Teriyaki and Mesquite Shish Kebabs

Grilling Shish Kabobs!

I love Shish Kabobs! It’s all in the marination. Okay, so the meat cut matters too, but if you have a great Teriyaki or Mesquite marinade, you’re already half way there. Here I’m using Yoshida’s and McCormicks for the Meat, and a little Olive Oil and Herb blend I like to whip up for the vegetables. Oh, you don’t normally marinate the veggies? No big surprise. Most people don’t even think about it. But, if you do, kuddos! If not, you’re going to want to pay attention to this little tutorial, because this recipe is off the hook! 😉

If you’ve had Yoshida’s before, then you know they make a real fine Teriyaki sauce that just melts anything you put in your mouth. And if you didn’t know, well, you do now. I like it best with beef and chicken, but in my opinion, it’s better with chicken. The McCormicks I’m using here is the Mesquite I mentioned. But on the back of the package it gives a suggestion to mix ketchup and honey with the standard ingredients. McCormicks is just one of those 98 cent dry rubs you mix with water and oil so the other two ingredients were a no-brainer because I was planning on using the Mesquite on the pork Shish Kabobs. The Olive Oil marinade I mentioned has several different herbs in it, both dry and fresh. Just a little something I picked up from my Italian studies. In fact this marinade is great with bread. I only recommend you add Balsamic Vinegar to it if you’re going to use this for that; what ever you decide. Just remember to use it for the Vegetables in this recipe. The tip of the day is Wrights Liquid Smoke. If you’re not able to grill outside but you still what that Hickory flavor when you are cooking indoors, just add a few drops of this Liquid magic to your marinades and no one will be able to tell the difference, I promise!

Olive Oil and Herb Marinade for Shish Kabobs:

1/2 cup Olive Oil
3/4 tsp Salt
3 chopped Garlic Cloves
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tbsp Oregano
1 tbsp fresh chopped Parsley
1 tbsp fresh chopped Basil
a few shakes of Black Pepper

Mix thoroughly and poor over the cut vegetable chunks before you skew the Shish Kabobs, and marinate for 20 minutes.

Clam Dip

Clam Dip and the Miracle of Clams!

I’m not too sure that there is a large crowd anywhere screaming for Clam Dip. What I do know is that anyone that ever tried this recipe couldn’t put it down. I swear to you that my son, of only 16 months of age, flat out ignored the potato chips and full on scooped the Clam dip out with his fingers and shoveled that creamy delight right into his little mouth, one hand full at a time. The secret to this party dip is literally in what I call, “The Miracle of Clams”! If you are wondering what this means then I should explain.

The Miracle of Clams isn’t just in their ability to make Pearls, it’s in their flavor, and in their very being and the way they live and function. They are a very clean and tighty creature. If you could dare say that they have good Hygiene, then that’s what they have. And I believe that makes for a great recipe. Think about it. What’s the first thing you do before you start cutting your vegetables? You wash, rinse and clean them off, right? Of course you do. No one wants dirt and soot in their food and anyone with common sense keeps a clean house as well. Well, these little Clams do the same exact thing. They clean everything. And with a little help from my Clam Dip recipe, they’ll clean your pallet too!

Clam Dip Ingredients:

1 pkg Cream Cheese
1 can Chopped or Minced Clams with Juice
1 chopped Garlic Clove
1 chopped Green Onion
2 tbsp diced Bell Pepper (I use Red for color)
1 tsp fresh chopped Parsley
1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Pan Fried Asparagus – Perfect Every Time

Delicious Asparagus!

If you want a an Asparagus recipe that is simple and delicious, it doesn’t get any easier than this. It’s the very foundation for many other recipes out there but it doesn’t need to be anymore complicated. A simple blanch and sear from a light pan fry, with olive oil, salt and pepper, is all you need to achieve perfection. Asparagus cooked like this not only tastes incredible but goes great with just about any main course.

When I eat Asparagus, I don’t want to sink my teeth into a limp noodle. I want a vibrant vegetable with a light crisp that melts in my mouth like butter. Asparagus that is cooked like that doesn’t just seduce my pallet with flavor, it gives my body the nutrition it needs because it isn’t cooked until it’s dead. Always try to leave some life in your cooked vegetables. Not only will your body thank you, your taste buds will as well because the flavor will be preserved with the nutrients. Your Asparagus will be delicious and cooked perfect every time.

Asparagus Ingredients:

1 bunch Asparagus
1 qt Boiling Water (Blanching)
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Follow the instructions in the video to tutorial for this Pan Fried Asparagus recipe and I’ll show you how easy it is to make.