30/30 - #29 Grilled Jalapeño Poppers

Day 2 of the ultimate recipe countdown on Kettler Cuisine - Grilled Jalapeño Poppers, which was another easy one to pick out from the list of recipes in my repertoire. These little spicy bad boys are easy to make ahead to throw on the grill during a cookout. I even make "special" ones without the bacon for my vegetarian friends.

Here is a hint for tomorrow....I want my babyback babyback babyback babyback....

Grilled Jalapeño Poppers

Yields: 12 poppers
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes

You can find the recipe for Grilled Jalapeño Poppers here.

Fresh Watermelon Salad

July is a very crazy month for the Hubby and I. We are traveling every weekend from the mountains to the coast and even up to Chicago. We do this to ourselves every year, despite swearing we won't. Somehow the summers just fill up for us though. Trust me, we aren't complaining, but the temptation to order take-out or go out is very strong when we are this busy. 

Must....stay....strong and fight the urge to order take-out!! 

So I use my strength and focus on quick recipes. One of our favorite quick and healthy recipes is a Fresh Watermelon Salad - great in the summer. Originally inspired from an Italian restaurant my Mom and I went to several years ago, and then tweaked, this is a great way to use all the fresh watermelon taking over Markets.

I like to drizzle the salad with olive oil right before serving, but that is not necessary if you are cutting back calories. Also, the salad pictured above is vegetarian, however by adding a few slices of prosciutto the salad takes on a delicious salty bite. It covers all the taste-bud-basics, sweet, salty and savory! Not to mention, husband-approved :)

Fresh Watermelon Salad

Yields: 4 salads
Prep Time: 5 minutes

4 watermelon slices, leave rind on

1/2 cup feta cheese, divided

2 cups arugula, divided

Balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Prosciutto slices (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Divide the arugula among the plates. Top each plate with a watermelon slice and drizzle with balsamic vinegar to taste (a good rule of thumb is one teaspoon per plate). Add feta cheese, salt and pepper to each. Top with prosciutto if using and lastly, drizzle with olive oil if desired.

Grilled Jalapeño Poppers

It was a great celebration - friends, food and fireworks for the July 4th holiday this year. We decided to take it easy since it was a work night. We invited some friends to come over to grill and have a few drinks. Everyone brought something and was hard at work prepping for our grill feast before the fireworks!

With a trip to the Farmer's Market earlier in the week, my friend Virginia and I had gathered all of the sides and fixin's (as we say in the South) for our 4th of July feast!

We started the evening with a few appetizers, as any party should. I made guacamole and put out fresh salsa. Virginia made Deviled Eggs that were scarfed down in about 2.5 minutes!  

We had fresh cherry tomatoes with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, grilled vegetables and corn from the Farmer's Market.

The boys decided to throw a few steaks on the grill to go along with all of the vegetables. The five boys put their head together and incorporated a few new tips for the steaks. First they scored the steaks (to prevent the ends of the sirloins from curling), then they used half an onion to rub the grill grate for extra flavor and to apply oil to the grates. One of the guys even picked some basil from our garden to throw on his steak.

With all of the grilling going on, we thought it would be the perfect day to bust out our jalapeño poppers! I know what you are thinking, deep fried. But not in this house!!

This is a delicious and healthy version using a whole jalapeño, cheese and bacon (which you can leave off to make vegetarian). Everything can be prepped ahead of time, and thrown on the grill with other things. We had both grills going on this day, so I squeezed them in between the corn and mushrooms.

Grilled Jalapeño Poppers

Yields: 12 poppers
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes

12 whole jalapeños
4 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened
1 cup favorite cheese, shredded (I use a sharp Vermont cheddar or Gruyere)
12 slices of bacon (or prosciutto if preferred) (can leave this off if vegetarian)
toothpicks
* optional ingredients for the filling are chives, garlic, pimentos or red pepper finely chopped, cooked sausage, etc. The possibilities are endless!

First, soak the wooden toothpicks in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling. Heat your grill to medium-high heat.

Cut the jalapeños in half lengthwise and scrape out the membrane and seeds with a small spoon. If you would like a hotter popper, leave some of the seeds in the jalapeno. I usually do half and half for a variety. Make sure to keep the halves for each jalapeno together so they are matched up.

In a medium sized bowl, mix the cream cheese and shredded cheese together until well blended. Here is where you can add in any additional ingredients that you wish for the filling.

With a small spoon, fill one half of the jalapeño with the cheese filling until it is slightly overflowing, but can still place the other half of the jalapeño on top so they connect. Fill all jalapeños with the filling. Pull out your bacon and slice the pieces in half. (Note, it is easier to work with chilled bacon). If your bacon is really thin, use a whole piece. You can also leave off the bacon for a vegetarian version, but still use a toothpick to keep the jalapeño closed. Wrap a half a piece of bacon around the popper and use a toothpick to secure it. Repeat for all jalapeños.

Place poppers on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, that has been sprayed with cooking spray or olive oil. Grill for about 10-15 minutes, depending on your grill**. You want the bacon to be cooked and crisp and the peppers to have a good grill marks. This works best on a charcoal grill.

**You can also bake these at 400F for 15-20 minutes.

Spinach Salad with Warm Shallot Dressing

For the most part, Ryan is really easy going when it comes to my meal planning. Since I dedicate time and energy to thinking and planning ahead, he is very respectful with whatever ends up on the dinner table. However, there are occasional days when he has a craving for something in particular, and when that happens, my meals don't stand a chance! 

The other night he had a hankering for bacon. I know, surprise, surprise! Since we happened to have bacon in the refrigerator and an abundance of spinach in the garden, I figured a spinach salad would settle his bacon cravings, my green vegetable needs and allow me to play around with a new salad dressing. That it did!

I am not a huge meat eater, as we all know, so I decided to make this again a few days later without the bacon for my vegetarian followers. I have to say the dressing is what makes this salad so amazing - with or without bacon!

To put my healthy spin on this salad, I removed most of the bacon fat before sauteing the shallots and left out the hard-boiled egg and croutons. I then added fresh vegetables (mushrooms, radishes and chives) and reduced the oil in the salad dressing. If you are not a huge mustard fan, you can cut back on the amount of mustard. Adjust the flavors to your liking! Enjoy!

4th of July Recipe Ideas

The nation's birthday, a day to get together with friends and family in your most patriotic outfit and grill while you drink fun cocktails and watch your neighbor set off fireworks from his driveway. I couldn't think of a better day! This year, the holiday falls in the middle of the week, so planning ahead is a must. There is a recipe on KettlerCuisine for every culinary need this holiday.

Side Dish Ideas

Most are probably either hosting a cookout, attending one or packing a picnic. Side dishes tend to be abundant for the July 4th holiday. Since the host of the celebration usually takes care of the main course (i.e. meat), guests are always asked to bring a side to share. Here are some of our favorites from the blog:

• Kale Salad
• Roasted Vegetable Couscous
• Roasted Grapes with goat cheese
• Caramelized Fennel and Pancetta Salad - can also be an appetizer
• Fruit Salad
• Mango and Black Bean Salsa
• Grilled Romaine Salad

Master of Grill-ology

If you find yourself hosting a shindig, try the Buttermilk-Brined Pork Chops. These are the most tender and juicy chops you will ever eat, not to mention super easy to prepare AND ahead of time. Several of our friends have tried this recipe with other meats such as a pork tenderloin, chicken thighs or breasts and had equal success. 

Red, White and Blue Desserts

For something on the sweeter side, you can whip up the Chocolate Stout cake with macerated blackberries or top with other fresh summer berries. If you can still find good strawberries, go for the Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble or my grandmother's Strawberry Pie with fresh whipped cream. Whichever dessert you choose, be sure to include fresh summer berries not only for their sweet taste, but their resemblance to our nation's flag!!

Even though the weather is expected to be 100F in North Carolina on Wednesday, this won't stop us from enjoying food, fun and friends. What are some of your favorite July 4th dishes??

Quick and Easy Appetizer

On really nice afternoons, Ryan and I like to enjoy a cocktail and appetizers on our back porch. Since the weather can get REALLY hot and humid in NC, we take advantage of the 70 and 80 degree days as much as possible. Both of us have indoor jobs, so the extra Vitamin D really helps!

Caramelized Pancetta and Fennel Salad

It has been one month since I started this blog and if you are a frequent follower, then you have probably learned a few things about my cooking style in the Kettler household:

1. I like to add pork products to vegetable dishes so Ryan will like them better (example, red cabbage and this salad).

2. I am not scared to use any of the wide spectrum of seasonal vegetables

3. I love making salads (Moroccan salad, Chef salad, Kale Salad)

4. I will scavenge the fridge and pantry to come up with a dish or recipe that suits our palette (whether it works or not, is up to Ryan)!!

This recipe fits all the aforementioned criteria. I first made this salad several years ago, when I was not very familiar with fennel. I was skeptical because raw fennel has a licorice or anise scent and flavor, which is not my favorite. However, I discovered by roasting it, the vegetable actually becomes sweet and savory at the same time. Pairing this with a buttery pancetta, makes a mundane vegetable insane!

This is now a staple in our household and made quite often for guests and on a random Monday night. I try to get the fresh thick slices of pancetta from the deli, but sometimes you just got to save on time and Trader Joe's enticed me with this ready-made package!

Balsamic Red Cabbage with Bacon

Cabbage isn’t really the most desirable side dish, unless it is loaded with mayonnaise in a coleslaw. It certainly is not the first choice for my husband when it comes to a veggie side either. But, when I found red cabbage at the market (that was more vibrant in color than the rainbow), I figured I would try something with it.

Usually the first thing Ryan says to me after greeting me with a hug and kiss is "What's for dinner?" When I mentioned red cabbage, I got a pouty look. He had no idea what was coming because I figured out the secret to getting him to eat it, let alone any vegetable.....BACON! Bacon is a wonderful and powerful food when it comes to getting your husband (or kids) to eat vegetables.

Adding a bit of balsamic vinegar made this dish a perfect side for any meat, seafood or stand alone. You can also add toasted hazelnuts for an extra crunch and/or goat cheese crumbles for a bit of tanginess. Let's just say, it is husband approved!!

(I promise that not all of my recipes and posts will include meat. I actually don't eat a lot of meat, but this one was too good to pass up! I will be posting vegetarian recipes in the next few weeks.)

Balsamic Red Cabbage with Bacon

Serves: 6

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Whole red cabbage, sliced

6 slices of bacon

Salt and Pepper

1 T Balsamic Vinegar

Optional ingredients: chopped toasted hazelnuts, goat cheese or chevre.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until rendered and slightly crispy. While the bacon is cooking, quarter the cabbage and cut out the core. Then slice the quarters into small pieces. Once the bacon is done, remove from the pan and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Put the sliced cabbage into the pan, sprinkle salt and pepper on top and mix around to coat the pieces of cabbage in the bacon fat. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes (or until desired doneness - I like it less cooked), stirring 3-4 times. After cooking, *add in bacon and balsamic vinegar and stir to incorporate. Serve immediately or cover until ready to serve.

*Additional ingredients can be toasted chopped hazelnuts or goat cheese, which should be added after cooking and before serving. 

What are some of your favorite recipes with bacon??