Monterey Chicken (or Turkey)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday!  We had a nice quiet day just our little family of 3.  It was close to 70 degrees in Colorado, and just a beautiful day.  I of course made way too much food, but how can you not on Thanksgiving!  I did buy the smallest turkey I could found, but even that was 13 pounds.  Needless to say we will be eating turkey for awhile! 

I made this chicken dish the other night,and it was really good.  You could easily use left over turkey for this and transform it into something completely new.  It was supposed to be topped with green onions (which would have been perfect), but I didn't have any.  Next time I am going use a few slices of real bacon to crumble on top, instead of the store bought ones.  I am sure with that and the green onions it will become a family favorite.  I promise, it tastes better than it looks!  I need to get the hang of taking pictures when it is completely black out!

Monterey Chicken or (Turkey)
Adapted from All the Simple Things
Printable Recipe

4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup Barbeque Sauce
1/4 cup  real bacon bits
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 14 oz. can Rotel tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
Dash black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Pound out chicken breasts to about 1/2 in thick.  Season each side with black pepper. Cook chicken (grill, saute, bake) until no longer pink.  Put on a baking sheet covered in foil.  Top each chicken breast with about 1 Tbls barbeque sauce, 1/4 c cup cheese, 1/4 cup tomatoes, 1 Tbls green onions and 1 Tbls of bacon bits. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. 

Grilled Chicken with Peach BBQ Sauce

We had a great time this weekend at my family reunion.  There was lots of time in the water, and it was great visiting with family.  We drove part way there on Friday and got to see some friends we never get to see. Our friend Tony is Vietnamese, and makes fabulous Vietnamese food!  He made us traditional Egg Rolls and Pad Thai for dinner.  It was amazing!  He is not a blogger, but I am hoping I can convince him to do a guest post on our dinner that night! 

This chicken is great too.  I must admit I was skeptical when I saw Gwyneth Paltrow on the cover of Bon Appetit, but she really can cook.  This Peach BBQ sauce is wonderful.  I have never put fruit in my BBQ sauce before, but it was great!  Served with summer Sweet Corn and you have a wonderful dinner! 

Grilled Chicken with Peach BBQ Sauce
From Bon Appetit
Printable Recipe
 
1 cup chopped peeled fresh peaches (could sub frozen)
1/2 cup ketchup 
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
2 garlic cloves, minced 
1 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 
Vegetable oil

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan. Season lightly with salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer until peaches are very soft and flavors meld, about 10 minutes.

Remove pan from heat; let cool. Pour peach mixture into a blender and purée until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place half the sauce in a medium bowl; add the chicken and turn to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, or cover and chill for up to 8 hours, turning occasionally. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce.

Prepare a grill to medium-high heat.  Grill chicken until browned and almost cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side. Brush on all sides with reserved sauce; grill until glazed and cooked through, 1-2 minutes per side. Slice crosswise. Serve remaining sauce alongside.

Barbeque Ribs

Memorial Day is all about grilling right?  So we spent the weekend using our grill as much as we could!  Brats, hot dogs, chicken, ribs, potatoes - pretty much every meal!  It was great to get out of the "kitchen" and be outside!

Ribs have to be one our favorites, and have been for awhile.  But they are a special treat - we probably only make them once or twice a year.  Our son used to love them.  When he was 2 and thought they were the best.  But for the last couple years he wouldn't touch them.  With his new found love of pork chops, I figured I could get these past him.  I started by just cutting some meat off the bone and let him eat it like that - fail.  Then I turned him on to the novelty of getting dirty and being able to eat it straight from the bone - success!  Should have known, 6 year old boy = messy!  He must have eaten a whole 1/2 rack of ribs that way.  Proud moment for Daddy!

We have been making this recipe for years.  I got it off one of those imitation of a restaurant sites.  It is supposed to be how Tony Roma's does their Blue Ridge Smokey Ribs.

This recipe is also linked on  It's a Keeper Thursday

Barbeque Ribs
Printable Recipe

2 Full racks of Baby Back Ribs

Sauce:
1 cup Ketchup
1 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Molasses
1 1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 rounded tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder

Combine everything in a sauce pan over high heat.  Whisk until smooth.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until nice and thick.



Place Ribs in foil - baste with plenty of sauce.



Bake at 250 degrees for 2 hours.



Remove from foil and smother with more sauce.  Grill on hot grill for 2 to 4 minutes per side.  Just to caramelize the sauce. You can serve with more sauce on the side if you like it saucy!



Really should have taken a picture of how messy Tyler got, but instead I leave you with the aftermath.

 This recipe is also on “Get Grillin’ with Family Fresh Cooking and Cookin’ Canuck, sponsored by Ile de France Cheese, Rösle, Emile Henry, Rouxbe and ManPans.”