Teriyaki Kabobs

So easy, so good and a crowd pleaser. What's not to like? Works with either chicken or beef - cut chicken breasts up into triangles or use sirloin tips. Trader Joes has some good grass fed sirloin tips at a good price (see picture). I made both. I served with cilantro rice, which I will post separately. The key for this is a full 24 hour marinade for the meat. I did both chicken and steak. I marinade meats in plastic bags, because it's less messy and you can just shake it (gently) to move the meat around.

Marinade:
1.5 cups soy sauce
2-3 scallions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup of ketchup
Heaping tablespoon of brown sugar
3/4 cup olive oil

Mix together the first six ingredients, then whisk the olive oil in a trickle. Here are the steak tips next to a bowl of marinade:



Put the meat in a large ziploc bag, then pour the marinade over the meat. I put my two separate bags (with chicken and beef) in a bowl to put in the fridge overnight.


Right before you're ready to put the food on the grill, toss the following with some olive oil, salt and pepper:
Largely cut red pepper
Chunks of fresh pineapple
Large hunks of red onion

Then spear the meat and veggie mix onto skewers. Here are ours, ready to grill:


While you're grilling, baste with the marinade for extra flavor (that is why there is a bowl on the platter above)!

Chicken Jambalaya

I have NOT been good about posting, but now that finals are winding down I can post everything I made in April! Starting with this...very good. I kinda wish I hadn't made so much because it isn't the kind of thing you want to eat for four days straight. But a good one or two day meal maybe. I doubled the recipe, next time I will just make the amount below.

I precooked the chicken breasts just in a covered pot with some chicken broth over medium heat for around 20 minutes. It's also how I made chicken for chicken salad, just so you know. It won't have much flavor, but it's a good simple way to cook it for these purposes.



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large chopped onion
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1 chopped green pepper
1 chopped red pepper
2.5 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 cups fat free, less sodium chicken broth (the gluten free kind, if it's a concern!)
1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey breasts
2-3 cooked andouille sausage, chopped (I used hot italian turkey sausage from Whole Foods)

My chopped veggies!


Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, around 5 minutes. Add garlic and let cook for another 30 seconds then add the peppers and spices. Let cook for another 2-3 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients. Cover and let cook until the rice has absorbed the liquid.

My bowl!