Moroccan Kefta Kebobs

Sandwich on a Stick
I spend most of my Summer evenings at the grill. On the weekends I will do the things that take time like ribs or even a smoked brisket. But, during the week, it’s all about getting dinner on the table quickly.

Lately, I have become a little obsessed with anything that can be grilled and put in a pita—as has the rest of my family. I’ve done lamb shoulder, as well as chicken, and at least a couple of times, we went with salmon. My favorite is these Moroccan Kefta Kebobs. Keftas are essentially spiced meatballs that have been pressed onto a skewer and are then grilled.

They can be eaten right off the skewer alongside a cucumber salad and some hummus or some couscous but I like them in a soft pita with sliced tomatoes, a smear of hummus, and some tangy tzatziki.

Grilled Moroccan Kefta Kebobs Recipe
Adapted from The Spruce Eats

You can use ground beef, ground lamb, or a combination of the two for this recipe. This is not a good time to choose lean ground meat. The higher fat content results in more moisture when the kebobs are grilled. Read more…

Tri-Colored Orzo Salad Revisited

Amy is on vacation this week, so we are pulling up this favorite recipe from our archive. This Tri-Colored Orzo Salad is something we make at least twice a month during hot weather. And, is the perfect accompaniment for grilled food.

This is a favorite salad that Amy says she makes whenever she has a BBQ or just needs an easy, tasty, goes-with-anything side dish. This recipe is adapted from Giada De Laurentiis. Every time she makes it people ask for the recipe.

The key is to use good quality olive oil. Try this tonight with anything grilled and any leftovers are great as a light lunch the next day!

Tri-Colored Orzo Salad
Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentis and Foodnetwork.com
Yields 4 to 6 servings
Read more…

Marinated Salmon Kebobs

Salmon On A Stick
I am a big fan of grilled meat on a stick. Kebobs of any variety are always welcome on my dinner table. Though, I will admit that most of the time when I make kebobs the flavors lean heavily toward Middle Eastern. This should make sense considering most people, when they hear the word kebob, think of lamb and the flavors of the Mediterranean.

While those spices may dominate the wonderful world of kebobs, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy them. For instance, last night I was playing with a recipe that I came across for salmon kebobs which caught my eye. I honestly hadn’t given much thought about using fish to make kebobs beyond the obvious shrimp. Because, in my mind, it would just fall apart. The reality is there are a lot of types of fish that will work, it just has to be a firm-fleshed variety like tuna or, in this case, salmon.

If you have the good fortune to be in possession of a beautiful, wild-caught, fresh side of salmon, please don’t use it for kebobs! A really nice piece of salmon should be eaten with reverence and cooked simply such as in our recipe for Slow-Roasted Salmon or this one for Salmon Roasted in Butter.

However, if you come across some nice salmon fillets and have a hankering to try something new with your fish, give this recipe for Marinated Salmon Kebobs a go. For the record, the original recipe called for white wine vinegar which I replaced with white wine. I wasn’t a huge fan of the vinegar, but others may feel differently. You can try it either way.

Marinated Salmon Kebobs Recipe
Adapted from Plating Pixels
Yields 6 Kebobs Read more…

Caprese Vegetable Kebobs

Ke-bob Ka-Boom
Not going to lie. Things have been rather busy lately and I am really looking forward to some time off for the Fourth of July. Fourth of July means a BBQ…if you are doing it right. And, that thought just makes me want to hind under my pillow.

So the BBQ for this holiday is going to be easy-peasy ‘cause that’s all I can handle. Simple stuff on the grill like steaks, sausages, or chicken and most likely some salad on a stick.

Even though it’s just the start of July, my garden is in full swing—especially my cherry tomatoes. The recent heat has put cherry tomato production into overdrive. And, I have been hard-pressed to keep up. So, in order to solve that problem. and make for some tasty treats this weekend, I am planning on making some caprese skewers for the BBQ. The best part is they don’t require a lot of effort, which is ideal for my current state of mind.

Our recipe for Caprese Vegetable Kebobs is great for the veggie lovers in your life. I like to drizzle some balsamic over them for a little extra kick. And, if you can get your hands on the bottled balsamic glaze, even better…

Caprese Vegetable Kebobs Recipe
Yields 30 6-inch Kebobs

A new way to eat your salad! This recipe feeds a crowd, so you dial back the ingredients as needed. You can also keep some prepped veggies and marinate them in the fridge for an easy weeknight batch of delicious leftovers.

And, note that you will need to begin marinating the vegetables for at least half an hour and no more than 2 hours before serving. Read more…