Memorial Day Marinade & Salad Favorites

BBQ's. It's all about the MARINADE and SALADS! 

Today, I'd thought I'd share the top marinades and salads that I have created here on the blog over the last year to get you started with your Memorial Day celebration!


Let's start with the TOP 5 MARINADES!

This was actually one of the first pictures I
took on my blog over a year ago. I'd like to
thinkI've improved! Don't let the picture fool you,
the flavor was INCREDIBLE!

#5 

Marinated Coconut Rum and Lime Chicken Breasts (Serves 4)

4 Chicken Breasts, bone in

1/4 Cup Coconut Rum, like Malibu®

1 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1 Lime, zest and juice

1/2 Cup Canola Oil

1 Tbsp. White Vinegar

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

1 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

In a bowl, whisk together the rum, cilantro, zest and juice from the entire lime, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the chicken to a resealable, plastic bag and add the marinade. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. Remove chicken and let stand at room temperature for approximately 15 minutes prior to cooking. Bake at 350°F for approximately 1 hour or until the internal temperature reads 180°F with an instant read thermometer. 

#4 

Wine & Balsamic Marinated Filet Mignon

4 Filet Mignon

Marinade

1/2 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 c. Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 c. Dry Red Wine (I used Malbec)

1 tbsp. Stone Ground Mustard

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped

1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt

Whisk all ingredients together until well blended. Add the meat and the marinade to a resealable bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Discard marinade and let rest at room temperature prior to grilling to your desired internal temperature. Serves 4. 

#3

Balsamic Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken

6 Boneless Chicken Breasts

Marinade

1/4 Cup Honey

1/4 Cup Grey Poupon® Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 Cup Canola Oil

1/2 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped

Whisk all ingredients together. Add chicken to a resealable plastic bag and add the marinade. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Remove chicken and discard marinade. Grill until the proper internal temperature is reached. 

#2 

Lemon-Ginger Grilled Pork Chops

4 (4-6oz.) Pork Chops, boneless, center cut

1 Lemon, juice only

1 tsp. Fresh Ginger, grated

1 tsp. Honey

2 tbsp. Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1 tsp. Sesame Oil

2 tbsp. Canola Oil

In a bowl, add the lemon juice, ginger, honey, soy sauce, sesame and canola oils and whisk together. Trim any fat from your pork chops and add them to a resealable plastic bag along with the marinade. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove the bag from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to grilling to bring the meat to room temperature so the meat cooks evenly. Cook until proper internal temperature. Serves 4. 

#1 

Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey Marinated London Broil over Sauteed Mushrooms

2 lb. Top Round London Broil

50 ml Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey 

1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

3/4 Cup Canola Oil

1/2 Cup Scallions, chopped

1 Tbsp. Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt

1/8 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients (minus the beef). Add the london broil to a resealable plastic bag and add the marinade. Refrigerated 4 hours and grill to desired doneness. 

Sauteed Mushrooms

1-10oz. Package White Mushrooms, sliced

2 Tbsp. Butter

2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 Cup Beef Broth

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

In a large saute pan, melt butter and add mushrooms. Cook until soft and add remaining ingredients. Stir occasionally until liquid is absorbed. Serve hot. 

*Click here for a complete list of all Marinades 


And now for the Top 5 Salads! 

#5

Tropical Corn Salad

3 Ears White and Yellow Corn on the Cob, cooked

1 Mango, peeled and diced

2 tsp. Red Onion, finely chopped

1 Tbsp. Fresh Mint, chopped

1/4 Cup Pineapple Juice

2 Tbsp. Canola Oil

1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Remove the corn from the husks and separate the kernels. Place in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Serve chilled. Serves 4-6.

#4

Cold Chicken and Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad

1/2 lb. Pasta (I used Penne)

4 Chicken Tenders

1/2 Zucchini, slice vertically in 1" strips, then chop

1 Slice Red Onion, then chop after grilling

1 Cup Grape Tomatoes, halved

1 Cup Haricot Vert, blanched

2 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped

1/3 Cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/3 Cup Canola Oil

Garlic Powder, to taste

Kosher Salt, to taste

Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Cooking Spray

Cook pasta according to package directions and let cool. Spray your grill with cooking spray and heat. Season the chicken tenders with some garlic powder and add it to your grill. Cook approximately 5-7 minutes and remove; let cool and dice into bite sized pieces. Next, add your zucchini and onion slices and grill until they have slightly softened and have nice grilling marks; remove, let cool then chop. In a large bowl, add your pasta, chicken, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, haricot verts, basil, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and refrigerate. Serves 6-8. 

#3

Basil Pearled Cous Cous Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes

1 pkg. Near East Pearled Basil & Herb Cous Cous

1/4 c. Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped

1 tbsp. Red Onion, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt

1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Prepare cous cous according to package directions and let cool. Add to a bowl then add in the sun dried tomatoes, onion, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serves 4. 

#2

Pasta Salad with Avocados & Black Beans in a Goat Cheese Lime Vinaigrette

1/2 Box Barilla Piccolini Mini Zucchini & Spinach Wheels Pasta

2 Ripe Hass Avocado, pitted and chopped

1-15oz. Can Black Beans, rinsed

1 Large Plum Tomato, diced

2 Scallions, chopped

Prepared Goat Cheese Lime Vinaigrette

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and let cool, then add to a large bowl. Add the avocado, beans, tomatoes, scallions and prepared vinaigrette and mix well. Makes 8 cups

Goat Cheese Lime Vinaigrette

1/4 c. Crumbled Goat Cheese

1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1 Lime, juice only

1/4 c. Distilled White Vinegar

1/4 c. Canola Oil

1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Whisk all ingredients together until they are well combined. 

*1/2 Cup Serving Nutritional Information: Calories 119, Carbs 15g, Fat 4g, Protein 4g

*1 Cup Serving Nutritional Information: Calories 237, Carbs 30g, Fat 9g, Protein 8g

#1

Black Bean and Corn Salad

1-15oz. Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained

2 c. Corn 

1 Roma Tomato, finely chopped

2 Scallions, chopped

1 Lime, juice only

1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1 tbsp. White Vinegar

3 tbsp. Canola Oil

1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 8 (1/2 cup servings).

Nutritional Information: Calories 130; Carbs 17g; Fat 6g; Protein 4g 

*Click here for a complete list of all Salads

I'll be off-line most of the weekend, but check back here on Tuesday where the contestants from the Home Grown Chef Challenge will have their recipes posted all throughout the day! They will have until midnight (est), Sunday, June 3, 2012 to get people to view their recipe. Once the Top 5 Recipes have been decided (based on the most page views), I will create a poll on the blog itself where YOU, the readers, can vote on YOUR favorite recipe. This will be done on Monday, June 4, 2012 and will run until Midnight (est) Wednesday, June 6, 2012. The recipe with the most votes will win a $50 Williams Sonoma Gift Card along with a customized bamboo cutting board. All winners will be announced by Thursday, June 7, 2012.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED! XO