Marinated Pork & Red Onion Kebabs

The pear tree is just starting to bud out. In late spring it is covered with blossoms. Glorious!

It is a cloudy day in late March, and I am longing for Summer. Lazy days, warm weather, gardening, grilling, picnics, I could go on and on. But northern New Mexico weather means it will be months before those dreams are realized...except, maybe the grilling?

Last summer we purchased a gas grill.  What a wonderful purchase. I still use the charcoal grill when I have a lot of time (those long summer days I was talking about.) But I have fallen in love with the ease of almost year-round grilling with the gas version. Flip on the burners and grilling can happen whatever the weather (except hard rain.). How cool to grill with snow on the ground.

So, on this cloudy, dreary, early Spring day we are having marinated port and red onion kebabs for dinner. Grilled. So there!  :)

Marinated for 24 hours, then grilled. This pork dish is delicious.

Marinated Pork & Red Onion Kebabs
(Serves 4)

1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin, cut into 16 pieces
1 red onion, cut into 16 pieces
4-6 bamboo or metal skewers
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons cherry preserves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced

Alternate 2 pieces of pork and two of onion threaded on a skewer until filled. Complete the process on remaining skewers with remaining pork and onion. Place kababs in a glass baking dish and season generously with salt and pepper.

Make the marinade by combining the remaining six ingredients in small bowl. Whisk until combined and pour over kababs. Let stand a minimum of two hours at room temperature, or up to 24 hours, covered in the refrigerator. Whichever method you choose, occasionally turn the kabobs to evenly marinate.

If you have refrigerated the kabobs, allow sitting at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking.

Preheat broiler or light the grill to medium-high. Drain marinade into small saucepan. Cook on grill for 15 minutes, or until meat is cooked through. Turn skewers, and baste often with sauce during cooking.

I served the kababs with rice pilaf and spinach salad. Enjoy!

Printer Friendly Version


best,

diane

1. napa farmhouse 1885
   

   red or green? 

   California Girl in Taos
   

   MoseyLove
   
   napa farmhouse 1885

   
   Promote Your Page Too
   

   
   
2. Follow my blog with Bloglovin

A Cornucopia Of Corn Recipes For Summer

It is Corn Week at Food Network's Summer Soiree, and I thought I would share a bunch recipes to help you use up the overflowing bounty that hits each summer just about now. Cooling corn salads, salsas, grilled corn with toppings, chowder, pizzas, popcorn...even chocolate cake (yes really) are all included. So, pick your favorites and dig in...or just grill and top with butter and salt. Nothing tastes better. Enjoy!

Okay, by now you are probably asking "why is she blathering on about cakes in a corn story?" Trust me; this cake is delicious...and it is only made in summer...because the secret ingredient is pureed fresh white corn.  Yes, corn. If you can have zucchini cakes, and carrot cakes, why not corn? When you puree fresh corn, it becomes this milky, frothy liquid that adds a moistness and a lightness that is hard to describe. I have never had anyone correctly guess the "secret" ingredient...but everyone that has ever tasted it, loves it. I urge you to give it a try and let me know what you think.

Corny Chocolate Cake
cake ingredients

2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp instant coffee crystals
1 cup white corn kernels (usually takes corn from 2 cobs)
1 cup dark chocolate chips

chocolate glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp melted butter
3-4 tbsp boiling water
1/8 tsp instant coffee crystals

for cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease bundt pan and dust with cocoa powder to prevent sticking
3. Using a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt..set aside.
4. In the bowl of a mixer, beat eggs until a bit frothy. Add olive oil, cocoa powder,
sugars and coffee crystals..beat until thoroughly combined. Meanwhile, in a food processor, add the corn kernels and process until smooth and liquefied. You should not see any kernels.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and mix just until combined
6. Add the corn mixture and mix until combined
7. Fold in the chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed.
8. Pour into the prepared pan and bake on center rack of oven approx. 50-60 minutes or until a bamboo stick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool, 10-15 minutes on a rack and then remove from pan and let cool on the rack. When completely cool, drizzle with the chocolate glaze if desired or sift powdered sugar over cake top in lieu of glaze.

chocolate glaze
Whisk together all ingredients except water in small bowl. Add 3 tbsp boiling water and whisk until combined. Add the remaining tbsp water if needed. The glaze should be just thin enough to pour easily.
This cake is best eaten the day it is made.

Other corn recipes you may enjoy:

• pizza with sundried tomatoes, red pepper & corn 
• fresh corn, roasted tomato & pickled garlic pizza with cornmeal crust
• corn & watermelon salad
• fresh corn, roasted tomato & pickled garlic pizza with cornmeal crust
• watermelon salsa
• slow-cooker new mexican vegetable chowder
• popcorn & olive oil

It is "Summer Corn" week at Food Network's Summer Soiree roundup. Do you have a favorite corn recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network: 

The Lemon Bowl: Pesto Pasta Salad with Green Beans and Corn
Devour: Fire Up the Grill for a Mexican Grilled Corn Fiesta
Feed Me Phoebe: Sweet and Spicy Gluten-Free Corn Pasta with Ricotta and Chives
Creative Culinary: Grilled Corn Salsa with Poblano Chiles, Cilantro and Honey
TasteBook: Esquites (Mexican-Style Corn Salad)
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Corn, Pluot and Grape Salad
Napa Farmhouse 1885: A Cornucopia of Corn Recipes For Summer
Healthy Eats: 7 Summer Salads That Put a New Spin on Corn
In Jennie's Kitchen: Easy Homemade Creamed Corn
FN Dish: If You Cook Any Corn This Summer, Make It One of These 5-Star Recipes

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove

napa farmhouse 1885

Promote Your Page Too

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos."  Please visit and let me know what you think.

Six Hamburger Recipes To Get You Through Summer (Two Are Vegetarian!)

Today is the first day of summer, and it just happens to be the hottest day of the year. Here in Taos, New Mexico, we are at 7000 feet and the temperature rarely even gets into the 90s. But after sitting in the sun for hours, my car's thermometer read 122 degrees. By the time I arrived home it had dropped to 100 degrees. The last thing I wanted to do was turn on the oven. The solution? Grilling hamburgers.

My husband loves BLTs; he also loves hamburgers. So...maybe we could combine the two and make BLHTs? (bacon, lettuce, hamburger & tomatoes). These four ingredients with mayo (or mustard if you are a rebel) on sliced French bread. Perfect! This idea plus five additional "burger" recipes helps welcome in summer 2016!

BLHTs
makes 1

2 slices cooked bacon
1 1/3 lb hamburger patty cooked medium rare
2 slices tomato
handful lettuce
mayonnaise or mustard
sea salt
black pepper
2 slices French bread, thickly cut (toasted or not)

Spread mayo (or mustard) on both slices of bread. Pile the lettuce on top of the mayo on one slice of bread. Top with the hamburger patty, bacon, and tomato. Season with salt & pepper. Top with remaining slice of bread and serve.

Spicy Chickpea Burgers With Cabbage Slaw
makes 6-8 burgers

1 cup garbanzo flour
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp minced garlic
pinch dried red pepper flakes
large pinch sea salt
pinch freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 cups water
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
extra virgin olive oil
whole wheat buns

Chipotle mayo add 1-2 tsp (depending on your heat tolerance) minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce to 1/2 cup mayonnaise.  I use a vegan substitute, Veganaise

Cabbage Slaw recipe (use any color cabbage, add 1 cup grated carrot and skip the nuts)

Combine garbanzo flour and next 6 ingredients in medium saucepan.  Add water and stir to remove lumps.  Set heat to medium and cook, frequently stirring, for 10-12 minutes or until mixture is very thick. Stir in fresh parsley. Turn off heat and cool in pot 5 minutes. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, create patties using 2 spoonfuls (or scoops) for each patty. Press down lightly to form each patty. Depending on the size of scoop you should get 6-8 patties.  Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in large skillet.  Fry patties until each side is golden brown (2-3 minutes per side).  

Drizzle olive oil over inside of each whole wheat bun.  Heat oven to broil setting. Place buns under the broiler until golden.  Remove from oven.  

To assemble burgers:  place one chickpea patty of the bottom of the bun.  Top with cabbage salad or, in season, a slice of heirloom tomato and lettuce.  Add a small dollop of chipotle mayo and top of the bun.   Serve.

Four additional recipes you may enjoy:

• elk burgers
• buffalo sliders with bacon & cheese
• eggplant fritter burgers with sriracha chili mayo
• buffalo chicken sliders with bacon & celery

It is "Hamburger" week at Food Network's Summer Soiree roundup. Do you have a favorite hamburger recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network:

Feed Me Phoebe: Cauliflower Sweet Potato Burgers with Sriracha Aioli (Vegetarian Paleo)
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Six Hamburger Recipes To Get You Through Summer (Two Are Vegetarian!)
In Jennie's Kitchen: Stuffed Cheeseburgers
Healthy Eats: Our Definitive Healthy-Burger List
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Beet and Oats Vegan Burger
Creative Culinary: Beef Burger with Homemade Guinness Irish Stout Ketchup
Taste with the Eyes: Open-Faced Swiss Burger with Flower Salad
FN Dish: 7 Surprising Ways to Better Your Burger Game This Summer

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove

napa farmhouse 1885

Promote Your Page Too

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos."  Please visit and let me know what you think.

Italian Marinated Zucchini

You know that moment in summer when you are confronted with a huge mound of zucchini? You have fried it, sautéed, steamed, added to muffins, cookies, even pancakes, and just cannot contemplate another bite? That is the time to grab this recipe. I made a batch last night using four zucchinis, and I personally ate almost the entire batch. Invite a few friends and that mound will disappear before your very eyes. It is just that good.

The squash is grilled either outside on the barbecue or, in bad weather, indoors on a grill pan. There are only a few ingredients, so please buy the highest quality possible. Garlic, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, basil...tossed with the grilled zucchini and then marinated for several hours. Served with grilled meats, platters of other marinated vegetables, good bread, great wine. Ahhh, doesn't get more Italian than that.  Happy summer everyone!

Italian Marinated Zucchini
(Serves 4)

6 zucchini (medium sized) thinly sliced crosswise
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup basil, chiffonade or thinly sliced

Spread zucchini on top of a large, clean towel. Gently roll the towel to remove some moisture from squash. Unroll and, using a BBQ brush, lightly coat the squash with oil.

Heat the grill or grill pan to medium-high and grill zucchini until deep golden brown with dark brown grill marks. Flip and grill on the other side. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl. Add the garlic, rest of the oil, vinegar, and a large pinch each of salt & pepper. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 3-4 hours (does not need to be refrigerated)

When ready to serve, stir in basil and serve. Wonderful alongside grilled meat, chicken or fish. Pile on top of pasta coated in extra virgin olive oil, add to your favorite cheese and salami platter or, my favorite, top grilled sourdough bread with the squash.

Other summer squash recipes you may enjoy:

• healthy summer squash chips
• eggplant, summer squash & tomato casserole
• roasted zucchinis and tomatoes with parmesan and balsamic
• zucchini & potato hash browns

It is "Summer Squash" week at Food Network's Summerfest roundup. Do you have a favorite squash recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network. 

In Jennie's Kitchen: 5 Sweet & Savory Zucchini Recipes
Healthy Eats: 8 Zucchini Recipes That Won’t Squash Your Summer Health Goals
Devour: Use Your Zoodle: 3 Italian-Inspired Squash Recipes
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Italian Marinated Zucchini
The Mom 100: Baby Zucchini Gratin
Feed Me Phoebe: Green Shakshuka with Zucchini, Chard and Peas
Creative Culinary: Lemony Summer Squash Bread
Taste with the Eyes: Summer Squash Lasagna with Fried Basil #glutenfree
FN Dish: 10 Recipes That Prove Zucchini Is Actually a Magic Vegetable

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove

napa farmhouse 1885

Promote Your Page Too

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos."  Please visit and let me know what you think.