Cilantro and Sesame Thai Chicken Marinade

So the Mini is officially on the move (as of the Saturday after the Fourth of July) and let me tell you - she is one curious little monkey.  No walking yet, but she's quite the speedy crawler.  We have finally been forced to adopt a more minimalist decor, and switch out our awesome driftwood coffee table for a soft storage ottoman.  

But I'm not complaining; in fact, I am loving this age.  The Mini has so much personality, and it's fun to see the world through the eyes of a 9-month-old.  

She is also a lot more portable.  In mid-July, we visited my mother & father-in-law's river cottage in Canada and the Mini really impressed us.  She went on her first boat ride, and her first float in the water.  

I won't lie, the 7 some-odd hour ride back home was a little rough, but otherwise it was a great trip.

On the home front, I have actually been cooking more on weeknights, though it is mostly my tried & true recipes that don't require as much concentration (it's a little tougher when you have to keep one eye on the food and the other on a mobile munchkin).  

These days I am also making more food for her, as she is transitioning from baby food to table food.  But since you probably don't need a recipe for steaming broccoli or boiling whole-wheat farfalle, I will instead share with you this chicken marinade.  

I had loads of cilantro left over from the quinoa salad, and our jalapeno plants are doing well, so this seemed like a smart use of ingredients.  I like it because the sesame oil and rice vinegar give it a nice flavor, and it has a little heat to it without being too spicy.

Cilantro and Sesame Thai Chicken Marinade

• 1/2 C. fresh cilantro, leaves and stems
• 1 T. canola oil
• 1 T. sesame oil
• 1 T. rice wine vinegar
• juice of 1/2 a lime
• 1 jalapeno pepper, ribs & seeds removed
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 T. + 1 t. soy sauce
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. red pepper flakes
• 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 lbs. thin-sliced or pounded chicken breasts

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, pulse all marinade ingredients until pureed.  

Place chicken in a shallow dish and coat evenly with cilantro puree.  Let sit one hour, then grill or broil chicken until cooked through.

Recipe Adapted from Food and Wine

Honey Garlic Chicken Kabob Marinade

Hello, Rabbit!

(You can thank me later... according to my grandma, that phrase brings good luck on the first of the month.)

I seriously cannot believe it's June 1st already.  I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend - I know we did!

After Superstorm Sandy, it's awesome to see that so many places along the shore here in Jersey are open for business.  There's still a lot of rebuilding to be done, but we've come a long way in a short period of time.  Gives a whole new meaning to Jersey Strong - I am so proud of my home state!

This week, President Obama met with our governor, Chris Christie, to see the recovery efforts at the Shore.  He visited my hometown of Point Pleasant Beach, and also Asbury Park (where Mr. Vittles and I lived before we bought our house last year!)

I really never thought I'd see photos of the President of the United States on the boardwalk I've been going to since I was a little kid.

Yup, in this one they were right in front of the Aquarium Gift Shop, where I worked my first summer job at the age of 14.  Surreal!

AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

Now as I've told you before, despite what the calendar may say, Memorial Day weekend is the official start of summer around these parts.  And with summer comes not only visits from The Prez but also GRILLING!

On Sunday, we attended a wonderful barbecue at our friends' house nearby.  (Remember Pauline, who so generously shared her recipe for Pumpkin Tiramisu with us at Thanksgiving?)

She and her husband Bryan made a fabulous meal of pulled pork, potato salad, grilled pineapple, and a corn salad which I will hopefully share with you soon (a-mazing!).

Then on Monday, we took the Mini for her first day at the beach...

... and marinated some kabobs for the grill!

Yup, summer's back and so is Jersey.  Take that, Sandy!

Honey Garlic Marinade for Chicken Kabobs

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients in a large Ziploc bag (or large glass bowl/dish with cover) and mix well.  Add 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and marinate at least 3 hours or overnight.

Thread chicken on skewers and grill (or broil) until cooked through and no pink remains.

Recipe Adapted from Thriving Home