Chicken Kabobs

It's been blog-lite around here lately with Elizabeth on blog hiatus and me posting short things. I guess that's just how things go sometimes, especially in the summer. For us, especially during the end of the summer long course swim season and violin camp time of year. Hopefully, as the harvest starts coming in, we'll both feel more creative with our meals and more loquacious(is that a word only for talking? or can it apply to blogging?) with our posts!

Violin camp means quick easily prepared meals for the portion of the week I was the PIC (parent in charge). In the past, all the parents from our group were in attendance, it's a Suzuki camp after all. As our children get older some are heading off to the teen dorm (no parents allowed) and others are finding other interests. Eleanor and I had a number of food items that we always took to camp, but now...tradition is gone and we're starting anew with many of the camp activities and meals.

I knew that she would be ready for a good meal after snacking in the dorm for the week. Paul is getting ready to head to Asia for a couple weeks, so he wants something good to eat before dining out for weeks.

I thought chicken kabobs on the grill would work for all of us. I found this recipe in the Weber's Big Book of Grilling and thought the Asian sounding sauce would be good since thinking about Asia made me hungry for Asian food while Paul wants something that is NOT Asian. This seemed like a good way to meet in the middle.

I blended the spices for the marinade early in the day but held off on adding the oil until closer to the time I was using...just to save the time when I needed it a bit more. I used some lemon juice instead of lemongrass and omitted the thyme since I didn't have it. I skewered red and green bell pepper pieces as well and served it all with grilled potatoes (parboiled earlier in the day).

I'm doubtful that I would make the "Asian Dipping Sauce" again, but I did like the marinade, so I probably would do that again. I bought the bargain pack of chicken breasts at our Sendik's store and usually divide and freeze some of the chicken breasts. However, this time, I decided to grill the remaining chicken and freeze it for a quick salad/quesadilla addition in the future. I did use a couple to make chicken salad. I figured since the grill was going I could do this. Paul is traveling the next few weeks, and I don't usually grill without him. It's not that I CAN'T grill...it's just usually more of his domain. Typically I don't bother when it's just the two of us.

For the paste/marinade:
1 t granulated garlic
1 t granulated onion (I didn't use)
1 t paprika
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t dried lemongrass (I used a bit of lemon juice instead)
1/2 t dried basil
1/2 t dried thyme (I omitted)
1/2 t kosher salt
couple grinds black pepper
1/8 t cayenne
1/4 c canola oil
Cut the chicken into 1" cubes and marinate 30-60 minutes.

Dipping sauce:
1/2 c soy sauce
2 T lemon juice
2 T rice vinegar
1 T green onion
1/4 t pepper flakes

The picture has a funky color...I'm guessing since I took it with my phone. My camera wasn't unpacked from Eleanor's suitcase yet. She kept it at violin camp to take pictures of friends in recitals.

It's not that I think things will slow down (they never seem to), but a huge work project is done, club swimming is on hiatus (due to the start of Eleanor swimming high school...yikes), the intense work on Corelli's La Folia has backed off a bit. Ah...deep breath! Hopefully I'll be able to cook and write a bit more. Time will tell!



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