Indulge In {Grilled Peaches and Homemade Ice Cream}

For R's birthday last November, I caved and bought him the old fashioned ice cream maker he had been wanting for months. You know, the ones with the wood base that is incredibly noisy. Well, he loves it! And frankly, so do I. It reminds me of the one my grandparents had and all the summers we would make strawberry ice cream in their back yard. With it being the time of year for outdoor cooking, it's finally time to bust it out and see what creamy creations we can come up with.

Recently, I've been craving pies and desserts of the sort so for our first attempt, I decided to do a modern twist on the all time favorite peach cobbler. With fresh peaches from the farmer's market and all the ingredients for a delicious batch of ice cream, this new favorite dessert is so fun for summer cookouts. It's even a great addition to your Memorial Day menu. Here's the recipe...

:: Ingredients ::
2 Quarts Half and Half
1/2 Pint Heavy Cream
1 1/2 Cups White Sugar
4 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Pinch Salt
4 Peaches, halved and pitted
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
5 Tablespoons Butter

:: Directions for Ice Cream ::
1. Mix together half and half, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an ice cream maker.
2. Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

:: Directions for Peaches ::
1. Turn your grill on medium heat and let it get warm.
2. Melt the butter and stir in brown sugar until dissolved.
3. Brush all sides of the peach with butter and brown sugar mixture. Grill until warm and caramelized. About 5-8 minutes.

Enjoy!

Delightful Dining {Grilled Veggie Sandwich}

A couple of weeks ago on my little venture to the farmer's market, I picked up an eggplant. Never having cooked an eggplant before, I left a little lost as to what to do with it, and confused as to why I even purchased it in the first place. So, I did what I do with anything I don't know what to do with. Grilled it. Since clearly I can't eat just eggplant for dinner, I got a little hearty and made a sandwich with some squash I also had from the farmer's market, onions and chicken. And let me tell you, for being thrown together on the fly, this was a damn good sandwich. And super filling! Here's what you'll need...

Ingredients
{1} An eggplant sliced
{2} 3 squash sliced length wise
{3} An onion sliced
{4} Chicken breast
{5} Hoagie rolls
{6} Olive oil, butter, teriyaki, salt and pepper

{Step 1} Marinate your chicken in teriyaki sauce. (This is my personal favorite, but I don't think it really matters.)
{Step 2} Slice your eggplant and squash, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
{Step 3} Slice your onion and saute until translucent
{Step 4} Grill your chicken, eggplant and squash until done
{Step 5} Slice and butter your bread. Grill butter side down to heat (about 1 minute)
{Step 6} Assemble sandwich with veggies, sliced chicken, and onions.
{Step 7} Enjoy!

Dining Uncorked {Tailgate Grill Out}

So, I told you yesterday that I would provide you with the ultimate tailgating menu today. And well here it is! With Saturday's games quickly approaching, it's time to get your grilling game face on. While some people prefer to prep ahead and have bite sized little snacks, I prefer a grilled meal cook in a parking lot behind your car. While yes, there is some prep at home, to get the full tailgating experience, I think it should be actually cooked there. Here's what I make:

Sliders:

Easy. And plus, who doesn't love this tiny, cuter version of a burger? I tend to like sliders better because it's easier to control your portion. I'm one of those people that if you put a whole burger in front of me, I'll eat the whole thing right there and feel terrible the rest of the day because I ate way to much. Sliders are perfect for this problem. Here's what you need for the perfect slider...

{1} Ground Round or Sirloin (I like these because they have a lower fat percentage than ground chuck)

{2} Worcestershire Sauce

{3} Salt and Pepper

{4} Dinner Rolls (I get the ones from the bakery at Publix because I like how fresh and homemade they are.)

Seriously that's it for the perfect slider. And they are so moist and delicious. But here is the trick. Take your meat and form little patties. Remember that they will get a little smaller in diameter when you cook them, so make them a little bigger than you would think for a slider. Now put those patties in the fridge in a tupperware and grab it right before you leave. Don't season it; don't do anything to it. Seriously. Then, right before you put them on the grill (and I mean right before), season one side with salt, pepper, and splash some Worcestershire on it. Put the seasoned side on the grill and then season the other the exact same way. Wait for them to be cooked, top the way you please, and enjoy. Then the next day, tell me that these were not the most moist, juicy burgers you have ever had! Some great things to add to these burger: grilled onion, bacon, cheese, grilled peppers, lettuce, bbq sauce. That list could go on forever! What do you put on your burger?

Grilled Potatoes:

Yes, that's right. I said grilled potatoes. They are delicious. And crispy. And just like french fries but on the grill and round. You could do wedges if you like though. I like doing potatoes better than chips at a tailgate because potatoes are more filling and since there is drinking involved I feel that it's important to be full. Okay so here is what you need first.

{1} Baking Potatoes

{2} Garlic Powder

{3} Onion Powder

{4} Salt 

{5} Crushed Red Pepper

{6} Olive oil

The first thing you are going to do is obviously clean your potatoes. Slice them into rounds and boil them on the stove. You want to cook them till they are just a little soft but don't crumble to the touch. Drain and let cool. Once cool, put them in a tupperware and grab right before you walk out the door. Once at your tailgate, toss in olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and red pepper. Grill each side till grill marks appear and they are nice and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside! 

Some other great grilled items that I think are easy and delicious for a tailgate....

{1} Grilled vegetables (because they are good for you)

{2} Grilled peaches (trust me on this one)

{3} Hummus and grilled pita chips (take a regular pita, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and grill)

What are some of your grilling favorites? 

Dining Uncorked {Grilled Pizza}

Summer is all about grilling in my opinion! And since my recent dairy allergy discovery I've been trying to fill my pizza void. But, with the discovery that my allergy only applies to cow's milk, I decided why not pick up some sheep's milk based cheese on the way home and grill up some pizzas! Well, while perusing the cheese section at Publix I discovered that pecorino romano is a sheep's milk based cheese. This is amazing news, because pecorino romano is an amazing cheese. In case you haven't had it before, it's very similar to a parmesan. Immediately I know what to pair it with.  I made two different kinds of pizza. One was topped with bacon and grilled asparagus and the other with tomatoes and arugula. Obviously they both had pecorino romano. They were both delicious! In case you're wondering, I like cooking to be easy. Nothing too complicated that has too many steps. So, I picked up some whole wheat flat bread at the store (my Publix has it in the deli section) and used that as the crust. Here's how I grilled the pizza...

{Step 1} Turn the grill on and set the flame at a medium high heat. 

{Step 2} Brush both sides of the flat bread with olive oil

{Step 3} Top your pizza with whatever you like

{Step 4} Place the pizza on the grill and close the lid. Cook until the cheese is melted and the bottom of the flatbread is crispy but not burnt. (Note: If you use pecorino romano, and I suggest you do, it will not fully melt)

{Step 5} Cut into slices and ENJOY!

What would you top your grilled pizza with? I think I want to try shrimp next!