Memorial Day Weekend is here. While the most important part of this time is to remember those who have fought and are fighting to keep our country safe, it is the unofficial start of Summer.That means it is officially grilling season in Mama D’s Kitchen of Love.
We do grill almost year around, but it is so much nicer when you don’t have to put on a winter coat to do it. Our little grill is still performing wonderfully and the adaptations we have made to size and heat are now second nature. 
We continue to discover new things that cook beautifully on the grill, as this post will show. We’ve done a one dish meal, grilled chicken (and an array of other proteins), and even a single ingredient for a recipe. This last being easy on a small grill that can be ready in 5 minutes.
Now for that One (Grill) Basket Meal. 
I was inspired by a plethora of Sheet Pan Fajita Recipes. So, I decided to move my ingredients from the oven to the grill. This will work with any fajita recipe with just a bit of adaptation. My protein of choice was chicken breast. A Bag-o-Bits was in the freezer and this seemed like the perfect use for it. Marinating helps flavor the meat and amends the too long in the freezer time. This marinade would work for any protein that you want to give a citrusy southwestern flavor to.
This is a basic recipe that will work for chicken, beef, or pork. The ingredient amounts suit me, make any adjustments to suit yourself.
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Lime Juice
- 2 Tbsp. Canola Oil
- 2 Tsp. Dried Minced Onion
- 2 Tsp. Dried Minced Garlic
- 1 Tsp. Ground Cumin
- 1/2 Tsp. Ground Coriander
- 1 Tsp. Ancho Chili Powder
- 1/2 Tsp. Agave Syrup
- 1/2 Tsp. Salt
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Mix all of the ingredients together. Pour over 1 pound of your protein of choice. A zip top bag works well for this. Toss to coat all the protein. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator 4-6 hours.
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Remove protein from marinade. Throw the marinade away. Grill your protein to your liking.
This brings me to a hint that I want to share. I used (and will
continue to use) dried onions and garlic in this marinade. Time saving was my first reason to use them. Yes, it doesn’t take much time to chop up onions and garlic, but it takes even less time to toss in their dried counterparts. I think they also impart more flavor, especially in long marinating. These are not new ingredients; they have been around forever, If you have relegated them to the back of the spice cabinet, throw them away and buy new jars. As with any spice they lose flavor as they age. They are relatively inexpensive so this is not a big waste.
I had a craving for something Asian inspired. Boneless chicken thighs are my favorite poultry for the grill. They cook quickly and have enough fat to remain tender and juicy. This marinade started with orange juice and combined a host of aromatic flavors to create a marinade that would also work with pork. I opted for all fresh ingredients and gave them a quick whirl in my mini processor. Once the thighs had absorbed the flavors they were joined by Baby Bok Choy and thick Red Onion slices.
this marinade will give your protein of choice a decidedly Asian flavor. If you like things on the spicy side add a teaspoon of Sambal.
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Orange Juice
- 1/4 Cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
- 1 Small Finger Ginger Root
- 2-3 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Tsp. Sesame Oil
- 2 Tbsp. Red Onion
- 1/2 Tsp. Agave Syrup Optional, to taste
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Place all ingredients in a mini processor. Pulse until the ingredients are coarsely chopped.
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Place the chicken or pork in a zip top bag. Pour the marinade in and seal. Knead the bag a few times to coat the protein. Marinate in the refrigerator 4 -6 hours. Remove the protein from the marinade and grill. Discard the remaining marinade.
While we are grilling almost every evening, there are still some things that don’t work. Number one on that list would be pasta. Preparation is best left on the stove. That being said, there are lots of grilling possibilities for what goes in and on the pasta.
I made a not so heavy Carbonara recently that featured asparagus. Most vegetables have an affinity for the grill and asparagus is one of my favorites. I usually marinate it in olive oil, balsamic, and Italian herbs and grill the lovely spears until they have that perfect amount of char. The only difference was the spears were sliced into more pasta friendly pieces. (Pencil asparagus would work well whole in this dish.)
I have a confession to make. Sometimes I use bottled Balsamic Vinaigrette. This was one of those times. I found one that is relatively additive free (at Aldi no less). I added a bit more olive oil and dried garlic and called it a marinade. I have another confession. I do this more often than not with most vegetables that I grill. It saves time and that is always a plus in the summer. So I am considering this to be my third marinade. I guess it could qualify as a hint or a hack depending on your interpretation. Whatever you want to consider it, find a Balsamic or other vinaigrette that you can live with and enhance it to your liking.
While the asparagus grilled, I made the rest of the sauce. Pancetta, garlic, and red pepper flakes cooked up in a large skillet. Pasta cooked to “al dente” at the same time. I found an interesting technique for the eggs. They were beaten together with the romano cheese and tempered with a some pasta water. Amazingly, no scrambled eggs (yes, that has happened to me once or twice) and a sauce that was creamy without any cream. That little hack is a keeper.
As we enjoy the beginning of summer and the continuation of grilling season, I hope these marinades, hints, and hacks are helpful.
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Love the marinade ideas and too on the dried onions and garlic. Happy weekend!
Thanks, Ann.