Creamy Grilled Chicken Piccata

I'm back!  Wow, a lot has changed since my last post.  The biggest thing is that Hunter Edwin Tutterrow was born on June 12th!  He has been such a blessing to our lives these past four months.

My blog has always had a personal touch to it, but it is going to increase.  I want to document, for my own sake, this ever changing little boy!  So if you are here just for the recipes, feel free to scroll on down.

Hunter weighed 7lbs 11 oz and was 21 inches long.  At four months, he is 17  lbs. 3 oz. and 26 1/2 inches long!  He is absolutely precious in our eyes.  We love every minute with him!  I get to spend a lot of time with this growing boy as I have decided to stay home as my full time job.  I will still be doing PRN (as needed) work in my field of Physical Therapy occasionally.

Here is a look at my growing angel!

Creamy Grilled Chicken Piccata
Source:  Modified from the Plain Chicken blog http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/08/creamy-grilled-chicken-piccata.html

Ingredients:

Chicken

• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. basil
• 2 chicken breasts

Pasta

• 2 cups of penne pasta (I used GF macaroni  noodles)
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 cup of half and half or heavy cream
• 2 tsp. dried basil
• 2 Tbsp. capers (I omitted because my picky husband doesn't like them:))
• 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Combine the first 6 ingredients.  Place in a ziplock bag with the chicken and marinate all day or overnight.  When you are ready to prepare dinner, grill chicken until cooked.

While the chicken is grilling prepare the pasta.  Cook the pasta according to the package directions.  Melt butter over medium heat in the same pan you cooked the pasta.  Whisk in garlic and lemon juice.  Pour in half and half or cream and cook until hot.  Add some salt and pepper to taste. Next, add the cheese, basil, and capers.  Heat until cheese is melted.  

Toss in pasta and top with grilled chicken and Parmesan.  Enjoy! 

Polenta Stack with Black Bean and Chickpea Salad

A few months back, we had the pleasure of adopting a sweet goldendoodle named Hank.  He was previously a clients dog and due to unfortunately circumstances he needed a new home.  I fell in love immediately!  How could you not love that face!  

Hank & Alex

Hank is an amazing dog.  He looks awesome, everyone loves him, and he has the best personality.  

Love him!

Alex loves using him at his shows because there is no need to worry about him biting anyone. He loves adults and kids!  

I had to babysit Hank in the van at one event after we discovered that he DOES NOT like gunfire!  The police did a demonstration with police dogs that involved gunfire and he freaked out.  It might be his ONLY flaw.

Most of all, Hank is making a difference in the lives of others.  Alex brings him up to my work frequently to do therapy with my patients.  Those who are in the memory care clinic especially love him.  I think even when the rest of the world can't understand you, there is an unspoken bond between a person and a dog.  It makes my heart smile to see him light up their faces.  Even though they forget who he is with each visit, they are just as happy to be re-introduced the next session.  It is such a blessing to have this sweet dog in our lives.  Now he is living with my in-laws due to the lack of space for another dog at our house. We make frequent stops to see him throughout the week and take him with us whenever time permits.  He is just a love!

I know grilling season is coming to an end, but we have still had some great warm evenings.  I found this recipe on my friend Tracy's blog.  It was my first time cooking polenta and I loved it.  It comes in a tube and is the consistency of grits.  This is a great vegetarian dish that is still a well balanced meal.  Enjoy!

Polenta Stack with Black Bean and Chickpea Salad

Source:  http://kitchenambition.blogspot.com/

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup basil, chopped
• 1 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 1 tube prepared polenta, cut into slices
• 1 zucchini, cut into slices
• 1/2 bottle roasted red peppers, drained (I omitted this since I don't like peppers)

Directions:

Heat grill. Coat the inside of four 18" pieces of tin foil with cooking spray. Combine the beans, tomatoes, basil, and half of the feta in a bowl. Place 1/4 of the bean mixture in each piece of foil. Add the sliced zucchini, then polenta, then roasted red peppers, and finally the remaining feta cheese. Grill on a slow cooker grill for about 30 minutes, or on a gas grill for 10-15. Serve and enjoy!

Outside-In Burgers

After the Peachtree Road Race, Alex and I had some close friends over for some fun in the sun and a cookout.  Our pool time was cut short by a rain shower, but we still had a great day celebrating. 

The Johnson Family

Mary and Mark

Brody playing in the puddle after the rain

"Yum!  Cupcake!"

"That's good!"

"What?"

"Alex, I am tired and don't want to play games."

These burgers were easy to make and are now my favorite!  Don't pass on making this fun ketchup.  It adds a great kick!

Outside-In Burgers with Adobo Ketchup

Source:  Adapted from Food Network

Ingredients

Adobo Ketchup:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 cups ketchup

Burgers:

• 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
• 1 cup diced red onion
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 3/4 teaspoons black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• buns

Directions

Adobo Ketchup:

Mix all ingredients together and set aside.

Burgers:

Preheat the grill to medium-high.

In a bowl, combine the cheddar cheese and onions. Set aside until ready to use.

Mix together the ground beef, pepper, salt, garlic, oregano, cumin and egg until thoroughly combined, but not overworked. Form into 4 equal-sized balls. Flatten out each ball to 1/4-inch thick and put two tablespoons of the onion and Cheddar mixture in the middle. Fold the burger meat over the onion and Cheddar, Enclosing it securely in the middle of the meat and form it back into a ball. Flatten into 3/4-inch thick burger patties. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes turning only once.

Toast the buns on the grill over indirect heat. Add the burgers to the buns and serve with the ketchup.

Herb Turkey Burgers

I love being able to pick tomatoes fresh out of the garden.

Every year we have three trips we go on with our InsideOut students.  The biggest one is The Walk.  We went down to Panama City Beach with 1,700 people!  I personally had 11 girls in my Sophomore small group.  Alex had 15 guys.  It is a five day trip (leave Saturday morning and come home Wednesday evening).

Last year, our trip was great, but this year was amazing!  This year I actually know all of my girls really well, where as last year we had all just met two weekends  before.  My girls were so laid back and easy to get along with.  The overall theme of the week was "Back in the Day".  They took us back to the Old Testament to show us the history of where we came from.  It makes since to start at the beginning and not just jump into our story with God right in the middle.  

The girls grew so much over this week.  They really understand now how big God's love is for them, they learned that each person is MADE in God's image including ourselves, and what an important job it is to value others and not break them  down.

These were all messages that I wish I could have heard when I was 15.  I can't wait to watch these girls grow over the next three years of high school.

We also got to participate in the coolest Flash Mob.  Hope you enjoy!

They dressed up for "Back in the Day".

Katie

Abby and Peyton

Abby Sheldon, Marie, and Simone

Katie and Me

Peyton and Abby Sheldon

Katie and McKinley (She just graduated from Milton HS and came down to help me with the group.  She was involved in IO all through high school.  She was a huge help!)

Deja and Abby

Krista, Dani, and Simone

Simone's face makes me laugh

All of my beautiful girls!

All of the girls + me

Katie and Amanda

Can't wait for The Walk '12!

I made these turkey burgers right before we left for our trip.  They were easy to throw in for lunch that week at work.  I served them with sauteed squash and onion.  

Herb Turkey Burgers

Source: Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lbs. ground turkey
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp. minced fresh rosemary
• 1 tbsp. minced fresh sage
• 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

Directions:

Heat the grill to medium-high.  Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and sauté about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook about 2 minutes longer, until the onion is tender.  Remove from the heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl; let cool.

Once the onion mixture has cooled, add the ground turkey, salt, pepper and herbs to the bowl.  Mix well so everything is evenly blended.  Mix in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Form the mixture into 8 equal sized patties.  When you are ready to grill, oil the grates of the grill with additional olive oil or vegetable oil.  Cook until evenly browned and cooked through, about 4-6 minutes per side.  Serve with toasted buns, lettuce, tomatoes, and condiments as desired.

Pineapple Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

This dish was photographed and baked by my amazing husband!

This is a sad time of the year around the Tutterrow house.  We have a back yard that birds love.  They are so fun to watch as they eat from the bird feeder and go in and out of the houses around the yard that we have set up.  What makes this time sad is when the baby birds begin to test their new wings.  This typically results in a few ending up on the ground in an attempt to refine their flying skills.  Our sweet Tucker and Jackson think these birds are for them to play with.  These little guys look like a fun toy as they hop and flop around on the ground.  Tucker thinks it is a game and likes to play "catch and release" with these guys.  Sometimes they are fine, sometimes he gets  a little too excited, and well you can imagine what happens.  We have a burial site for all the baby birds that don't make it into summer.  

A few days ago I called the dogs inside and Tucker would not come.  He was standing in the corner of the yard with his "play ears" all perked up.  I found this little guy when I walked over.

Luckily for him, Tucker had not played a game of "catch and release"...yet.  So I do what every wife does and called my husband out to help me figure out a plan.  We couldn't put him back in the nest because it is way up in the trees.  We knew he wouldn't have a fighting chance if he stayed in our backyard, so we moved him to the side of the house in a safe and shaded area.  

I went out to check on him the next day and he was still just hanging out back there, but a little less energetic. I started to worry about him and wondered if we had done the right thing.  After calling a few nature centers they assured me that we did do the right thing, but if he is too far away from the nest then the parents may not hear him in order to feed him.  This made me so sad to think that he was starving to death.  If he was old enough he could have potentially started to fly from this spot, but after some inspection we realized he didn't have his feathers underneath his wings.  I am sad to say this little guy didn't make it, but I hope his passing was  more pleasant back here then it would have been in the mouth of one of my dogs.  

I am such an animal lover and was so sad when I found out he didn't make it.  Hopefully the rest of his siblings will learn to fly straight from the nest.  

Sorry, that was a little sad.  I promise my next post will be happier.

Have you guys ever had your animals do something that made you so sad?

This was my lunch meal of the week.  Alex is not a fan of sweet potatoes.  I loved this meal.  It had a great flavor that was good even reheated.  I loved the roasted sweet potatoes, but prefer them fresh out of the oven than reheated.

Pineapple Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

• 2 1 lb. pork tenderloins
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 8 oz. can pineapple slices in juice
• 2 limes
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 3 tbsp. hoisin sauce
• 3 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Directions

Preheat grill to 350 to 400 (medium high heat).  *We cooked ours in the oven at 350 until meat thermometer read 155.*  Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper.  

Drain pineapple, reserving 1/3 cup juice.  Grate zest from limes to equal 1 tbsp.; squeeze juice from limes to equal 1/3 cup.  

Bring reserved pineapple juice, lime juice, zest, marmalade, and next 5 ingredients to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Boil 3 to 4 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Reserve half of mixture in a bowl.  

Grill or bake pork (if baking add pineapple to dish) until meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 155, basting with remaining half of pineapple mixture.  Remove from grill.

Meanwhile, grill pineapple slices 1 to 2 minutes on each side (skip if baking because you can bake the pineapple with the pork).  Serve grilled pineapple and reserved pineapple-marmalade mixture with grilled pork.  

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Cube sweet potatoes and toss with olive oil.  Bake at 425 for 25 minutes (keep an eye on them to make sure they do not burn).  Remove from oven and toss with salt and pepper.  

Chipotle-Orange Chicken Drumsticks with Coleslaw

I could not be more thrilled at how fast the garden is growing.  Before you know it we will have squash, zucchini, tomatoes (if I don't pick them while they are green), and cucumbers.

You can barely see the little squash forming.  It is like "Where's Waldo", but with squash.  

Look at those two big guys hiding, then you can see all the little ones.  

Man with his grill and dog.

This was another easy one to throw together.  You can whip up the coleslaw while the chicken is on the grill.

I liked this dish fresh vs. left-over.

Chipotle-Orange Chicken Legs

Source: Southern Living Magazine May 2011

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh orange juice, divided (I think we used about 5 oranges total)
• 5 tbsp. soy sauce, divided
• 3 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 tbsp. orange zest
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. ground chipotle chile pepper
• 2 lb. chicken drumsticks
• 2 tsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. cornstarch

Directions:

Preheat grill to 350-400 (medium-high) heat.  Combine 1/4 cup orange juice, 3 tbsp. soy sauce, 3 tbsp. brown sugar, and next 5 ingredients in a shallow dish or a large zip top plastic freezer bag; add chicken.  Cover or seal, and chill 10 minutes.  Remove chicken from marinade, discard marinade.

The marinade

Drumsticks marinading 

Grill chicken, covered with grill lid, 10 to 12 minutes on each side or until done.  Remove from grill; cover with aluminum foil, and let stand 10 minutes.

Meanwhile whisk together 2 tsp. brown sugar, remaining 3/4 cup orange juice, and 2 tbsp soy sauce in a small saucepan.  Whisk together cornstarch and 2 tsp. water, and whisk into orange juice mixture.  Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute or until thickened.  Brush sauce over chicken.  

Coleslaw ingredients

Ingredients

• 16 oz. of coleslaw mix
• 8 oz. sour cream
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. salt

Mix together cover and chill until ready to serve.