Time to heat up the grill!

We grill pretty often throughout the year but with the amount of rain we have had so far in 2023, there haven't been as many occasions to grill.  A few weeks ago, I was thinking about some chicken satay skewers that my girls had all enjoyed at a restaurant and went looking for a recipe to make them at home.  The marinade was super easy, they grilled up quickly, and I paired it with a Thai noodle salad from Trader Joe's that I doctored up a bit.  Little told me that I should make this "all the time" so I'm putting this one in the success column . . . and I'll try not to make it so much that they all get sick of it!

On a side note, anyone notice that this chili garlic sauce is super hard to find?  I have checked the major grocery stores near me and it's out of stock everywhere.  Bummer - didn't know I should have kept a stash of it in the pantry.  I've been substituting the crunch garlic chili oil thing from Trader Joe's but it's not quite the same.

Chicken Satay Skewers (serves 4)

2 T peanut butter
2 T honey
2 T soy sauce
2 T water
1 T rice wine vinegar
1 T sesame oil
2 tsp lime or lemon juice
2 tsp chili garlic sauce
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced or grated
1 lb chicken

Put all the ingredients except for the chicken into a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  Pour into a large ziplock bag.  Slice the chicken into long strips (or buy chicken tenders) and add it to the marinade.  Marinate for 1-4 hours in the refrigerator.  If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 30 minutes before you're ready to grill.  Thread the chicken on the skewers and discard the marinade.  Grill & enjoy!

Honey & Pistachio Baked Brie

Dairy has been bothering my stomach and I haven't recently eaten much cheese.  Sad, I know!  When I made this appetizer for some friends a few weeks ago, I ate more than my fair share and although my belly hurt later, it was actually worth it.  Delicious!  I like how simple, yet impressive this appetizer is and I know I'll be making it again soon.  You can serve it with toasted baguette, crackers, and sliced apples (green Granny Smith ones are great with it).

Honey & Pistachio Baked Brie (4-6 appetizer servings)

Ingredients:

1 round brie (6-8 oz)

1/4 cup lightly salted pistachios, shelled

2 T honey

1 T olive oil

1-2 tsp freshly chopped thyme

olive oil for the pan

Method:

Start by lightly scoring the top of the brie in a crisscross pattern with cuts about 1 inch apart.  Drizzle a little olive oil in a baking pan and set the brie in the pan.  Top with the pistachios, honey, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and thyme. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is soft and oozy but not completely melted - you don't want the brie to flatten out but to hold its round shape and still be spreadable.  I had to poke around at it a few times to make sure it was ready.

Serve with crackers, crusty bread, or apple slices