Grilled Champagne Balsamic Vegetables Recipe

Cook Time: 20 minutes Marinade Time: 2 hours Difficulty: Easy

It's summer and my garden is exploding with fresh vegetables! With summer grilling season well under way, I wanted take advantage of summer's bounty and share our favorite grilled vegetable recipe, Grilled Champagne Balsamic Vegetables. These vegetables are delicious!!

PRINT RECIPE

I made this easy recipe for our July 4th picnic, and the vegetables were devoured! In fact, they was so well received, I was asked to bring my "grilled veggies" to our next potluck. Imagine that? Vegetables getting a "call back" (sorry, theater terms...another blog).

For this recipe, we used red and green peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, Portabella mushrooms, and vidalia onions, but feel free to substitute your favorite veggies (eggplant, yams, asparagus, etc.)

The secret to this recipe is marinating the vegetables in a tangy Champagne Mustard vinaigrette and grilling the vegetables to a perfect "tender crisp" consistency. This recipe can also be used to roast the veggies in the oven, but if you prefer grill marks and flavor of grilled anything then you must grill these vegetables. And, If you have any leftover veggies, chop them up and use them in omelets, quesadillas, or fried rice the next day! Easy peasy!

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning (could substitute Cherchies® Garlic and Herb No-Salt Seasoning)
1 teaspoon (tsp) pepper
2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) White Balsamic Vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard
2 red peppers, seeds removed, sliced into 1 inch strips
2 green peppers, seeds removed, sliced into 1 inch strips
2 large zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
2 large yellow squash, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
1 package Baby Portabella Mushrooms
1 vidalia onion, sliced in half

Preparation

Place cut vegetables on two baking sheets. Season the vegetables with Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning (or Cherchies® Garlic & Herbs Seasoning) and pepper. Mix the veggies by hand to ensure the veggies are evenly coated with the seasoning. Set aside.

Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking the olive oil, the Balsamic Vinegar, and the Champagne Mustard in a small bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and once again use your hands to coat the vegetables evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate the vegetables for at least two hours in the refrigerator (I usually marinate overnight).

When vegetables have marinated, turn the grill onto high to heat up, then to medium low once grill is warmed. Place the vegetables on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes until vegetables have grill marks, then carefully turn over to cook the other side and cook for another 4-5 minutes. These may need to be grilled in batches depending on the size of the grill. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Yum

Pork Fried Rice Recipe

June 22, 2016entrees, leftoversSheri SpalloneComment

Cook Time: 15 minutes Difficulty: Easy

I love turning today's leftovers into tomorrow's masterpiece, and fried rice is the perfect masquerade for leftover meat and veggies. Score one for Mom!

We used leftover pork In this recipe, but chicken or seafood could easily be substituted, or no meat at all. You may want to make a double batch because it will disappear right before your eyes!

PRINT RECIPE

I couldn't believe the first time I made this easy recipe...my family had second...and third helpings. I guess that says something about my cooking...either that or it could be we starve our children to force them to eat leftovers;) Just kidding:)

Ingredients (marinade)

1 red pepper- coarsely chopped
1 yellow pepper- coarsely chopped
1 medium red onion- coarsely chopped
2/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Teriyaki sauce
2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons (tsp.) ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons (tsp.) Cherchies® Garlic 'n Herbs Seasoning
1 Tablespoons (Tbsp) white balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard or Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard
1 teaspoon (tsp) Sriracha sauce

Fried Rice Ingredients

3 Tablespoons (Tbsp) olive oil
Rotisserie chicken or leftover meat, chopped (We used leftover pork for this recipe)
5 cups cooked white rice (you can substitute brown rice as I often do unbenounced to my family;)
1 teaspoon (tsp) chili powder
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen sweet peas
2 large eggs, slightly beaten

Preparation

Combine the peppers and chopped onions and the rest of the marinade ingredients in a large zip-top bag and marinade for at least 30 minutes. Then remove the peppers and onions with a slotted spoon, reserving the marinade for later.

In the meantime, cook the rice according to directions on the package.

After the peppers and onions have marinated, cook the pepper and onions with 3 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet until veggies are slightly tender (depending on the size of the skillet, you may have to make in batches and then mix in a large bowl).

Add rice, peas, chili powder and 1/2 of marinade. Cook for two minutes on medium stirring constantly. Add eggs and rest of marinade. Continue to cook and stir, until eggs are cooked. Hint: If you have a large enough skillet or griddle, move the rice and veggies into a ring with the middle left for the eggs, then mix when egg is cooked. Here you have it, quick and easy fried rice! Enjoy:)

Yum

Blooming Tomato With Chicken Salad Recipe

May 24, 2016leftovers, lunch, saladsSheri SpalloneComment

Cook Time: 30 minutes (if cooking chicken) Difficulty: Easy

Summer is approaching, and with that will be a plethora of juicy tomatoes. I love ripe juicy tomatoes by themselves, but I also love them filled with a creamy salad. This easy "bloomin" tomato chicken salad is perfect for a ladies luncheon, brunch, or a fancy treat for yourself! Even kiddos will love this recipe.

PRINT RECIPE

To get our children to eat any mayonnaise based salad is a chore, and chicken salad is no exception. However, I stumbled upon this "copycat" version of their beloved Chick-fil-A chicken salad, and tried it on them. Knowing full well my kiddos would balk at the tomatoes, I made them chicken salad sandwiches. They were a hit! Now, this is the only chicken salad our kiddos will eat.

You can add the grapes and pecans if you'd like (my favorite), but I knew my kiddos would draw the line at those additions, so I left them out.

Ingredients

2 cups Chicken breasts, cooked
1/3 cup Celery, finely chopped
1 hard boiled egg, chopped
2/3 cup Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Cherchies® Champagne Mustard
1/3 cup sweet pickle relish
1/4 tsp pepper, fresh ground
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped grapes (optional)
1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Ripe tomatoes
Parsley (optional garnish)

Preparation

I usually cook the chicken and eggs the day before, so Place the cooked chicken in a food processor and pulse until chicken is chopped. (Coarsely hand chopping the chicken will work just as well). Place chicken into a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl. Stir.

Carefully cut slits into the tomato (scoring) from top to bottom, making sure not to cut all the way through. Gently pry the tomato open. Season with salt and pepper.

Add a dollop of chicken salad to the tomato and garnish with parsley. That's it! A delicious mouth watering treat. Enjoy!

Yum

Peachy Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

January 6, 2016entrees, gluten free, leftoversSheri Spallone2 Comments

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

As a busy mom of three, weeknights are often hectic with homework, after-school activities, etc., and dinnertime can be challenging. I love when a recipe comes together, sometimes out of necessity. It all started with a jar of Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa!

I'm not a fan of wasting food; I'm known for turning yesterday's leftovers (my children are leftover snobs, maybe it's the word "leftovers") into tonight's masterpiece.

I had many peppers (not exactly my children's favorite vegetable) leftover from New Year's and wanted to create something quick, easy, and delicious. I figured if I disguised the peppers in a tasty sauce (my family loves our peach salsa), they'd eat them. It worked (they even ate the peppers!) I added chicken to the peach salsa sauce, served it over rice, and presto, dinner was ready in 30 minutes.

So grab a jar of Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa, a deliciously spiced and perfectly balanced sweet and savory condiment, and turn dinner into a flavor-packed, quick, and easy dish. Your family may even eat their peppers and ask for seconds (gasp! Mine did).

Comment below if you made this delicious recipe. Thank you for visiting. Please come back again.

PRINT RECIPE

Ingredients

1 package of chicken breasts, chopped into 1 inch chunks
1 red, yellow, and green pepper, roughly chopped (I had some orange peppers leftover, so I added them)
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning (Could substitute Cherchies® No-Salt Garlic and Herbs Seasoning)
1/2 teaspoon (tsp) pepper
2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Olive oil (Could use coconut oil)
1 Tablespoon butter
1 jar of Cherchies® Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) soy sauce
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) cornstarch
several drops of hot sauce (to taste)
2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Orange juice
1/2 teaspoon (tsp) chicken bouillon (we used Minor's Chicken base -Gluten free)
2 cups cooked rice (optional- I snuck in brown rice 2:1 for my family...they didn't even flinch)

Preparation

Roughly chop the peppers and onion. Set aside.

Dice chicken into 1 inch chunks. Place chicken chunks into a large bowl and season chicken with Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and pepper, mixing to ensure all the chicken is coated. Wash the bowl.

Turn stove onto medium, add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet, and cook the chicken until almost cooked through (20 minutes or less depending on size of chicken chunks). Turn off stove and return chicken to bowl. Set aside.

In same skillet, turn stove back onto medium and add onions and peppers. Cook until peppers and onions are soft and onions are translucent. Add butter to pan.

Add salsa, soy sauce, hot sauce, bouillon, and orange juice. Stir to combine. Return chicken to pan with vegetables. Sprinkle on cornstarch. Stir and cook for a couple more minutes. Mixture will thicken.