Food – Wizard of Yards

Summer grilling can be a challenge when you have picky eaters. If you're tired of them only eating hot dogs, I have some tried and true kid-friendly recipes that your whole family will love. Mine do. Rosemary Ranch Chicken KabobsBBQ QuesadillasShawarma ChickenPotato VolcanoesGrilled PizzaTurchicky Cheese BurgersPork and Pineapple SkewersNot So Spicy Buffalo Chicken I recently took a look at some other websites to get an idea of what is out there. I wanted to be able to provide some fresh ideas. I was so surprised by what I found on some of these sites claiming to be kid-friendly. I don't know about you, but my picky eaters are not even going to try Grilled Portobellos with Quinoa Salad or Grilled Tofu with Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce. Parents may like those foods, but not any kids I know will. Some of the recipes I have for you are old favorites and a few are recent discoveries. One thing they all have in common though is they will soon be your summertime favorites too. Your kids will not even miss the hot dog. 1. Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs I've been making these kabobs for almost 30 years and I can't be sure, but I may have gotten this recipe from a bottle of ranch dressing. Image AllRecipies.com I remember when I started making these. My eldest daughter was six years old and was obsessed with chicken nuggets. The only way she would eat any other meat is if she had a dipping sauce. It would have been fine, if only she ate more meat then sauce. I found this recipe and we made it together. The meat is marinated in ranch before it is cooked. She was happy she still got her dip. It turned out to be a good compromise. The meat is moist and delicious and has a subtle flavor. Ingredients: 1 cup Ranch dressing2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce1 tablespoons lemon juice1 teaspoon garlic powder1 teaspoon onion powder1 teaspoon black pepper4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes 8–10 wooden skewers, soaked for at least 20 minutes Instructions: Mix the chicken cubes and the seasonings in a bowl or a large zipper storage bag. Add the ranch dressing, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until chicken is evenly coated. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Put chicken on the skewers and grill on medium heat 3 minutes on each side. 2. BBQ Quesadilla Quick and easy quesadillas grilled on the barbecue in just minutes. Image Source Unknown At my house we take anything we cook on the grill that the kids determine they aren't eating, cut it up small and add some cheese. Then put it in between two tortillas and call it a bbq quesadilla. Apparently my kids will eat anything as long as it is in a tortilla. We have come up with some very interesting quesadillas over the years. It just depends on what you're having for dinner. Recently we grilled pork chops and served them with sauteed spinach and roasted red potatoes. That dinner was turned into a BBQ Pork and Spinach Quesadilla with Jack and Cheddar Cheese. Ingredients: 1/4 cup diced grilled meat1/4 cup vegetable1/2 cup cheese2 flour tortillas Instructions: Use grill on medium. Build the quesadilla by placing 1 tortilla on the grill. Add the majority of the cheese, spreading it around to cover the tortilla. Sprinkle the meat and vegetable over the cheese. Add the remaining cheese and then top with the second tortilla. Grill for 2 minutes then carefully flip the tortilla and grill for an additional 2 minutes.Remove from grill and cut into eight pieces. Serve with sour cream or salsa if desired. Hint: Adding the bit of cheese before placing the second tortilla on top helps the tortilla stick better so flipping is easier and cleaner. 3. Shawarma Chicken Shawarma chicken is a classic Mediterranean dish that my family only recently discovered. It is great for a light healthy summer meal. Image McCormicks Shawarma chicken originated in Turkey. Then spread to Greece and the Middle East. It is where the gyros gets its origins. This dish can be served in a pita like a gyros or simply with a side of fresh cucumber and tomato. This chicken is a particular favorite of my 10 year old granddaughter. Ingredients: 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken, breast cut in half length wise, thighs leave whole 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oilJuice from 1 medium lemon6 garlic cloves, minced2 teaspoons cumin1 teaspoons smoked paprika1/2 teaspoon turmeric1/2 teaspoon curry powder1/4 teaspoon cinnamonPinch red pepper flakes2 teaspoon kosher saltblack pepper, to tasteYogurt sauce, optional Instructions: Pound down the chicken to an even thickness and set aside. Make the marinade in medium bowl by whisking together the lemon juice and olive oil. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon, red pepper, salt and black pepper and whisk to combine. Place the chicken in a larger zippered bag and then pour the marinade over it. Give the chicken a massage to evenly coat and then refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You can marinate overnight if you like. Grill the chicken over a medium heat for about 4 minutes or until it no longer sticks to the grill. Turn the chicken over and grill for an additional 4 minutes. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve with yogurt sauce. My daughter found this easy one on Skinnytaste.com. Garlic yogurt sauce: 7-ounce container 2% Greek yogurt (I like Fage)2 teaspoons lemon juice2 garlic cloves, finely minced1/8 tsp kosher saltChopped parsley, for garnish In a small bowl (or right in the container), combine the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Stir to combine and refrigerate until ready to use. 4. Potato Volcanoes This is a new favorite that my daughter found on Tasty.co. They make a super cheesy and gooey side dish that my grandkids devour. Image KitchenDivas.com While these potatoes are a bit of work, they are well worth it. There is a little bit of trial and error where these are concerned. If your volcanoes don't look as good as the picture, don't worry. They will still taste fantastic and you'll eventually get the hang of it. Ingredients: 6 large russet potatoes3 cups grated cheddar cheese 8 oz cream cheese, softened1 cup green onion, sliced12 strips bacon Option: For a yummy substation try using finely chopped, blanched broccoli instead of the green onion. Instructions: Thoroughly scrub the potatoes and poke a few holes in them to vent. Wrap in aluminum foil and place on a preheated grill, about 400˚F, over direct heat to cook for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, mix 1 ½ cups of cheddar cheese, the cream cheese, and green onions in a medium bowl until well-combined. Set aside. Remove the potatoes from the grill and let them rest until they are cool enough to handle. Unwrap each potato and cut off the ends so they can stand up. Using a melon baller or a spoon, carve out the center of each potato, being careful not to make the walls too thin, and to leave a bit of thickness at the bottom as well. Fill the potatoes with the cheese mixture and wrap 2 slices of bacon around each one. Secure the bacon with toothpicks, if necessary. Reduce the grill temperature to about 350˚F and place the potatoes on the grill over indirect heat for 30 minutes with the lid closed. Hint: I put a little bit of cooking oil on the bottom of the potatoes to prevent them from sticking to the grill. After 30 minutes, top the potatoes with the remaining cheddar cheese and cook for another 15 minutes. Garnish with sour cream if desired. 5. Grilled Pizza Making pizza on the grill is really easier than you may think and makes a great family activity. The kids love to choose their topping to build their own pizza. Image BarbecueBible.com I like to keep things simple so I don't make my own pizza dough. I usually make these with store bought pizza dough but I have also used, pitas and premade pizza crust. We do prefer the pizza dough though. Like any pizza the topping is really whatever you like. The key to this recipe is the correct way to cook the pizza so it come out crisp and evenly cooked. Ingredients: Pizza Dough, 1 store bought dough makes 4 individual pizzas bout 4 inches roundPizza sauceolive oilShredded Mozzarella CheeseYou Choice of Pizza Toppings Seasonings Instructions: Prepare your toppings in advance and set aside. Preheat the grill on high Place a sheet of lightly floured parchment paper on a baking tray. Separate your dough into quarters for smaller pizzas or half for larger ones. Form a piece of dough into the closest thing to a circle you can manage and place it on the floured parchment paper. You can stack the dough circles, just make sure you separate each one with floured paper. When your crusts are ready, lightly cover one side of dough with olive oil. Place it oil-side down directly on the grates. Repeat with each crust. Brush the top of each crust with oil while the bottoms are cooking. Grill until the bottom of the crust is golden and has nice grill marks, usually about a minute or two. The crusts are ready to flip when they start to bubble up on top and release easily from the grill. Use tongs and a spatula to flip. Still on the grill add the sauce and cheeses and toppings. Don't go to heavy on the sauce, it can make a crispy crust soggy if you do. Lower the grill down to medium and close the lid. Your pizza is done when the cheese is nicely melted and the bottom of the crust is a deep golden brown. Let pizza cool for a minute or two before serving. 6. Turchicky Cheese Burgers My youngest daughter gave these burgers their silly name because I make them with both turkey and chicken. Image Wearenotfoodies.com Honestly, I don't really enjoy a turkey burger. There is something about both the texture and flavor I just don't like. Whenever family or friends served them at barbecues, I would eat one to be courteous, but I never enjoyed them. When my daughter actually requested turkey burgers for dinner I was forced to finally make them. The Turchicky was born because I had some ground turkey but not enough for everyone. I did have some ground chicken though. I combined the two and made the best "turkey burger" I ever had. However, I did wonder if maybe my friends and family just didn't know how to make a turkey burger and theirs were just bad. So the next time turkey burgers were requested I made them with only turkey. Yuck! Turkey and chicken definitely the way to go. Ingredients: 1 pound ground turkey1 pound ground chicken1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese2 egg 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs1 tablespoon garlic powder1 tablespoon onion powdersalt and pepper to tasteolive oilHamburger buns Note: When I have guests I will also make these with spinach and Feta cheese. They are not as popular with the kids but the parents love them. Instructions: Preheat the grill on high. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and use your hand to gently mix. Over mixing can result in a tough burger. Form 10 patties, and brush both sides with olive oil. Lower grill to medium and place burgers on grill and close the cover. Check in 5 minutes. If burgers come away from the grill easily, flip them. Close the lid and cook 5 more minutes until done. If you are putting cheese on top, add it 3 minutes after you flipped the burger. You don't want under cooked burgers so if you are unsure use a meat thermometer. When internal temperature is 160˚F you can take them off and let them rest covered until the temperature is 170˚F. Pork and Pineapple Skewers The kids go crazy for these tender and savory marinated pork and sweet juicy pineapple kabobs. Image Foodlets.com I love theses these pork and pineapple skewers because not only are they delicious but they are easy to make as well. Just pineapple and marinated pork. No time consuming back and forth alternating a bunch of ingredients, so that by the time your done you're to tired to eat them. Ingredients: 2 pounds pork loin in 1 inch cubes1 can pineapple chunks with juice1/2 cup soy sauce1/2 cup honey1/4 cup vegetable oil1/4 cup chili sauce3 tablespoons cider vinegar2 tablespoons minced garlic1 teaspoon ground ginger10 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 20 minutes Instructions: Preheat grill to 350˚F. Place cubed pork and in a large zippered bag. Separate pineapple chunks from pineapple juice. Place chunks in one small bowl and the juice into another small bowl. Cover and set aside chunks. To the pineapple juice add the soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, chili sauce, garlic and ginger. Whisk until combined. Pour into the zippered bag with the pork and marinate for 1 hour, no more then 24 hours. Place the pork and the pineapple on the skewers. 3 or 4 pieces of pork to 1 piece of pineapple. Cook the skewers on each side for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Not So Spicy Buffalo Chicken Hands down this is my kids favorite grilled chicken recipe. Whether you choose to make wings, legs, thighs or breast this chicken always comes out crispy on the outside and moist and juicy on the inside. Image Reddit.com The keys to this recipe are reapplying the sauce and cooking over a low flame. It's time consuming. You get hot and sweaty standing over the grill. Smoke gets in your eyes. But once you have this chicken, you'll see. It was all worth it. Note: I always use Franks Hot Sauce. I find it's not the hottest hot sauce but it has a nice flavor and I think it's why these wings come out flavorful but mild. Ingredients: 2 1/2 pounds of chicken wings1 cup hot sauce1 cup melted butter2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce2 packet dry Italian dressing Instructions: Preheat grill on medium Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until chicken is well coated. Let stand 20 minutes. Arrange chicken on the grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Then remove all the chicken from the grill and toss them back in the hot sauce mix for a second coat. Put them back on the grill and cook 5 minutes on each side. Repeat the process 1 more time. If you have any sauce mix left you can brush it onto the chicken on the grill as it cooks. Chicken should cook for 30 to 35 minutes in total. Warning: Never use any sauce on cooked chicken that has first had raw chicken in it. It may contain harmful bacteria.