Orange Pepper Jelly Glazed Chicken

Orange Pepper Jelly Glazed Chicken

Pan-seared rosemary chicken brushed with a deliciously-sticky combination of orange juice and pepper jelly then skewered with a stem of rosemary. One of our Six-Or-Less-Ingredient Holiday Appetizers we featured on WAVE Country with Dawne Gee! Check out the video of our appearance on the show on our New & Events page.

INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup hot pepper jelly, room temperature
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
15 rosemary stems, bottom leaves removed from the stem
1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed into 15 pieces
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS
Whisk together the pepper jelly and orange juice to make a glaze, set aside.
Finely chop the rosemary leaves that were stripped from the bottom of the stems. Cube the chicken breast into 15 pieces, then sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the chopped rosemary and salt over the chicken; tossing to mix.
Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium high. Cook the chicken, turning once until cooked on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and brush with the orange pepper jelly mixture, leaving the chicken in the hot pan for one minute longer. Cool slightly then skewer one piece of chicken per rosemary stem and serve warm with the extra orange pepper glaze for dipping. Makes 15 appetizers

Roasted Butternut Squash, Onion, and Apples with Watercress Oil

Roasted Butternut Squash, Onion, and Apples with Watercress Oil

So simple and easy, this side dish of butternut squash, apples, and onions are so good on their own, they only need a sprinkling of fresh rosemary and salt. We elevated the flavor with a spicy watercress oil and freshly grated Pecorino Romano.

Watercress Oil
INGREDIENTS
1 cup fresh Watercress leaves
1/2 cup Grape seed oil

INSTRUCTIONS
Add to a blender and process until purée. Place a coffee filter over a jar. Pour into the coffee filer and allow the oil to drip through the filter into the jar. Discard the filter and remaining watercress in the filter.

Roasted vegetables
INGREDIENTS
2 cups butternut squash, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 large onion, sliced in thin wedges
2 Fuji apples, seeded and cut into 16 wedges per apple
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp salt, divided
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, divided
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
Pre-heat oven to 450˚F.
Toss cubed butternut squash with 1 tablespoon grape seed oil, 1 tablespoon rosemary and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Toss the onion and apple with 1 tablespoon grape seed oil, 1 tablespoon rosemary and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place both sheets in the oven and roast the apple and onion for 20-30 minutes, or until tender and nicely browned. And roast the butternut squash for 40 minutes, or until tender and nicely browned.
Divide evenly on six plates and top with a drizzle of Watercress oil and sprinkle evenly with the Pecorino Romano cheese. Serve warm.

Grilled Eggplant with Basil Pesto and Pasta

Grilled Eggplant with Basil Pesto and Pasta

Getting the most we can out of the remaining vegetable season with our abundance of basil and eggplant. Sliced thin and grilled, we added our eggplant to this delicious blender-made basil pesto sauce and pasta.

Basil Pesto
INGREDIENTS
4 cups fresh basil leaves (no stems)
1/2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 large cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
Add the pine nuts and garlic to a high-speed blender. Top with the basil leaves and process until very finely minced. With the machine running slowly add the oil and process until the mixture is smooth. Add the cheese and process just long enough to combine. Set aside.

Grilled Eggplant
INGREDIENTS
2 medium eggplants
Kosher salt for sprinkling
1/3 cup olive oil

Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat. Cut the eggplant into 3/4-inch thick slices on the diagonal.
Lay the slices on a large baking sheet. Brush one side with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on the grill. Carefully brush the top sides of the slices with oil and sprinkle them with salt. Close the grill and cook for 5 minutes or until grill marks strongly appear.
Open the grill and turn the slices over, close the lid of the grill again, and cook until grill marks appear on the other side and the eggplant is very tender; about 5 more minutes.
Remove, cover and keep warm.

Assemble the dish
INGREDIENTS
One pound Pasta
Grated Fresh Parmesan Cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
Following the package directions, cook the pasta. Strain and add back to the pot. Stir in the basil pesto to coat the pasta. Serve warm in bowls topped with the grilled eggplant and topped with grated fresh parmesan cheese.

Sous Vide Salmon, Baked Corn & Cheese Grits with Caper Sauce

Sous Vide Salmon, Baked Corn & Cheese Grits with Caper Sauce

A sweet summer corn cheese grit casserole goes perfect with buttery sous vide salmon with crispy-seared skin. We topped the dish off with a tangy caper, baby cherry tomato and fresh corn sauce.

Cheese Grits & Fresh Corn
INGREDIENTS
2 cups Half and Half
2 cups water
1 cup quick-cooking grits
2 cups fresh corn slice off the cob
1 ¼ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 large egg
½ teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 375ºF. Lightly coat a shallow 2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.
Add the water and Half and Half to a 3-qt saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Slowly whisk in the grits. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, 5 to 7 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat, then stir in corn, 1 cup cheese, egg, and salt. Pour into prepared dish. Bake, uncovered, 15
minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1⁄4 cup cheese and bake 15 minutes more until set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Caper Sauce
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup fresh chives cut in ½” pieces
Lemon zest from one lemon
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 tablespoons capers
¼ cup baby cherry tomatoes, cut in half
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh corn, cut from the cob

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Sous vide Salmon
INGREDIENTS
4 pieces of salmon
Olive oil
salt

INGREDIENTS
Heat the immersion circulator in the water bath to 130˚F. Add a salmon piece with a light coating of olive oil to sous vide bags. Top with a light sprinkle of salt and vacuum to seal. Place in the water bath and cook for 1 hour. Remove from the bag and dry the salmon.
To sear, heat up a thin layer of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add salmon skin side down, gently pressing on it with a fish spatula so it makes good contact with the pan. Sear until the skin is browned and crisp, about a 1 1/2 minutes.

To Serve
Place a scoop of the grits to a plate. Lay the salmon over the grits and top with the Caper Sauce.

Grilled Baby Eggplant Halves With Fresh Mozzarella, Grilled Cherry Tomatoes,  and Oregano

Grilled Baby Eggplant Halves With Fresh Mozzarella, Grilled Cherry Tomatoes, and Oregano

It can never be too hot for gooey cheese, grilled eggplant, and tomatoes. This easy recipe uses a handful of ingredients, takes minutes to make, and delivers big on flavor. Grilled baby eggplant halves are topped with fresh mozzarella, grilled cherry tomatoes, and fresh oregano. Serve as a side dish or make it a meatless meal.

INGREDIENTS
3 baby eggplants, cut in half, lengthwise through the stem and bottom
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided plus more for the grill
Kosher Salt
½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
½ teaspoon powdered garlic
4 ounces of cherry tomatoes
½ pound of fresh mozzarella, torn in half
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped fine, or 1 teaspoon dried
Balsamic vinegar, if desired
6 skewers, metal, or wooden soaked

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a grill or grill pan to hot. Brush the eggplant on both sides with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle the cut sides with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, and ½ teaspoon of powdered garlic. Set aside.

Toss the cherry tomatoes in 2 teaspoons of olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Divide the tomatoes evenly on 6 skewers.

Lightly oil the grates of the grill or grill pan with a paper towel soaked in olive oil. Place the eggplant, cut side down, and cherry tomatoes on the grill in a hot spot. Grill the cherry tomatoes, frequently turning, until they are marked and just starting to wilt about 2-4 minutes.

Remove and set aside. Turn the eggplant over after the cut side is browned and lightly charred.

Move the eggplant to a cooler area on the grill, sprinkle with salt, and cover the eggplant with the grill cover or foil, and continue cooking until a small knife can easily pass through the eggplant, about 5-8 minutes more.

When cooked through, top the eggplant halves evenly with the cheese, then cover the grill or grill pan to melt the cheese. Remove to a platter and top with the grilled cherry tomatoes, fresh oregano and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar if desired. Makes 6 servings

Charred Broccoli With Buttermilk Parmesan Grits

Charred Broccoli With Buttermilk Parmesan Grits

Grits aren’t just for breakfast! We love freshly Charred Broccoli served over Buttermilk Parmesan Grits as the perfect summer dinner when served with any grilled meat. You can even cook both the meat and the broccoli on the grill together, then keep warm when you make the grits.

Charred Broccoli
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 heads of broccoli stems peeled and sliced lengthwise into thick steaks
1/2 cup water
½ teaspoon garlic powder chopped
Pinch of Aleppo Pepper
Salt and freshly ground

INSTRUCTIONS
In a large, cast iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the broccoli, cut side down, pressing down, and cook over moderate heat until richly browned on the bottom, about 8 minutes. Turn-over and brown the other side. Add the water, cover, and cook until the broccoli is just tender and the water has completely evaporated. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil along with the garlic and the pepper and cook uncovered about 3 minutes longer. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then cover and keep warm.

Buttermilk Parmesan Grits
INGREDIENTS
4 cups water
1 cup whole milk
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup uncooked stone-ground grits
¾ cup buttermilk
½ cup Parmesan Cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

INSTRUCTIONS
Bring 4 cups water, 1 cup whole milk, and 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Gradually whisk in 1 cup uncooked stone-ground grits; return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until creamy and thickened about 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in the buttermilk, parmesan cheese, and butter. Cook until thick, then cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

To Serve:
INGREDIENTS
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Aleppo Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Ladle the grits onto a plate. Top grits with the Charred Broccoli, a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan Cheese, and a pinch of Aleppo pepper; serve with your favorite grilled meat.