Soakin it Up!

This time of year we do not cook. We grill. A lot. I don't like a hot kitchen and it means that the boy is an active participant in the food making activities. I do all the chopping, marinading, potato salad making and he gets to play with the new grill he HAD to have. I will admit however, that he is much better at it then I am. This goes back to my lack of patience in the kitchen. I CAN do it, I just don't LIKE to do it. I cannot stand there and watch something cook, count how many minutes its been out there or check the internal temperature of a piece of meat. He gets the honor. I don't have any fancy recipes for the grill, but I love to mix sauces and spices to come up with a new marinade for meats and dips for the veggies.

Marinade-- I LOVE this marinade on chicken, fish, and pork.

2 Tbsp Soy Sauce ( if you don't have soy sauce, go buy some. I use low sodium)
1 Tbsp Honey
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Chopped Garlic ( you can use the kind in a jar if you don't have fresh)
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Ground Black Pepper

*If you are feeding more than four people, than I would say double the ingredients. You can always put the extra in the fridge for next time. Also, if you want a sweeter sauce add more honey. More savory, add more soy sauce , garlic, whatever. Make it to your taste. I've used Teriyaki in place of the soy sauce and it's just as good.

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk. ( I would say stir, but I like using my whisk just so I look like I'm doing something creative and complicated. ) Pour over your meat and chill for up to two hours. Easy enough.


Two of my new favorites for the grill are squash and asparagus.

Cut fresh squash long ways. It's easier to grill that way. I season mine with Lemon Pepper or Cajun Seasonings. You can put olive oil on them if you want, but I prefer just the dry seasonings.

The asparagus goes in a bowl with sea salt, ground black pepper and olive oil. Toss.

Place them all on the grill and cook.

The Boy is all about dipping his grilled vegetables in some sort of sauce, which we argue about on a regular basis. To make him happy, well actually to get him to shut up, I will usually make Wasabi Mayo. I stole this from my little sister. Hey, give credit where it is due.

Wasabi Mayonnaise

1/2 tsp Wasabi Paste *
1/4 cup Mayo
1 tsp Lime Juice
2 splashes of Soy Sauce ( yes I used the word splash)

*start off with this small amount and add more to your taste-- I use the "hey, get in here and taste this and tell me if you want more kick" test. If you have a cold or allergies, load up on this stuff, you'll feel better in no time. Trust me.


Mix the wasabi and the mayo in a bowl. ( You can add more mayo if you are scared of the wasabi or feeding a larger crowd. ) Add the soy sauce and lime juice and stir. Place in the fridge till you are ready to eat. You get the sweet and the kick. My two favorite things in one.