Summer Eats Post #1: Greek Potato Salad & Tangy Grilled Chicken

I have been scattered this summer- feeling pretty foggy in the brain when it comes to trying to write a creative, inspiring, cohesive blog post.   The lack of posting certainly isn't because of a lack of cooking. There has been much action in our kitchen… perpetual, and I have taken photos along the way, in case I had some inspiration and time for sharing them with you.

Perhaps this foggy-headedness is because my three very zesty, energetic, creative children have been swirling about nonstop.  Or perhaps it is because I have taken on an added role in my home as nurse, to my healing son, after a broken leg and a nose surgery in the past few weeks.  Or it might be that I am just plum tuckered out.  I’m feeling old and tired, if truth be told.

But we have had some yummy eats so far this summer. 

So, rather than waiting until my foggy brain clears, I have decided to just write some brief, simple posts for the next few weeks to fling some of these recipes your way!

Greek Potato Salad

For the 4th of July I wanted to make potato salad that was vinegar and oil based rather than mayonnaise-based.  I looked and looked for a recipe that was what I had in mind.  I just couldn't put my finger on it.  In looking in my huge How to Cook Everything cookbook by Mark Bittman I found one recipe for a Potato Salad with a Mustard Sauce.  As I made it, I thought,  "this looks tasty, but it's not what I had in mind".  I kept looking through cookbooks.  I went to Ina Garten- surely she has what I'm looking for! She usually does.  I found her Provencal Potato Salad which was on the right track, but before I started making batch #2, I texted my friend Gretchen to ask if she had a recipe.  She replied with the magic words that sparked it for me, "Hmm I haven't. Makes me think about the Zoe's Kitchen one- like that?" YES!! That was exactly what I was trying to remember …from some back file in my brain that I had not been able to reach. 

I then had the clarity I needed: Red New Potatoes, Green Onion, Feta and a Greek Vinaigrette with chopped fresh herbs.  I used Ina's advice about cooking the potatoes and then letting them steam to finish cooking, and I used herbs out of my garden.  It was just what I was hoping for: zippy, fresh, and flavorful.

Greek Potato Salad
2 1/2 pounds Red New Potatoes

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
Juice of one lemon
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp. oregano
handful of fresh parsley, chopped
handful of fresh basil, chopped
3 green onions, chopped (green and white parts)
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (or more)

Wash potatoes and chop them into large bite sized pieces.
Boil a pot of water.  Sprinkle in some salt.
Drop potatoes into the boiling water.
Let cook for 15 minutes or until tender but not mushy.
Remove from heat, drain water and place in bowl with a tea towel over it for 10 more minutes to steam and finish cooking.

In a bowl or glass measuring cup, combine vinegar, oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped green onion, basil, parsley and oregano together. Add salt and pepper.  Pour over cooked potatoes and toss well until fully coated.  Add feta cheese.  Stir.  Add salt as needed.  (This is a very loose recipe.  You can add/delete/substitute/change amounts as you desire.)

Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

It was even better the day after (FYI).  And it is reminiscent of Zoe's Kitchen tasty potato salad that they sneak in the bottom of their Greek Salad (my favorite thing on their menu)…the Greek Salad with a buried treasure.

Tangy Grilled Chicken (Brower's BBQ)

Dave's dad was in town a couple of weeks ago and we were grilling chicken but didn't have much time to marinade it like we typically do.  I said, "maybe we could baste it with something while we are grilling".  As we were brainstorming, somehow the word "baste" sparked the thought of this great vinegar based BBQ sauce that we had all of the time growing up but I haven't made in a decade.  
(I'm telling you, my brain is foggy.)

I found the recipe card in my box, had all the ingredients on hand, and stirred it up.  Dave brushed it on the chicken as he grilled.  It was a hit.  It is salty and tangy and is made with ingredients you most likely already have in your kitchen.   

We call it Brower's BBQ Chicken, named after Mr. Brower, the man at our church, who gave my mom the recipe.  He had a long portable grill he would use to serve large groups.  He grilled for a church-wide dinner one time and my mom requested the marinade recipe.  My parents made it regularly after that.

For several years of my childhood my family owned a lake house, and my food memories of dinner there involve this chicken.  From the dock we could smell it as dad was grilling. We ate it with Rice-A-Roni: summer childhood comfort food.

It is such a great marinade.  I'm glad it has resurfaced from my recipe archives.

Brower's BBQ Chicken
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 stick butter (the original recipe calls for "Oleo" but I used butter)
3 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. cayenne red pepper (or more or less depending on your desired spiciness)

Pour all ingredients into a small pan on the stove.  Stir and heat, but not to a boil.
Pour over raw chicken.  Place chicken on hot grill. Baste frequently on chicken with brush as it grills.

I hope your summer is full of beautiful produce and the flavors of summer. 

Other  installments of our summer eats are soon to come: Homemade Ice Cream, Pizza, Chocolate Pound Cake and more! 

Rice & Bean Salad

Do you ever have a recipe that you adore and make all the time, and then for some reason or another it fades out of your repertoire? And then one day you think of it, or see the recipe and say to yourself, “Why haven’t I made this lately? I love this dish!”  And then you make it again and it returns to your rotation of frequently-made-dishes.  This recipe is one of those. 

In the '90s I worked at a lovely stationery store, following college graduation and during graduate school.  I learned so much during those years from the incredible team of women that I worked alongside.  Things that became part of me.  They were a classy bunch (much more refined than I) and yet they loved me and mentored me in many ways.  Molly, a very deliberate and sophisticated lady, was our manager.  She oftentimes would pick up a prepared dish at Bread & Company or The Food Company (which was across the street) to have for lunch or dinner.  One of her go-to dishes was this Rice Salad.  I couldn’t afford to pick up food like that, but I was eager to taste, and then attempt to reproduce things at home.  It was so tasty: zingy, fresh, hearty, and so yummy! 

this is the "recipe" I've had in my recipe box all
these years- the list of ingredients from
Molly's salad

Molly had this brilliant trick. She would walk in, put her personal belongings away, place her food in the fridge, along with her car keys, and be about her day- knowing that she wouldn’t get past the door to head home without remembering her food.  I took note of this ritual and have adopted it in my own life. It's fool proof!

I sometimes wonder (in my very analytical mind) if I could untangle the web of my life and retrace the origins of my philosophies, habits, ideas, and even recipes - what all of the sources would be.  We have each adopted a multitude of things from countless people along our paths- which make us who we are!

If we live with our eyes open, our hearts receptive and our minds curious- we are capable of being shaped by the people around us.  Some things repel or just pass by, but some things stick forever. 

This dish was one of those things that became a staple for me and then went by the wayside and now is coming back. 

Rice & Bean Salad

1 1/2 cups brown rice- prepared as directed on package

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes- sliced in half

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 cup crumbled feta cheese (or less if you prefer)

bottled Italian dressing - start with 1/2 cup and add more if needed 

Prepare rice.

My sister and brother-in-law gave us this rice cooker a
few Christmases ago- it is a kitchen tool he has used
that was new to our family.  We use it all the time
now.  It does the work for you, and you can focus on
the rest of the recipe. 

In the meantime, chop tomatoes and green onions. 

Drain and rinse black beans.

Gently toss together rice, beans, tomatoes and onions. 

Add feta.  Toss together.

Add Italian dressing a little at a time, folding in, and adding enough to lightly coat the salad and to your liking.  Season with salt and pepper as desired.

This dish is great because it only takes a few minutes to put together and it keeps well in the refrigerator for several days.  It is great cold or warmed.  It is delicious as a side dish with a piece of grilled meat, or as your main dish. It’s lovely for lunch or dinner.

I decided to use brown rice, to make it even healthier- though not as pretty, in my opinion. It's a recipe you can play around with and find the balance of ingredients you like.  

I made it recently and my girls gobbled it up!  (If you remember, my son is still working through his bean-phobia).  In fact, Lainey asked me this week if I would make it again because she "LOOOVEs it".  Music to my ears!

This was my lunch the other day as I was grading my last batch of exams.  

It was the perfect spring lunch for me.  A crisp sliced apple and a bowl of Rice & Bean Salad. Quick, tasty and filling! 

Cheese Grits

I remember the first weeks of college, having such fun getting to know great people from all over the country.  Friends on my hall were from Chicago, Colorado, California, Michigan, rural Tennessee, and New Jersey.  Being in Tennessee, my home-state, for college I had the opportunity to be part of introducing friends to some southern customs, foods and practices. 

One of those was Grits.  Many friends had never heard of them. Some have never tasted them, and others were leery of them.  Kind of like the Salmon Cakes I wrote about this spring, grits can span from “down home” to high class ­– from Cracker Barrel Restaurant served as a side with the bacon and eggs breakfast platter to upscale restaurants serving them to accompany grilled shrimp.

I like grits simply served with a little salt, pepper and butter.  But cheese grits, well, they are an altogether different thing.  They are fabulous.  They are great for breakfast as well as a side dish.  A local BBQ restaurant serves grits of all flavors- each day offering Grits of the Day as well as their always–available Garlic Cheese Grits. 

To those of you who are fans of cheese grits, this recipe is a keeper. To those who have never had the privilege of having them, this is worth the try.  It is my mom’s recipe that we have served for brunches and special breakfasts for years.  Recently, with our love of Shrimp and Grits, I have made them for dinner (served with shrimp).  Another night we had Cheese Grits with neighbors when we grilled pork tenderloin and chicken (and had those Quick Sour Cream Biscuits).  For my family I have halved the recipe because it makes so much.  Dave prefers that I make a full recipe so that he can eat the leftovers for breakfast.

This recipe is soufflé–like in that it has eggs in it and is baked in a casserole dish, so it fluffs up a bit.  It keeps well and even freezes well.  The original recipe calls for Velveeta cheese, which I resist because it is "processed cheese spread" by their own admission.  However, it does melt so nicely.  That's its benefit.  I like to use 1/2 Velveeta and 1/2 sharp cheddar cheese.  You can experiment and find the cheese(s) you like best.


Cheese Grits
Yields 9 X 13 pan

1 1/2 cups dry grits
1 stick butter (or less)
1 lb. Velveeta Cheese cubed or combo of cheddar and velveeta, or your choice - equaling 5 cups grated cheese
2 tsp. hot sauce (Tabasco, Cholula, etc.)
3 eggs, beaten

Cook 1 1/2 cups grits as directed on package.
While hot, add butter (cut into slices to make it easier to melt), cheese, tabasco, and eggs.

Pour into a casserole dish coated with cooking spray.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350˚ or until fluffy and golden.

(You can freeze grits in the pan and bake them later).

Ready to stick in the oven

If you want to make Shrimp and Grits, use raw (uncooked) shrimp.  I buy it frozen and thaw it in a bowl of water.  Peel shrimp.  Toss in some melted butter and sprinkle with garlic powder and coarse salt.  Place on a hot grill pan or skillet.  Cook for a couple of minutes.  Turn over.  Cook other side.  Remove and plate with Cheese Grits.  I like to serve with simple tossed greens, sautéed green beans, or roasted asparagus.

Whether you're going for down home or high class, find a way to incorporate some cheese grits into your menu planning!

Crispy Baked Onion Rings

In 1991, the spring of my freshman year of college, I had a memorable encounter with onion rings and baby back ribs. I was thrilled to be asked out on dates with guys in college, as this dating thing was a new experience for me.  I was invited to dinner by this guy that I had become acquainted with at school.  He was a nice guy and I was happy that he wanted to take me out.  When he picked me up he said he wanted to take me to Tony Roma’s (a Ribs Restaurant) because it was his favorite.  I had never been there and actually I had never had ribs.  I had tasted a bite of my dad’s before, but I had certainly never ordered them at a restaurant.  I'm not really a ribs kinda gal. 

The restaurant is a sit-down, glassware and cloth napkin kind of an establishment. My date said, “You have to order ribs. It’s my treat and I insist!”  As I looked at the menu I became a little overwhelmed with the rib options.  I told him I didn’t know what kind to order and he advised me to order the baby back ribs. I followed his suggestion.  He also said that we must order an onion ring loaf to share.

(Have you ever had an onion ring loaf? It’s amazing! It’s like a pile of skinny crisp onion rings all pressed into a loaf that you pull apart to eat.)  

I agreed. I had experience with onion ring eating.
The onion loaf came as an appetizer and it was delicious.
Crispy and thin, salty and savory.  I dug in!

Then the ribs came.

I realized that this is not the most polite, lovely, feminine food to eat and that I didn’t quite know what I was doing.  So, I just watched him eat his first rib, and I tried to replicate his technique. This went okay.  I certainly was making a mess of my face and hands, but really enjoying the meal. (I am already a pretty messy eater and use a lot of napkins). 

I couldn’t tell you a thing we talked about, for I was too focused on eating the ribs correctly and not embarrassing myself. It began to dawn on me that I better speed up my eating because there was a good chance that he would finish his food before me (as men often do) and then he would WATCH me eat the rest of my ribs.  My parents diligently taught me to not waste food, and therefore I felt like it was appropriate to clean my plate – especially when someone else was paying for it.

So, with this dilemma swirling in my head, I decided to switch it into high gear and pick up the pace.  I ate and ate and discreetly licked my fingers, and piled bones on the “discard stack” until I looked up and realized that I had eaten my entire platter of food and he still had half of his meal yet to be eaten.

Oh no! In my fear of being watched while eating this very messy meal, I had overdone it and had beaten his time on cleaning his plate.  He replied with a jolly and a little surprised reaction, “Wow! I would say you liked your meal!?”  I grinned and said, “Yes! I did. I might have paced myself a little wrong in my attempt to keep up with you! (nervous laughter…awkward smile…)"  

Interestingly (and perhaps not so surprising) he never asked me out again.  I don't think we were each other's type anyway.  And I have actually never ordered ribs again.  
However, I have eaten many, many onion rings since then.  I really, really like them.
I have never, though, made onion rings.  I think I was intimidated by them as I don't have a deep fryer and don't like to make fried food at home, and I couldn't imagine they would be any good baked. But now I know it's possible!

Everyone in my house likes onions. A lot.  Therefore everyone loves onion rings! As far as eating onion rings out at a restaurant, there is quite the variety of onion ring quality. I love an onion ring loaf, though it’s hard to find probably because I like thin and crispy ones, and I like for them to not be so densely breaded. 

I pulled this recipe from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food  magazine years ago in the "Eat Smart- Healthy Toolbox section" and have had it in my notebook to try.  I saw them the other day and was driven to go buy the ingredients and make them, along with some Turkey Burgers.  They are baked, not fried (healthier and less messy).  They are really, really delicious!

Crispy Baked Onion Rings
borrowed from Everyday Food
(serves 4)

1 large sweet onion (like Vidalia) thinly sliced into circles, separated into rings
1 1/2 cups cornflakes
1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
coarse salt and pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 450˚. In a food processor, pulse cornflakes and breadcrumbs until fine crumbs form, then transfer to a medium bowl.  In another medium bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, flour, and cayenne and season with salt and pepper.

Dip onion rings into egg mixture (letting excess drip off) and dredge in crumb mixture; place on a large plate or tray. 

(I found that the crumb mixture quickly becomes gummy with the egg mixture, so it is wise to split the crumb mixture in half and just use part of the mixture at a time so as to not waste it- I learned this the hard way.)

Pour oil onto a rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and heat 2 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and tilt to coat evenly with oil.  

Arrange onion rings on sheet.  Bake, turning once, until onion rings are golden brown, about 15 minutes.  Place on a paper towel lined plate and season with salt.

dipped in ketchup – served with a turkey burger

My "take aways" are: don't eat ribs on a first date, do try these onion rings and set aside some of the crumb mixture so it doesn't get all gummy, and accept the reality that messy rib-eating can't make or break a relationship.  If it's not "meant to be" it's not meant to be.