Kabobs- The Answer To A Worry Free July 4th Menu

For many, this spring’s holidays have brought rainy weather, causing plans to change. If this should happen over the 4th of July and your plans include a cook-out, there can be real problems with the dinner preparation. Many foods can be as easily cooked indoors as out; roast chicken, steak, even spareribs, but if your day’s schedule calls for quick cooking, easily eaten finger type foods, to be consumed between afternoon activities and the fireworks at dusk, then the old standbys—burgers and hot dogs are not such good choices, especially if you’re expecting a crowd. They take up too much space.

Kabobs are the answer and actually a good choice in general. More can be cooked in less space than an equal amount of burgers. They can be made from any meat, so they’re more economical than traditional burgers, and can be paired with an endless variety of vegetables and fruit. Conversely, the same produce items, say tomatoes, onions and peppers can be used with all meats. Depending on preparation, kabobs can be made to suit any cuisine and cater to all tastes.

Other advantages to kabobs are:
• Most recipes automatically allow for grilling or broiling—times are usually the same
• They are intended to be made ahead, so they’re time savers.
• Portions can be predetermined (for children or as appetizers, for example) by using skewers of different lengths – all available in dollar stores
• They can be eaten from the skewer, downloaded onto plates OR onto rolls
• With the included vegetables and/or fruits they constitute a full meal
• Using the marinating tip below, they can be made weeks in advance
• Easy clean up—just throw the wooden skewers away or soak the metal ones They can even be broiled on a foil coered cookie sheet—no grills or pans to scrub.

I’m including 5 recipes below. There are 2 for chicken, because a couple of weeks ago, in my
Memorial Day 2015 posting I gave several others, specifically a beef. a pork and a great barbequed shrimp. Together with these that makes 8 recipe choices, or springboard for ideas—two for each of the above meats. Please look them up. You’ll be glad you did.

Also below are a couple of paragraphs from the tips page for Month 2, Week 1, from my menu cookbook Dinners With Joy. The first will give you complete information on choosing and using skewers. The second outlines the method for marinating meat to have it ready weeks in advance of its menu scheduling.

“Skewers come in metal and wood. The wooden ones usually made of bamboo, are shorter and apt to burn if not soaked in water. If you use them often, an easy way to make sure you always have some ready is to soak an entire pack, blot them dry, and store them frozen, in a plastic bag. They do tend to dry over heat, and raw meat may stick to them as it cooks. To prevent this, spray them with cooking spray, or rub them lightly with oil. Metal skewers are usually longer and, having handles, better for heavier jobs like the Beef Kabobs this week .However, the metal does heat up, so make allowance for the fact that the food on them will be cooking from the center as well as the surface. Food does roll on metal skewers, and the best way to cope with that problem is to try to gently lift the skewer and turn it, or to use tongs and turn each piece. Using two skewers, from opposite ends is another option, but that can tear the food unless the pieces are very large.

One easy way to cut marinating time is to start the meat or fish, marinating in a plastic bag in the refrigerator at time of purchase. If it has not been pre-frozen, as is most fish, and it’s to be used at a later date, freeze the bag, marinade and all. The time needed to freeze and to thaw, usually is enough to marinate. If the recipe requires overnight marinating, refrigerate it for a few hours before freezing. If using this technique to marinate lamb or veal, cook the meat partially frozen, because when those meats thaw, they release their juices faster and tend to dry and toughen.”
Beef Kabobs This is calculated for 5 skewers but 4 servings, so that the excess can be shared.
A crowd pleaser! Marinate the meat the night before or early in the day and the meal comes together quickly.
Grill or Broiler:
2 lbs. Top round London broil 20 cherry tomatoes
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar 2 large green bell peppers
1/3 cup oil 2 large onions
1 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce 25 button mushroom caps
2 tsp. dried thyme – divided
2 tsp. dried oregano – divided 1 box long grain and wild rice mix
1 tsp. paprika – divided
2 tsp. dried rosemary – divided 5 skewers 12” long
2 tsp. garlic powder – divided
2 tsp. dry mustard powder – divided
Trim any fat off the meat. Place in an oblong glass dish; pour on the vinegar, oil and Worcestershire Sauce. Sprinkle half the given quantity of each of the herbs over it.
Allow to marinate for 2 hours, turn it over and sprinkle the rest of the herbs on the other side .Keep turning the meat every few hours for about 6 hours, or overnight. This is to give both sides of the meat equal time in the marinade. When ready to cook, cut meat into 25 large pieces. Reserve marinade.
Cut the peppers into 20 large pieces, and cut each onion in 8ths, then separate those pieces to make a total of 20 segments. Wash the mushrooms, saving the caps and slicing the stems. Thread 5 skewers, alternating meat and vegetables, starting and ending with meat. I find the vegetables hold better during cooking if the natural curved shape of the pepper and onion pieces is used to form parentheses enclosing the tomato and mushroom caps. Use a mushroom cap as a “ stopper” on the end of each skewer. Grill as per your usual routine but don’t overcook. If broiling, do it on a lower shelf, for 8-10 min. That way the vegetables have a chance to cook through without burned skins. Do not cook kabobs until rice is ready.
Cook the rice according to package directions, substituting the marinade for an equal amount of the water required, and adding the sliced mushroom stems. Hold on warm while meat cooks Alternately, boil marinade down and use as a dipping sauce,

Chicken Pinwheels: Serves 4
4 boneless chicken breasts
4 slices deli ham or smoked turkey
3 Tbs. tomato paste
1 tsp. garlic powder
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Salt and pepper
1 Tbs. Oil for brushing
Place the chicken breasts separately between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness. Spread each with the tomato paste, sprinkle with the basil and cover with a piece of ham. Roll the breasts around the filling and cut each into 4 slices per breast. Thread the slices on the skewers, brush with oil cook on a hot grill or under a broiler until done about 10 min. Serve with dipping sauce of choice or plain. For a quick solution, pick a favorite salad dressing say, Caesar.
Yogurt Marinated Chicken (Chicken Tikka) Serves 4
NOTE This recipe works well with drums and wings as well as kabobs
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 Tbs. lemon or lime juice
Oil for brushing
½ cup plain yogurt
1 inch piece grated gingerroot or 1tsp.powderedginger
2 cloves garlic minced or ½ tsp. powdered garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. turmeric (optional)
SAUCE
½ cup plain yogurt
Mint sauce, dried or fresh chopped mint to taste
Cut the chicken in 1 inch strips or 1 inch cubes, whichever suits your serving needs and marinate in citrus juice for 15 min. Mix yogurt and next 5 ingredients ( spices) Thread the chicken on skewers and cover with marinade, either in a plastic bag or flat dish. Allow to marinate at least 2 hours or overnight. Mix sauce yogurt with mint and chill allowing flavors to meld Grill chicken over hot coals or broil in oven, brushing with oil and turning frequently until cooked through. About 15 min Serve with dipping sauce.

Fish or Scallop Kabobs Serves 4
These can be made using any firm white fish, flounder, tilapia, whitefish, trout or scallops.
1 lb. fish or 16 scallops (preferably sea scallops – halved if large but equal 16 pieces)
2 zucchini
2 lemons – 1 juiced the other quartered
12 cherry tomatoes
8 lemon balm or lemon thyme leaves (optional)
2 bay leaves crumbled
1tsp.choppedfresh thyme or ½ tsp. dried
½ tsp. lemon pepper
3 Tbs. oil
Cut the fish into 2 inch pieces or if easier into 2 inch strips, just be sure there are 16 pieces. Cut the zucchini or squash into 12 slices. Thread the fish onto 4 skewers using 4 pieces per skewer, alternating each with a tomato and piece of zucchini. Mix the other ingredients except for the quartered lemon. Use as a basting for the fish Cook under broiler or over medium-low coals basting frequently about 15 min. Serve with lemon quarters.

Pork and Pineapple Kabobs Serves 4
1 lb. pork cut into 16 well trimmed cubes
12 pieces of pineapple = 1 small can rings or chunks – apples, peaches or mangos will also do
Pineapple juice from can reserved or ¼ cup apple juice-divided
1 onion –layers divided into 12 pieces about 1 ½ inches each
2 Tbs. oil
½ cup Dijon or spicy brown mustard –divided
¼ cup mayonnaise
1/8 tsp. dried dill weed(optional)
Thread the pork, pineapple and onion pieces alternately on skewers. Mix ¼ cup mustard, 2 Tbs. fruit juice and oil and baste skewers liberally before and frequently during cooking. Mix remaining mustard, mayonnaise and 2 Tbs. of fruit juice to make a dipping sauce. Grill kabobs over hot coals or broil until meat is done, about 15 min. Serve with dipping sauce garnished with dill weed.