Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Chicken Breasts, Italian Sausage & Grape Tomatoes On The Grill, plus Green Bean Potato Salad and Cauliflower Bake

My dad and my FiL both came to dinner tonight. My dad was suspicious and asked what the occasion was. I assured him I was not pregnant and it was no one's birthday, I just thought it would be nice to have them here together. Really. I thought I may be hitting myself in the head with a skillet by now, but it was a really nice evening. Our neighbor J. and her daughter D. came over too and then it was a party!

First, the Cauliflower Bake. I love this dish, it tastes just like Fried Cauliflower, but it is baked so it is better for you. The problem is my husband is not a fan of it; however my dad is, so I made it for us. This recipe came from my Aunt K. Thanks auntie!

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CAULIFLOWER BAKE

1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup EVOO (approximately)
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and slightly smashed
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (approximately)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with the garlic, oil, salt & pepper. Spread evenly on pan, then sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 minutes.
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For dinner we had Italian Sausages, Chicken Breasts, and Grape Tomatoes on skewers all cooked on the grill. I seasoned the chicken breasts with butter, garlic powder, paprika, salt & pepper. The grape tomatoes were sprinkled with olive oil, salt & pepper. We also had Green Bean Potato Salad, which has a vinaigrette dressing not a mayo dressing. The recipe is from Allrecipes.com and can be found here. I changed the recipe slightly to suit my tastes and this is my version.

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GREEN BEAN POTATO SALAD

1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes
3/4 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped
1 red onion, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. dijon mustard
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup EVOO

Cut the potatoes into quarters, or so they are bite-size and place in a large pot. Cover with cold water to 1 inch above potatoes, sprinkle with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. DO NOT DRAIN INTO SINK! Lift potatoes out with a slotted spoon. Bring water back to a boil and put in the green beans. Cook for 3 minutes, then using a slotted spoon transfer green beans to a bowl of ice water. Drain beans and add them to the potatoes. Add the red onion and sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. While continuously whisking, slowly pour in the olive oil. Pour over salad, toss to coat. Season with more salt & pepper to taste. Refrigerate.
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Everything turned out yummy and everyone had a great time. It really brought warm fuzzies to my heart to see all these wonderful people around my dining room table enjoying good food and drinks!

Happy eating (indeed!)!

5 comments:

  1. ohhh, what a special evening! so neat it all turned out good and everyone had a great time together! I never thought of putting green beans in potato salad; will have to try it sometime. okay, forgive me because I'm kitchen challenged, but what is EVOO??

    I like the idea of the skewers with sausage/chicken/tomatoes on it; my hubby does something similar with adding mushrooms and bell peppers

    betty

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  2. It sounds like you had a great night.

    I love making chicken and sausage (any kind) in the same meal. The flavors compliment each other so well.

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  3. Sorry Betty! EVOO stands for extra virgin olive oil. Rachel Ray on the Food Network calls it 'evoo' for short - I guess I watch her show too much. :)

    Also, I must clarify: only the tomatoes were on skewers. The italian sausage were whole, as were the chicken breasts (skin-on, bone-in). Sorry for the confusion - I should have written it better.

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  4. I love cauliflower. Hate the smell, though.

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