Yeah… I just went there.
I’m a little in awwww myself.
Before we get to that. I bet your noticing I redesigned my blog. It’s pretty cool looking, I think. My blog takes turns like my life takes turns. It’s this really cool chronicle of exactly where my life is at, at any given time.
Since Fall of last year I’ve been through a ton of life-changing stuff. I’m not saying it was all Dashboard Confessional CD’s and boxes of chocolate truffles, or all Sunshine, Daisies and Smiles… but I’ve changed a lot. I’ve grown and I’m definitely a little bit different “Maren” than I was last summer.
I think I’m a lot more mature and ‘adult’ than I was before. I’m focusing on a whole slew of different things. I needed something fresh because it’s a fresh new year. I hope you like it and if you don’t… well, it’s okay. It was for me this time.
There. I think I’m 1 step closer to not drinking 2 glasses of wine (most) evenings. It’s a process people, lol.
Back to business. It’s still Grilling, Boiling and Sautéing week and tonight I decided to grill. I wasn’t too jazzed about grilling chicken. I mean, come on! Everyone does it. But I was excited for homemade Teriyaki Sauce.
Some things I did in this recipe/lesson that I’d never done before…
- I made a sauce I normally always buy.
- I ‘brined’ something!!!!!
- I grilled chicken in the house
- I accidentally added too much salt to something and had to make it over again…. TRUTH!
4 is my lucky number. I’ll stop there. ;-)
Top Chef has a few Tips for grilling bone-in meats:
- start with your grill HOT then reduce the heat after cooking 3-4 minutes
- Cook with the meat side down. Or cook 3-4 minutes on all skin sides before reducing.
- Put the glaze/sauce on at the end. Only cook with the sauce for a few minutes on each side.
Mis en Place for the Brine…
Just throw it all in the pan and mix it a little to dissolve the sugar and salt. Then put it in the fridge and forget about it. Only for an hour though. Don’t brine for over an hour because the high salt content will start to effect the flavor/texture of the meat.
Mis en Place for the Teriyaki Sauce….
Not too difficult right?! I had everything except the Sesame Oil already in my pantry. LOVE recipes like that.
While my Teriyaki Chicken brined I made some Lemon Grass Rice… Here’s the recipe.
2 TBSP veggie oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 scallion sliced, 3/4 cup diced yellow onion, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 2 lemon grass shoots (ends removed and sliced in half), 1 cup jasmine rice, and 1 3/4 cup water.
Throw it all in a rice cooker and push Cook!
It was tasty. And super-duper yellow colored.
I was so surprised at how bright it was when I took the top off the rice cooker.
Holy pretty! Here’s what I ate tonight…
I’m a caveman! LOVE MY MEATS, YO!!
Tell me about you!!! I want to know…
How do you like the new design?
Do you ever grill chicken? What are your chicken-grilling secrets?
Have you ever brined?
What is your go-to froyo flavor these days?
we just got a Yogurtland and I’m a little embarrassed to say that they know me by name in there…
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
YUMMMMMMMMMY!!!
Still licking my lips.
The new design makes me think you have your own cooking show with a cute little kitchen. haha.
I loveee bbq’d chicken, but I stick to it in the summer. I always marinate it! That’s my secret.
I hadn’t had froyo in months, but I broke down and had some on Thursday afternoon. It was glorious! It was cookies n cream, mint, chopped almonds, and heath bar. :)))))
Kelly- if that was my actual kitchen I think I’d be in heaven. I love it. So cute.
I frequently deprive myself of froyo so that when I finally go back it tastes so much better.
I’ll have to try marinating it next time.
i do like it! however, i am a new reader so am not sure what the old one looked like. minor detail, still love it!
i don’t grill or really do any cooking of any kind, that is my hubby’s department! i am the baker of the family :) he is currently working out of state, so i have been left on my own without his killer skills. this means a lot of “breakfast for dinner” and stalking people’s blogs, salivating at their delightful meals! lol
YAY! Glad you love it girl!! I love breakfast for dinner. Egg sandwiches… BOMB after 8pm. ;-)
Arf arf wiiiiiine
Donner!!! I heart you. Are you getting my reply via fancy email??
Bark.
Love your new design! Very cute! I’m not a good griller, but of a “stuck the chicken in the oven” kind of girl. Maybe I should learn to grill this summer. Hmm..
Yogurtland sounds like an amusement park!
Thanks Elyse! I really like it too… I am bad a grilling. Once I got the cast iron grill pan for the burners I instantly became a grill master. Best investment.
Really cute and sleek redesign. I love seeing how you change things up.
I have never grilled chicken before. I actually have never grilled anything. Well, one and only time I did, the fish stuck to the grill and I still dunno how to clean it. lol.
I have been to yogurtland once. I need to go back!
I had that problem at the beginning. Apparently, before the grill is ‘seasoned’ you need to spray a crap-ton of cooking spray on it. You must go back to yogurtland and only think of me while eating your froyo!!! ;-)