Easy Peasy Universal Meat Marinade

The backyard barbecue epitomizes summer for my family and I. Even my ten year old has gotten into the act by creating his own signature sauce. Great fun. 

The following marinade is one we use every time. What I love about this marinade is that it is universal.  It can be used on steaks, Chicken, ribs, chops.  It is also very easy and takes no time. 

You will need:

Lemon juice

1 medium Onion

1 whole Garlic

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Seasoned salt

Pepper 

Fresh cilantro (coriander)

Begin by peeling and slivering the garlic. Peel and slice the onion. There is no need to chop the onion; large pieces are perfectly fine. After rinsing, remove stems from cilantro. Season the meat with the garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt and pepper. I call it coloring the meat...I sprinkle an even amount across the meat. Flip and repeat.  Place meat into a large bowl.  Douse with an ample amount of lemon juice. Add onions, garlic, and cilantro. Here is where you get in and get your hands dirty. Mix all ingredients together in the bowl using your hands. It's somewhat like kneading.  Make sure all the meat gets covered with the lemon juice, vegetable, and herb mixture.  Place in refrigerator and allow to sit. I prefer for the meat to marinade at least an hour, but if you are in a time-crunch, the minimal amount of time is one half hour.  

This will give your meat such a wonderful flavor that you may not even need to use sauce. (We love yours, though buddy!) 😊

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Candied Nut Job

I am absolutely nuts about nuts. I love almonds, macadamias, pecans, pinõns, pistachios, walnuts..... the list goes on and on. I love using nuts in cooking as well. One garnish that is delectable and easy to make is the candied nut. For candied nuts, I prefer walnuts or pecans. 

You will need:

Walnuts or pecans, one half cup

1/4 cup brown sugar

Dash cinnamon 

1 tablespoon water

Baking sheet

Parchment paper

Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan. Add water. The water helps the dissolution process as well as making cleanup easy!

Cook over medium heat until the mixture is melted. 

       

       

Place onto parchment lined baking sheet. 

      

Bake at 350 for approximately 5-7 minutes.

Allow to cool. Remove from parchment paper and serve!

 

Tea-dyed Doilies, see The Crafting Table Blog in my profile archives

If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives!  You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Perfection.   You might like to visit my other blog hubs,

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Sweet Spring or Summer Salad

When the weather changes, so does the palette. I reserve winter for heavy foods such as roasts, stews, and the like. Spring and Summer are seasons when I prefer a lighter, fresher menu. This recipe offers an interesting alternative to the typical Cobb summer salad.

You will need:  

Non-bitter lettuce of your choice (such as iceberg or romaine)

Baby spinach leaves

Strawberries

Crumbled Feta cheese

Candied Walnuts or Pecans (see archives for a how-to)

Semi-tart fruit such as kiwi or grapes

I have decided to use grapes off my own vines for this recipe. These grapes are a tiny bit underripe, which gives them a mellow tart flavor.  

I begin by washing all the vegetables and fruit. 

Pat dry. Remove stems. 

Hull and quarter the strawberries. 

Remove stems from spinach. 

Arrange the leafy greens in a bowl. 

Garnish with the fruit, cheese, and candied walnuts.  Enjoy!!  This salad is truly so lovely it doesn't need dressing. If you love dressing, I'd suggest something light and sweet such as a red raspberry vinaigrette.  

       

You may also add grilled chicken breast as a variation. 

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Fun 4th Marshmallow Skewers

The 4th of July is the perfect time for an outdoor barbecue with family and friends.  This fun idea is a cute and messy (spoiler alert, you've been warned!!!) way to revamp the old roasted marshmallow. 

You will need:

Rubber gloves

Blue and red food coloring

Wooden skewers

Waxed paper

Large marshmallows 

Ribbon 

A huge sense of humor

Begin by pouring food colors into separate bowls. 

Using a fork, roll the marshmallows in the food coloring. 

Place on the waxed paper and allow to dry. 

You may choose to serve like so,

Or, add ribbon and pre-skewer them. I'd suggest doing so; otherwise, your guests might soil their hands. 

Ralph Lauren Pavilion footed cake plate

I must warn you, your teeth will change colors!!  Think cotton candy teeth on steroids. Lol. My kiddos love it!  :)

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Leftover Fried Chicken Bliss

We've all been stuck in that common quagmire of having leftover fried chicken and not really knowing whether to toss it or reheat it, which gives me a serious case of the blahs. The following two recipes are quick and easy; favorites in my house, so don't toss that bucket of KFC just yet (you may also use your own ❤)!!!

Fried chicken tacos

You will need

Leftover fried chicken

Pre-shredded Mexican cheese

Tomatoes

Lettuce

Salsa for garnish

Corn tortillas, warmed

Vegetable oil

Begin by cutting the fried chicken into cubes. Add approximately 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to a skillet or wok. Cook chicken until warm.  Construct tacos according to your liking, and serve!  (I said it was simple, no?)

Fried Chicken Salad

Leftover fried chicken

Carrots

Broccoli

Canned corn

Hard-boiled Eggs

Land O Lakes Cheddarella or cheese of your preference

Cherry Tomatoes

Lettuce

Fresh black peppercorns

Ranch dressing

This is a salad best served cold. First, put your eggs on to boil.   Next, cook both the broccoli and carrots until they are firm but able to cut through without effort.

 Drain. Cover and place in refrigerator for approximately ten minutes, or until no longer hot.

Peel eggs, and place in refrigerator as well.  Open and drain canned corn, add to broccoli and carrots, and place back into refrigerator.  Cube the chicken by cutting into small pieces.  

Shred lettuce and half the cherry tomatoes. Slice the cooled eggs or quarter into wedges.

Grate an ample amount of cheese.  Place lettuce into bowls first, followed by vegetable mixture, chicken, and garnish with cheese, tomatoes, eggs, ranch dressing, and freshly cracked black pepper. 

This recipe is sure to be a favorite at your next picnic.  Enjoy!!

If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives!  You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Perfection.   You might like to visit my other blog hubs,

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