10 minutes, or up to 1 hour. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining 1 1/2 teas. sugar, broth, oyster sauce, sherry, and cornstarch together. In another bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, and 1/2 teas. of the oil.

2. Drain the beef, discarding the marinade. Heat 1 teas. more oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the beef in a single layer, breaking up any clumps. Cook without stirring for 1 minute, then stir and continue to cook until the meat is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the beef to a clean bowl.

3. Add the remaining 1 1/2 teas. oil to the skillet and heat over high heat until just smoking. Add the snap peas and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 1 minute longer.

4. Uncover and clear the center of the skillet. Add the garlic mixture to the clearing and cook, mashing the mixture into the pan, until fragrant, 15-30 seconds. Stir the garlic mixture into the vegetables.

5. Return the beef along with the accumulated juice, to the skillet and stir to combine. Whisk the broth mixture to recombine and add it to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 30 seconds, and serve.

I've made a few different stir-fried dishes and they always make the house smell amazing! Good ventilation is key though as the smoking is part of the cooking and if you live in a small place, smoke alarms may go off :) Another variation to this meal is to cook using a wok if you have one. Ours is in storage but when I've used the wok in the past, it's increased cooking surface is great for the later steps when moving the food away from the center.

Source: America's Test Kitchen & Cook's Illustrated Cooking for Two 2009, one of my favorite cookbooks as all the meals are cut down for two people!