Malibu Chicken Sandwiches - A Grilling Favorite!

 This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc.  its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FireUpTheGrill #CollectiveBias

Our grill is currently getting quite the workout! I took a childhood favorite of mine, Malibu Chicken, and turned it into an amazing grilled chicken sandwich with grilled pineapple and crunchy sweet red baby bell peppers served on a ciabatta bun. Mmm... summer perfection on a plate!

As a child, there were a few go-to meals I would always order when we ate out. Malibu Chicken was one of those. The combination of Swiss cheese, tangy ham and a sweet mustard sauce was my favorite way to dress up a simple chicken breast. Just recently I was thinking about that Malibu Chicken, but I wanted to make it summer friendly by throwing it on a bun with a few more veggies and sweet grilled pineapple.

Did it work?

Yes! I think this twist on my childhood favorite is even better than the original. My secret weapon is marinading the chicken breasts in buttermilk first to keep them tender and juicy.

Honestly, buttermilk just makes it better. Marinating the chicken ahead of grilling keeps the chicken breast really moist and flavorful. No one enjoys dry grilled chicken, right? I just added salt and pepper, a little garlic and paprika to the buttermilk.

My other sandwich addition was to throw on some grilled pineapple. My kids are obsessed with the warm, juicy slices of grilled pineapple right now. Just throw them on the hot grill before cooking the chicken. (I like to add them to a clean grill.) Grill marks are optional, though always fun, as long as the pineapple is warmed through and starts to carmelize, they will be amazing.

And then throw on the chicken! I didn't do anything extra to these boneless, skinless chicken breasts other then the marinade and then a little salt and pepper.

But the real stars of this meal were all the great Kraft brand items I picked up my local Walmart. In fact, I was able to pick up Kool-Aid and a fresh Walmart Marketside Ceasar Salad kit to pull this all together for an easy weeknight meal outside.

With a warm grilled sandwich, side salad, and cold drink, does it get much more "summer" than that?

So once the chicken wsa cooked through, I piled on a few slices of Oscar Mayer Selects Natural Applewood Smoked Ham and topped it with a Kraft Big Slice of Swiss cheese. Just an additional minute or two on the grill and the cheese was sufficiently melted.

Then it was time to create my perfect Malibu Chicken sandwich! I picked up lettuce as well as red baby bell peppers for my sandwich, again all at Walmart. Don't you love it when you can get everything in one stop?

I put a little Kraft Real Mayo down first and then started to layer my ingredients on the fresh ciabatta buns.

And since I am a fan of sweet bell peppers and pineapple together, I thought it would add the perfect 'crunch' to my sandwich. We are loving those cute little baby bell peppers right now. My kids love to snack on them plain, but they also work well to throw into recipes.

Then I served up my Malibu Chicken Sandwich with my side Ceasar salad and a big glass of Kool-Aid. Yum!

Malibu Chicken Sandwich

You will need:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 c. buttermilk
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tsp. paprika
• salt & pepper to taste
• 8 pineapple rings (2 per sandwich), drained and patted dry
• 4 slices Kraft BIG Slice Swiss Cheese
• 8 slices Oscar Mayer Selects Natural Applewood Smoked Ham
• 2 red baby bell peppers, sliced
• lettuce
• Kraft Real Mayo
• Sweet Mustard Sauce

Sweet Mustard Sauce

• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. Kraft Real Mayo
• 1 tsp. yellow mustard
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1/2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce

Whisk together the buttermilk, garlic, paprika and salt and pepper in a dish. Marinade the chicken in the buttermilk mixture for up to 4 hours.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

Spray the grill with non-stick spray and then grill the pineapple slices for 2-3 minutes per side. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the chicken for 5 minutes on the first side. Then flip with tongs and grill till the chicken is cooked through. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. When done, place two slices of ham on each chicken breast. Top with a slice of Swiss cheese. Cover for a minute or until the cheese just starts to melt. Remove from the grill.

To create the Sweet Mustard Sauce, whisk together the Dijon mustard, Kraft Real Mayo, yellow mustard, honey and Worchestershire sauce. Set aside or chill until you are ready to assemble the sandwiches.

To assemble, spread ciabatta buns with Kraft Real Mayo. Place a lettuce leaf on the bottom, top with a chicken breast, then top with 2 pineapple slices and sliced red pepper. Drizzle the Sweet Mustard over the chicken breast and top with the remaining bun.

Enjoy!

And don't forget to grab all the ingredients for this summer meal idea at Walmart. They have have a great selection of Kraft brands as well as Marketside sides and a fresh produce section to help you pull it all together like a pro.

And if you are looking for even more great grilling recipe ideas? Ccheck out the Kraft digital cookbook full of inspiration for your summer meals.

Cherry Chipotle Ribs

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Weave Made Media®, Smithfield® and Farmland®, but all my opinions are my own. #weavemade #GetUpandGrill #GetFiredUpGrilling http://my-disclosur.es/RgFrEH

Summer has officially started on both the calendar and with the close of the school year. That is reason enough to fire up the grill and enjoy these amazing ribs featuring seasonal black cherries. This Cherry Chipotle Ribs recipe will be a clear star at your next BBQ.

Right now our orchards are filled with ripe and juicy cherries. Cherries just happen to be my favorite fruit and I am always looking for new ways to enjoy them. I have passed on this love of cherries to my kids as well and they were more than happy to help me pick enough to serve with dinner.

Well, have you ever tried them in a BBQ sauce? It is a treat you will not soon forget.

I love to pair pork with fruit... either apples or in this case, fresh seasonal cherries. And the sweet, dark flavor of the cherries works really well with just a little gentle chipotle heat.

I grabbed these Farmland® St. Louis Style Pork Spareribs at my local Walmart, where you can also grab cherries and everything else you will need to create this finger-licking recipe. If you have rib fans in your family, this is a recipe you will want to share with them.

This recipe starts with a simple dry rub. Now, you can buy pre-made rubs, but it is so easy to create your own. You probably have everything already in your spice drawer or pantry. Start with this basic recipe and change up the flavors to fit your tastes.

It just takes a few basic spices and seasonings.

I like to whisk together a double batch and save some for the next time the grilling mood hits me. Or maybe next time I will just make a double batch of ribs instead...

Rub both sides generously and then put the ribs on the smoker. We love smoking  low and slow for tender and flavorful meat.

The BBQ sauce is also super easy to make. Our fresh cherries went into the cherry jam I used in this recipe and some were juiced to provide added moisture while the ribs smoked. Just a little dish or pan in the back of the smoker will add to the humidity while the ribs cook. You want the smokey flavor but not for the meat to dry out.

In the end, you will achieve slow-cooked, saucy ribs. I suggest keeping a large supply of napkins handy to tackle these bad boys! Good ribs should be messy, don't you think?

I let the ribs sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving. It can be so hard not to sample the meat. It smells so good, but I don't want to loose any of the juices in the meat.

Don't these look amazing? This is a rib recipe we will be coming back to again and again. Ready to try it out for yourself?

Cherry Chipotle Ribs

You Will Need:

Farmland® St. Louis Style Pork Spareribs

Dry Rub

• 3 Tbsp. smoked paprika
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. black pepper
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. ground cardamom

Whisk together all the rub ingredients. Rub liberally onto both sides of the ribs. Set aside while setting up your smoker. Place a small pan with cherry juice to keep the humidity up as the ribs smoke.

Turn your smoker onto smoke and leave the door open until smoke is visible. Put the ribs on the grill, bone side down, and close the door. Smoke for 2 hours and prepare the Cherry Chipotle BBQ Sauce in the meantime.

Cherry Chipotle BBQ Sauce

• 1 c. ketchup
• 1 c. cherry jam
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. molasses
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon peel
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo, minced
• 1 tsp. espresso powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor, blend till smooth. Place in a small saucepan and bring up to a simmer for 10 minutes. Stir constantly. Remove from the heat and season to taste. Reserve half the BBQ sauce for serving and set the other half aside for basting the ribs as they cook.

Turn the smoker to 325 degrees and grill the ribs for about an hour. Then brush the ribs with the Cherry Chipotle BBQ Sauce and continue grilling till the ribs reach 160 degrees and the meat starts to pull away from the bones.

Let the meat rest for 10 minutes then cut between the bones and brush with additional BBQ sauce before serving.

Enjoy!

Be sure to visit and enter the Get Fired Up Grilling website/sweepstakes www.getfiredupgrilling.com for additional recipes and tips from BBQ Pitmasters Moe Cason and Tuffy Stone. Also enter to win a trip to the American Royal BBQ contest and other great grilling prizes!

So, how do you like your ribs?

VooDoo Deviled Eggs - #HotSummerEats

I received complimentary product from Voodoo Chef to help me create my recipe for #HotSummerEats. All experiences and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the products I received.

Okay now, can you have a backyard BBQ without a big plate of deviled eggs?

Deviled eggs are a staple of every picnic, BBQ and holiday spread. Now, I know not everyone enjoys deviled eggs, so these are just a twist, a nod if you will, to the original that my Mom would make. The biggest difference is I don't add mayo... or pickle relish, etc.

Actually, when the big #HotSummerEats box of sauces arrived on my doorstep and I saw this bottle of VooDoo Chef Southern Gold, I started reading the list of ingredients.

It sounded an awful lot like the makings of an amazing deviled egg.

I should mention that this is the last day of the #HotSummerEats fun. Don't forget to enter the giveaway below and check out all the recipes from the past week. I am sure you will find something delicious and inspiring. Special thanks to Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Cam who organized this past week's recipes. She did an amazing job of setting this all up. I truly hope you enjoyed all the fun.

If I can be totally honest, I am not a fan of deviled eggs... but I do adore creamy hummus. So an idea started to come together in my head. What if I combined my fresh hatched chicken eggs with garbanzo beans and this VooDoo Chef Southern Gold BBQ Sauce?

It was pure genius, I tell you!

VooDoo Chef offers a whole lot more than just BBQ sauces, too. From finishing salts to rubs and even coffee, there are many different flavors in their line I would like to try for myself. But this Southern Gold is just delicious! It is a mustard-based BBQ sauce that packs a whole lot of flavor.

I started by pulsing up my garbanzo beans with a little olive oil and VooDoo Chef Southern Gold. Then I boiled my eggs, peeled and halved them so I could remove the cooked yolks.

Yes, that went right into the food processor too, along with a little lemon juice, salt and pepper and just a tad more olive oil.

Over all these VooDoo Deviled eggs are creamy, hearty and delicious! Sprinkle with just a little smoked paprika and you are ready to party!

VooDoo Deviled Eggs

You Will Need:

• 1 - 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans, drained rinsed and hulls discarded
• 2 Tbsp + olive oil
• 3 Tbsp + VooDoo Chef Southern Gold to taste
• 6 large eggs
• salt and pepper to taste
• smoked paprika for dusting
• chopped parsley to garnish

Start by boiling 6 large eggs. I like to place mine in cool water and turn onto boil. Set a timer for 13 minutes from when the water is turned on. I peel my hard boiled eggs immediately, while warm, under tap water so the shells don't stick. Slice boiled eggs in half and set aside.

In a food processor, puree up the garbanzo beans with olive oil and 3 tablespoons VooDoo Chef Southern Gold. Add the egg yolks and season to taste. Add more BBQ sauce or olive oil tto suit your tastes, and to achieve the desired creamy texture.

Pipe egg mixture back into the cooked egg whites. Dust with smoked paprika and garnish with chopped parsley.

Chill before serving. Enjoy!

An InLinkz Link-up

Be sure to check out all the amazing sponsors, and learn more about the giveaway prizes in my #HotSummerEats Sponsors and Prizes Post.


a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclaimer - Thank you to #HotSummerEats sponsors BenBella Vegan, Caribeque, Casabella, Gourmet Garden, Intensity Academy, Not Ketchup, Out of the Weeds. Pirate Jonny's, Quirk Books, Spicely Organics, T.Lish , and Voodoo Cheffor providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for#HotSummerEats without additional compensation.All opinions are my own.

Guava Mango Shrimp Kabobs - #HotSummerEats

I received complimentary product from Intensity Academy Gourmet Sauces and Pirate Jonny's  to help me create my recipe for #HotSummerEats. All experiences and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the products I received.

Today's #HotSummerEats recipe is a simple, but delicious, favorite of mine! I just love seafood. Since moving back to the states I just don't have as many chances to enjoy fresh seafood, but am always looking for a quick recipe that lets me get my fix.

When my box of Intensity Academy Gourmet Sauces arrived, one look at Pirate Jonny's Guava Girl Gourmet Cooking and Grilling Sauce and I immediately went to my happy place... shrimp!

I saw guava in the name and I started thinking about mangoes and shrimp. Seemed perfect to throw some shrimp on the barbecue for this event. Right?

So I shelled and de-veined my shrimp, then let it hang out for a while in the amazing Guava Girl sauce. This stuff is sweet and very flavorful.

I left my mangos in large chunks and added some colorful red and orange bell peppers to my skewers. Not only were the shrimp marinated in the sauce, but towards the end of the cooking time, I brushed them with just a little more.

Believe me, once you taste this sauce, you will understand why I went heavy handed with the flavors.

See more great uses for Pirate Jonny's sauces on their Facebook page and on Instagram. Also learn more about all the Intensity Academy brands on their Facebook page, Instagram and see their recipe ideas on Pinterest.

Guava Mango Shrimp Kabobs

You Will Need:

• 1 lb. large shrimp, shells removed and de-veined
• Pirate Johnny's Guava Girl Sauce, enough to cover the shrimp + more for grilling
• 2 large mangoes, cut into chunks
• 3 large bell peppers, cut into cubes
• salt and pepper to taste

Start by marinating the shrimp in Pirate Johnny's Guava Girl sauce. Generously cover the shrimp and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight in the fridge.

Before cooking, soak your skewers in water. They should be completely immersed for 10 to 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

Assemble the skewers alternating shrimp, mango chunks and bell pepper cubes as you like. Season with salt and pepper. Place them on the grill and cook about 3 minutes per side or until the shrimp become pink. Brush on a little more Pirate Johnny's Guava Girl sauce after turning the shrimp. 

Serve immediately and enjoy! 

An InLinkz Link-up

Be sure to check out all the amazing sponsors, and learn more about the giveaway prizes in my #HotSummerEats Sponsors and Prizes Post.


 a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclaimer - Thank you to #HotSummerEats sponsors BenBella Vegan, Caribeque, Casabella, Gourmet Garden, Intensity Academy, Not Ketchup, Out of the Weeds. Pirate Jonny's, Quirk Books, Spicely Organics, T.Lish , and Voodoo Cheffor providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for#HotSummerEats without additional compensation.All opinions are my own.

Grilled Eggplant Stacks - #HotSummerEats

I received a sample of NOT Ketchup to help me create my recipe for #HotSummerEats. All experiences and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the product I received.

It's here, it's finally here! For a whole week I am going to be joining in with 18 amazing food bloggers to bring you #HotSummerEats just in time to get you armed with some great new recipes for Summer!

I am kicking off the week with these Grilled Eggplant Stacks. They are fresh, simple and amazingly delicious. Spread with NOT Ketchup blueberry white pepper as the eggplant grills, the sweetness goes well with fresh creamy mozzarella cheese and a juicy tomato! As an appetizer or light side, these will make your the hostess with the most-est at the grill this Summer!

Since I love all the fresh produce available in the late Spring and through Summer, I wanted to start out my recipes with a twist on the classic caprese salad. Most of the time simple stacks of tomato, mozzarella, basil and balsamic vinegar can be found on our dinner table in the Summer. This year I wanted to create something a little different and our sponsor NOT Ketchup, with their blueberry and white pepper dipping sauce,  was the inspiration.

Have you tried the NOT Ketchup flavors yet? These flavors go far beyond the simple condiment with fresh fruit and the tang of apple cider vinegar. Perfect for classic French fries, sweet potato fries, or these grilled eggplant slices.

What is NOT Ketchup, you ask? Not Ketchup is a tangy, all natural, certified paleo-friendly gourmet dipping sauce made from ripe seasonal fruit instead of tomatoes. They have 4 unique flavors; Cherry Chipotle, Smoky Date, Spiced Fig and Blueberry White Pepper. 

It is also perfect for basting on the grilling eggplant. I started out with just a little olive oil. I didn't want the fruit dipping sauce to burn. The eggplant soaks up the sweet and tangy flavors of this blueberry based dipping sauce.

These grilled eggplant rounds would also be amazing to serve on their own. The NOT Ketchup goes really well to brush on top, or serve as a dip alongside. My kids were really into dipping them into additional sauce. Mmmm....

But I think it is worth adding the tomato and cheese to create something so pretty... and delicious at the same time.

Grilled Eggplant Stacks

You Will Need:

• 2 large eggplant - Sliced into 3/4" rounds
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, or more as needed
• NOT Ketchup - blueberry white pepper dipping sauce
• 2 large slicing tomatoes
• 6 slices of fresh Mozzarella
• sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
• mint sprigs to garnish

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Brush the eggplant rounds on both sides with olive oil. Season with sea salt and place onto the grill. Grill 3-4 minutes per side until the eggplant begins to soften and you have good grill marks. After turning the first time, brush the top liberally with NOT Ketchup. Remove eggplant and set aside.

To assemble the stack, start with a round of eggplant, then add tomato, a slice of Mozzarella cheese and top with another eggplant round. Drizzle the top with a little more NOT Ketchup, then season with salt and pepper. Garnish the top with a mint sprig and enjoy!

You can learn more about NOT Ketchup and be inspired to use it in more creative ways by following their Instagram handle, Pinterest boards and checking their posts out on Google+.

Grilled Eggplant Stacks w/ @notketchup kicks off my #HotSummerEats #recipes today + #Giveaway http://t.co/RhYfj2jYnd pic.twitter.com/61ERF7JlE0

— Andrea Kruse (@notimeMom) June 1, 2015

Be sure to check out all the amazing sponsors, and learn more about the giveaway prizes in my #HotSummerEats Sponsors and Prizes Post.

An InLinkz Link-up

a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclaimer - Thank you to #HotSummerEats sponsors BenBella Vegan, Caribeque, Casabella, Gourmet Garden, Intensity Academy, Not Ketchup, Out of the Weeds. Pirate Jonny's, Quirk Books, Spicely Organics, T.Lish , and Voodoo Cheffor providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for#HotSummerEats without additional compensation.All opinions are my own.

Savory Sausage and Pepper Crepes - My Little Trip to Flavortown

I participated in a Influencer Activation for Guy Fieri Sausage. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation. #CookingWithGuyFieri 

As a Mom with young children, I have spend a lot of time watching Food Network. It was really no surprise to me that the first celebrity my son could identify on magazine covers and store displays was Guy Fieri!

Yes, those hours of watching Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, along with Guy's Grocery Games has made him a hero in our household and the chef my son wants to emulate in the kitchen. He is an expert on flavor and good food with a bigger than life personality and memorable hair. So when I heard that Guy Fieri had his own line of sausages available at my local Walmart, I knew, "This is Money!".

Fully cooked sausages are the perfect way to spice up our meals at home. They can go in just about any dish. This line, from Guy Fieri, comes in both chicken and pork varieties, is made with fresh ingredients and is natural hickory smoked. As a kid, sausages were eaten on their own, as well as sliced up to be thrown on a pastas or casseroles. But, it was my husband that suggested we try them in a savory crepe.

Yes, crepes were a great idea! It was the perfect chance to let these flavorful sausages take center stage.

I like to make up a big batch and freeze the remaining crepes for fast meals later in the week, but you can also find pre-made crepes in the freezer section making this a really fast meal for a busy weeknight.

Start by grilling or heating up the sausages.

 I used Guy Fieri's Mozzarella & Parmesan Cheese Sausage this time. I thought it would go perfectly with an Italian Herb Crepe, some sauteed bell peppers and shredded Mozzarella cheese. The sausages are already filled with Italian flavors and come in a natural pork casing. They also have big chunks of cheese right in the sausage. You can't have too much cheese, can you?

See the melted cheese in there?

Next I really want to try the Guy Fieri Fajita Seasoned Chicken Sausages, I think they would be perfect for easy quesadillas. My kids love quesadilla nights.

But, here is the recipe for these super simple crepes. If you haven't tried making your own crepes, be sure to give it a whirl. It is a fun skill to have under your culinary belt. The rest of this recipe is super simple though.

Savory Sausage and Pepper Crepes

You Will Need:

• 2 bell peppers, sliced into uniform strips
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 package Guy Fieri's Mozzarella & Parmesan Cheese Sausage
• 1/2 c. shredded Mozzarella
• Savory Crepes (or a batch of plain crepes with 1 Tbsp. Italian Herbs added)

In a hot pan, saute the bell peppers in a little olive oil till softened. Remove and set aside.

On the stove top or the grill, heat the Guy Fieri's Mozzarella & Parmesan Cheese Sausage through, let the casings color up a little. Allow to cool slightly before slicing into smaller pieces.

Warm the crepes as directed on the package, or cook the crepes fresh. If you are making from scratch, omit any sugar in the recipe and replace with Italian Herbs.

Assemble the crepes by placing peppers and sausage in the middle, then sprinkle the top with a little Mozzarella Cheese and roll.

Enjoy!

See, wasn't that easy!

The crepes are lighter and different from your average wrap or tortilla. The sausages were so juicy and flavorful, they didn't need any additional sauces or dips. hese Savory Sausage and Pepper Crepes featuring Guy Fieri Sausages were perfect for a warm evening meal. I love that they are light and elegant - while still being being satisfying.

Let's just say, it is a great way to travel to Flavortown.

Do you have any grilling plans this week? Which Guy Fieri Sausage would you like to bite into first?