How many of you associate "summer" with "grilling"?
The two things just go together naturally. Like "peanut butter" and "jelly". "Grilled cheese" and "tomato soup". "Nutella" and "spoon". ;)
We love to use our electric grill... but there is concrete evidence that our grill doesn't love us.
Case in point: A few years ago, I was prepping to grill some stuffed portobello burgers while chatting on the phone with a good friend. Multitasking usually isn't a problem for me, it's sort of a way of life.
As I opened the sliding glass door to step out to the grill -- phone balanced delicately on my shoulder, plate of filled portobellos firmly grasped -- I misjudged the height of the grill's power cord while I stepped over it.
I imagine that what was observed by anyone watching was a jumbled mass of arms, legs, mushrooms, and plate shards. Like a game of double dutch gone terribly wrong. The {hot} grill came toppling down on top of me!
Luckily, I lived to tell the tale, but that wasn't the last of our grill fiascoes.
One time, Steve decided to use some cedar planks for grilling during our annual tailgate trip up to our college town. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned that when we tailgate, it's a day-long event with multiple courses of food and plenty of beverages. Somehow or another, in the midst of cocktails and friends and {beer fueled} collegiate excitement, it slipped Steve's mind to actually soak the cedar planks before putting them on the grill.
BIG oops.
We ended up with more of a bonfire than a cookout, but thank goodness the only casualties were a dry cedar plank, a few burger patties, and perhaps a stray eyebrow or two.
There haven't been any grill shenanigans in a while... which I attribute to the fact that Steve chained his bike to the grill and accidentally lost the key to the lock. Needless to say, we haven't done any real "grilling" this summer.
I have great news for you: You don't actually have to risk your life to enjoy summer cooking!
Today, I've got a spectacular summer giveaway brought to you by the kind folks at Tastefully Simple. They let me try out a few of their products, and best of all, they gave me a few summer essentials to share with you!
Their Raspberry Jalapeno Sauce makes such a fantastic addition to a summer menu. You can use it for slathering over grilled meats, spreading over crackers with cheese, mixing into dressings and marinades, or as a dip for just about anything! {Check out my recipe below for Raspberry Jalapeno Chicken Cornbread Cups and see how I was inspired to use the sauce!}
Speaking of dipping, what summer gathering is complete without chips and dip? Tastefully Simple's Corn, Black Bean Salsa served with Blue Aztec Chips with Blue Corn & Sesame is a major crowd-pleaser. I could barely keep it from Steve long enough to take a picture!
Meat isn't the only thing that tastes great grilled; veggies can also be the star of the show with just a little TLC. TS's Roasted Garlic Infused Olive Oil punches up the flavor of any dish, but is especially tasty on grilled veggies, mixed into homemade hummus, or straight up with dried herbs served with lightly charred bread. Mmm...
Let's not forget the drinks! As if Tastefully Simple wasn't already generous with the goodies they're sharing, they've also thrown in an Insulated Tub Cooler to make sure your beverages stay frosty while you soak in the sunshine. Bottoms up!
Want to get your hands on these summer goodies? Enter below using the Rafflecopter widget, and you just might be the lucky winner of all these great products! You'll have a head start on your summer cookout... just add sunshine!
Disclosure: Tastefully Simple provided me with the items mentioned above to sample and review. As always, the opinions written here are all my own!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Raspberry Jalapeno Chicken Cornbread Cups
Cornbread adapted from Katie's Cucina
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk {I used coconut milk, but you may use whatever you prefer}
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup applesauce
3 tablespoons honey
1. Prepare a muffin tin by spraying each well with olive oil or non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, corn meal, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter, applesauce, and honey.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry, whisking until they are just moistened.
5. Fill muffin tins with about 2 tablespoons of batter {you want them to bake up only half way}. I use a heaping cookie scoop-full to measure.
6. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, until tops just begin to become golden and the sides start to pull away from the tins. You can also insert a toothpick in the center to ensure they are cooked through.
7. Remove from tins and cool slightly on a rack.
For Chicken:
You may grill, oven bake, or pan fry your chicken... it's totally up to you! I used 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts seasoned with salt, a light sprinkle of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika and cooked in a skillet on the stove top until a nice crust was formed and the chicken was completely cooked through.
Once the chicken is cooked using your preferred method, let it rest for about 5 minutes. Place chicken in a bowl and, using a hand mixer {or your actual hands!} shred the chicken. Stir in about 1/2 cup of the Raspberry Jalapeno Sauce, or more to taste.
For Assembly:
Place a cornbread round on a dish or serving tray. Top with shredded chicken and a dollop of extra sauce. Garnish with a piece of jalapeno {I used pickled from a jar, but you can use fresh if you prefer!}. Insert a decorative toothpick if desired. Continue with remaining cornbread and chicken. Makes 12.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Raspberry Jalapeno Chicken Cornbread Cups
Cornbread adapted from Katie's Cucina
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk {I used coconut milk, but you may use whatever you prefer}
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup applesauce
3 tablespoons honey
1. Prepare a muffin tin by spraying each well with olive oil or non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, corn meal, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter, applesauce, and honey.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry, whisking until they are just moistened.
5. Fill muffin tins with about 2 tablespoons of batter {you want them to bake up only half way}. I use a heaping cookie scoop-full to measure.
6. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, until tops just begin to become golden and the sides start to pull away from the tins. You can also insert a toothpick in the center to ensure they are cooked through.
7. Remove from tins and cool slightly on a rack.
For Chicken:
You may grill, oven bake, or pan fry your chicken... it's totally up to you! I used 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts seasoned with salt, a light sprinkle of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika and cooked in a skillet on the stove top until a nice crust was formed and the chicken was completely cooked through.
Once the chicken is cooked using your preferred method, let it rest for about 5 minutes. Place chicken in a bowl and, using a hand mixer {or your actual hands!} shred the chicken. Stir in about 1/2 cup of the Raspberry Jalapeno Sauce, or more to taste.
For Assembly:
Place a cornbread round on a dish or serving tray. Top with shredded chicken and a dollop of extra sauce. Garnish with a piece of jalapeno {I used pickled from a jar, but you can use fresh if you prefer!}. Insert a decorative toothpick if desired. Continue with remaining cornbread and chicken. Makes 12.
