Moroccan Marinated Grilled Chicken Flatbread Burgers with Red Pepper Hummus

Moroccan Marinated Grilled Chicken Flatbread Burgers with Red Pepper Hummus

The summer grilling season has finally come to my neck of the woods and though I'm sometimes wearing a heavy coat at the backyard grill, at least I'm not standing in snow to do it.

Simply marinated and grilled lean meats with big summer salads make up the bulk of our weekday dinners in the summertime and we are always looking for new ways to add flavor to the grill, especially for pork and chicken. A new marinated pork chop idea is coming for later in the week but today I decided to show how we served these delicious spiced chicken breasts. Some leftover red pepper hummus and some pizza dough on  hand were the inspiration for these terrific chicken burgers.  I particularly loved the chewy, substantial texture of the flatbread and the creamy hummus in these sandwiches. They really were full meals in themselves.

If making flatbreads for burger buns, you can make the dough or even buy pizza dough and follow the instructions found here. I'd make them about half the size though, using only 2 to 3 ounces of dough per flatbread.

You can find the Red Pepper Hummus recipe here

Moroccan Marinated Grilled Chicken Flatbread Burgers with Red Pepper Hummus

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Moroccan Marinated Grilled Chicken Flatbread Burgers with Red Pepper Hummus - a simple, spiced marinade flavors the chicken while the flatbreads are made on the grill right alongside it. Creamy red pepper hummus completes this delicious combination of flavors and textures.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes including marinating time.
Yield: 4 chicken burgers

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander seed
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp kosher salt kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg ground nutmeg
• 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

Cooking Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together except the chicken breasts.
2. Pound the chicken breasts out to a uniform thickness.
3. Pour over the chicken breasts in a large Ziploc bag.
4. Allow to marinate in the fridge for up to an hour.
5. Grill on a medium hot grill until fully cooked, about 4 -5 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts. I use a meat thermometer to get the center of the chicken up over 165 degrees F.
6. Remove from grill, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes before serving on the flatbreads along with the red pepper hummus, sliced tomatoes and fresh lettuce. 

Honey Barbecue Pulled Beef Sandwiches with Creamy Dijon Coleslaw

Honey Barbecue Pulled Beef Sandwiches with Creamy Dijon Coleslaw

I love low effort recipes like this one, especially on the weekend when you may not have a lot of time to cook. This recipe takes a minimum of advance preparation before going into a low oven to slowly braise to tender perfection all afternoon while you're busy with other things.

I don't add the honey and vinegar to the barbecue sauce while the beef braises because I like to preserve the flavor of the beef without penetrating it with sweetness. The spiced tomato, onion and garlic sauce is perfect for braising the beef before the sweet and tangy elements are added to the sauce after the roast is cooked. This way, the pure flavor of the beef and the sweet, tangy flavor of the sauce remain distinct but compliment each other amazingly.

Don't be afraid to double up on this recipe to feed a large group or to take along to a pot luck supper; it's been very popular when I have shared it at a couple of gatherings recently. I do like to toast the burger buns or crusty bread slices but it isn't completely necessary if you want to include them on the buffet table along with the beef and coleslaw so that people can construct their own sandwiches.

Honey Barbecue Pulled Beef Sandwiches with Creamy Dijon Coleslaw

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Honey Barbecue Pulled Beef Sandwiches with Creamy Dijon Coleslaw - tender beef, slow braised in an easy, smoky homemade barbecue sauce then served on toasted buns or crusty bread with delicious Creamy Dijon Coleslaw. The perfect way to feed a crowd on game day and a real pot luck favorite too.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 3 hours
Total time: 3 1/2 hours
Yield: Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients

• 3 - 4 pound blade, chuck or cross rib beef roast
• salt and pepper to season the roast
• 1 1/2 cups plain tomato sauce
• 1 medium red onion very finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic finely minced
• 1/2 to 1 tsp chipotle powder (to taste depending on spice level you prefer)
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp dry mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground thyme
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• Creamy Dijon Cole Slaw
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 large grated carrot
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp sugar (or 2 tbsp honey)
• salt and pepper to season

Cooking Directions

1. Season the beef roast with salt and pepper. heat a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil in a cast iron or heavy bottom skillet and then brown it on all sides.
2. Transfer the roast to a covered roasting an or dutch oven.
3. Stir together the tomato sauce, garlic, onions and all of the spices, salt and pepper.
4. Pour over the roast, cover and cook in a 325 degree F oven for about 3 hours or a little longer for a larger roast, until the meat is tender and falling apart. I like to turn the roast in the sauce half way through the cooking time.
5. When cooked, remove the meat, cover with aluminum foil and transfer the sauce in the pan to a small saucepan.
6. Add the honey and vinegar and simmer for about 15 - 20 minutes or until it thickens to a barbecue sauce consistency.
7. Using a fork (or just your fingers if the roast has cooled down sufficiently) pull the beef apart in small finger with pieces, removing any excess fat as you go.
8. Pour the hot sauce over the beef.
9. Serve on toasted burger buns or artisan crusty bread. I love to serve it with some Creamy Dijon Cole Slaw.
10. To make the slaw, stir together the mayo, Dijon mustard, vinegar, sugar (or honey), salt and pepper.
11. Toss together well with the cabbage and carrot. 

Slow Roasted Dry Rubbed BBQ Beef Brisket

Slow Roasted Dry Rubbed BBQ Beef Brisket

I absolutely adore southern style barbecue beef brisket. I always look for it on menus at pit barbecue restaurants when traveling in the southern US. I still crave BBQ during the winter months and this year I have been able to satisfy my yearning with this new oven roasted dry rubbed method which I've also successfully tried with succulent pork ribs and fall-apart tender pulled pork. This time I turned my hand to trying it with my favorite cut of slow cooked beef and it was terrific.

Thinly sliced and drizzled with some of my homemade Bourbon BBQ Sauce, this brisket made incredibly delicious sandwiches, especially on artisan bread from local Georgestown Bakery; just the thing to serve as a hearty lunch or dinner and absolutely perfect to feed the game day crowd.

DRY RUB

Makes about 2 cups dry rub.

• 3 tbsp paprika
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 3 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp powdered ginger
• 1 tbsp chipotle powder
• 6 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp ground oregano
  
• 1 tbsp ground thyme
• 1 tbsp ground coriander 
• 2 tbsp dry mustard powder
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Mix together well and store any unused dry rub in an airtight container in a cool place.

• 5-6 pound beef brisket roast

Liberally rub the entire brisket with the dry rub, cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge for 12-24 hours to let the spice flavors penetrate the meat before cooking.

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F

Place it on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Pour about 3 cups of water into the roasting pan.

Roast uncovered for about 2 hours per pound.

When the brisket comes out of the oven, tent it loosely with aluminum foil and let it sit to rest for 30-45 minutes before thinly slicing across the grain. I like to serve it on sandwiches with a drizzle of Maple Chipotle Barbecue Sauce or Bourbon BBQ Sauce and maybe some sauteed mushrooms and onions.

Chicken Souvlaki Wraps with Tomato Avocado Tzatziki

Chicken Souvlaki Wraps with Tomato Avocado Tzatziki

We are having a lovely summer here in Newfoundland, which is a welcome relief after the wettest, coldest summer in decades that we experienced last year. The great weather is providing plenty of warm evenings for grilling our evening meals and this one from late last week was a particularly delicious one.

We used our favorite souvlaki recipe to marinate thin cuts of chicken breast and served it on warm grilled flatbreads with creamy tzatziki. We added tomato and  avocado chunks to our tzatziki for extra flavor and texture. Some crumbled feta cheese and fresh salad completed these terrific wraps dor a delicious and very satisfying dinner.

Serves 4

• 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

Lay the chicken breasts flat on a cutting board and cut them in half horizontally to crate two think portions.

Souvlaki Marinade

• 6 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 rounded tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cloves minced garlic

Mix all of the ingredients together and pour over the chicken in a Ziploc bag. Toss the chicken around well in the marinade to coat on all sides. Marinate in the fridge for 15 - 20 minutes. Cook on a preheated grill at medium high heat for about 3 minutes before turning over and grilling for an additional 3 minutes on the opposite side or until the chicken is completely cooked through.

.

Tzatziki

• 3 cups Greek yogurt, drained

Draining the yogurt removes much of the liquid and produces an end product about the consistency of thick sour cream. To drain the yogurt, line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth (or in a pinch, several large coffee filters) Pour the yogurt into the colander and place it in a large bowl or in the sink for an hour or two. this should produce about 2 cups of thick yogurt.

• 6 inch piece of English cucumber

Peel the piece of cucumber and remove the seeds and pulp at the center with a teaspoon, then dice the outside flesh of the cucumber into small cubes of  1/8 inch or less.

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of kosher salt over the diced cucumber and toss together well. Let this rest for about a half hour , stirring occasionally. This process removes some of the liquid from the cucumber so that it will not water down the consistency of your finished tzatziki. Drain all of the liquid off the diced cucumber before adding it to the drained yogurt along with

• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• pinch salt and pepper to season

Mix well, cover and store in the fridge for at least a half hour before serving.

Before serving, stir in:

• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 medium tomato with the pulp removed, diced

Get our recipe for grilled flatbreads here. We sometimes use store bought pizza dough to make flatbreads in a hurry.

Add some Greek salad on top of the flatbread before topping with the chicken and tzatziki. Some crumbled feta cheese makes a nice addition on top as well.

Grilled Chicken Avocado Club Sub with Spicy Sundried Tomato Mayo

Grilled Chicken Avocado Club Sub with Spicy Sundried Tomato Mayo

These may be the lazy days of summer but summertime meals can still be just as time constricted as any other time of the year. With a 5:30 baseball game to attend one evening, it left very little time for a family dinner but a little pre-planning saved the day once more. We had grilled chicken breasts the previous evening and purposely grilled extra chicken to make these delicious club sandwiches.

Some homemade Spicy Sun-dried Tomato Mayo made these a little extra special and ripe avocado slices added more flavor and creamy texture in every bite. My daughter declared this the best sandwich she's ever eaten and is already asking when we are having more. With a full roster of baseball games, dance and music camps and other summer activities in the coming weeks, I'd say the opportunity to enjoy them again is probably just around the corner.

Serves 4

• 4 sub sandwich rolls split and toasted
• 4 grilled boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced
• 2 ripe avocados, sliced
• 12 slices crisp cooked smoked bacon
• baby spinach leaves
• Spicy Sun-dried Tomato Mayo

Spicy Sun-dried Tomato Mayo

You can make your own homemade mayo for this recipe or use 1 1/2  cups of good quality mayonnaise. Olive oil mayo works really well. Find my recipe for Lemon Olive Oil Mayo here.

• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp crushed chili paste or sauce (more or less to taste)
  1/2 tsp black pepper
• pinch kosher salt
• 1/4 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes

Pulse together in a blender until smooth. Store in the refrigerator.

Orange Hoisin Leftover Pork Sandwiches

Orange Hoisin Pork Sandwiches

This is the kind of meal we like to refer to as a "Leftover Rescue Recipe" but the truth is we purposely grilled extra pork chops one evening in order to plan dinner for the next day, which promised to be very busy with not much time for cooking. These outstanding hot sandwiches are simply made with thin slices of leftover pork chops, which get tossed in a quick cooking Orange Hoisin Sauce which also can be made in advance if you prefer; just another way that a little simple meal planning can ensure a terrific dinner even on the busiest of days.

Serves 4- 6

• 4 large grilled center loin pork chops, thinly sliced ( you can also use quickly stir fried pork tenderloin slices)

To prepare the sauce, sauté together 

• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 3 tbsp peanut oil

When the garlic has softened but not browned add:

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp grated ginger root
• 1/2 tsp five spice powder
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tbsp honey

Stir and simmer until reduced and thickened to about the consistency of plum sauce. Toss the pork slices in the sauce over medium heat only enough to warm the pork and remove from the burner.

Serve on your favorite toasted sandwich rolls with 

sliced, roasted red pepper

Turkey Club Stromboli

Turkey Club Stromboli

Perhaps we were all a little extra hungry at supper last night but holy-moly did we ever tuck-in to these delicious simple baked Stromboli sandwiches. We are big turkey fans at our house and it often makes a roast dinner that we enjoy as often as every couple of weeks, so leftover turkey ideas are always welcome and this was a terrific one. I've included my dough recipe here but you could easily use store bought pizza or bread dough for a quick weekday meal. I'll confess that I have picked up fresh touton dough from my neighborhood supermarket on the way home from work in order to make Stromboli from different leftover ingredients for dinner.

Makes 2 Stromboli, serves 6-8.

Stromboli Dough:

3-4 cups all purpose flour
1 packet instant yeast
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 ¼ cups lukewarm water
1 ½ tsp sea salt

Mix dry ingredients together except for one cup of the flour. Add the warm water and mix very well with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining flour a little at a time until dough forms. Remove to a floured breadboard or your counter top and knead for an additional 5 minutes. Allow dough to rest for ½ hour, covered in a warm place. Knead again for 5 minutes and split dough into 2 portions and allow to rest for 20 minutes before rolling your dough into the desired size; for Stromboli, roll into about a 12 inch square.

(I bake my stromboli on a pizza stone but alternatively, you could bake the stromboli on a parchment lined cookie sheet at 375 degrees F.)

Preheat a pizza stone in a 450 degree F oven for ½ hour.

Add the filling to the stromboli, layering the filling ingredients down the center line of the dough. Here we have used:

Sliced leftover turkey (about 1 ½ to 2 pounds)

Crisp cooked bacon ( about ½ pound pre cooked weight)

½ cup chopped, oil packed, sundried tomatoes

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Olives make tasty additions if you like. Dijon mustard or garlic oil brushed on the dough is also very good. You can also brush a little milk or an eggwash over the stromboli and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and/or fresh chopped herbs.)

Bring the edges of the dough to the center of the stromboli, covering the filling. Pinch the dough edges and ends together to seal. Gently roll the entire stromboli onto a cornmeal covered wooden pizza peel so that the seam is on the bottom. Cut 3 one inch slits, evenly spaced, in the top of the stromboli dough for venting. Shake the peel to make sure the stromboli moves freely on the cornmeal.

Slide the stromboli onto the hot stone, shaking it slightly in a back and forth motion as you slowly retract the wooden peel. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the top is evenly golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting into individual servings.

Southern Chicken Salad

Southern, Homestyle Chicken Salad

(basic but full of flavor)

It's so hard to get a homemade recipe for chicken salad if you ask people. Everyone always says "well...I don't know...I never measure when I make it."  I always hate when people tell me that lol but I find myself saying the same thing. It really is one of those recipe that you just throw how much of each ingredient in that you like. I've been getting so many request for it, I thought I'd make it and try to write down everything I put in it.

Chicken salad sandwiches is one of my favorite kinds of sandwich. I'm pretty picky when it comes to chicken salad. I like it to look and taste a certain way. The right kind of bread you put it on is equally important: Buttery bakery croissants baby!!!

Although this chicken salad recipe is very basic, it is still creamy and full of flavor, yet still enough room to customize it just the way you like. It has just the right amount of crunch from the onions and celery with that perfect blend of spice from the celery salt and other seasonings. Not to mention that kick of light sweetness from the sweet relish.

If you like a sweet & crunchy chicken salad go ahead and throw in some cranberries, grapes, raisins or nuts. 

As with all chicken salad recipes be sure to season a little at a time, tasting after each seasoning, until you get the taste you love.

INGREDIENTS: (makes 6-10 sandwiches depending on how much filling you like. I like a lot!)

3 chicken breast, flattened

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4-1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 stalk of celery, diced

1/2 small white onion, diced

5 hard boiled eggs, diced

1 3/4 cups Mayonnaise (may need more of less. I used 1 cup Dukes and 3/4 cup Helmans)
1/4 cup sweet relish

1/2 teaspoon black pepper (plus more if desired)

1/4-1/2 teaspoon onion powder (plus more if desire)

1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (plus more if desired)

celery salt to taste

Butter Bakery Croissants (get mine from Walmart bakery)

Lettuce

Tomato

Watch me make this southern, homestyle chicken salad from start to finish!

Refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight for flavors to mix and mingle.