Southwest Chicken Sliders

These are very easy to make--in fact they were a sort of accidental creation, but now I crave them often.  I serve them topped with sour cream and the pickled red onions that I posted about previously (Red Chile Short Rib Tacos aka Taco Toppings).  The burger is a simple mix of ground chicken,  olive oil, salt, hot sauce (I use Tapatio) and southwest seasoning (Penzey's Southwest Seasoning or Pampered Chef Southwestern Seasoning Mix).  If I had it, I'd add sliced avocado or some guacamole to the list of toppings!  Don't forget the tomato!  The one pictured is straight from my garden.  Yum!  I recommend cooking these in a skillet so they don't dry out--I personally don't grill ground chicken due to this, but it's certainly a matter of personal preference.  Please note the variances in seasonings in the recipe guidelines below--I posted these varied amounts keeping in mind that everyone has difference comfort levels when it comes to salt and other seasonings. 

Southwest Chicken Sliders 

serves 4

1 pound ground chicken

1 tablespoon olive oil

several dashes of hot sauce

1/2-1 teaspoon of salt

1-2 teaspoons of southwest seasoning

Mix all ingredients and form into patties (I make 8 sliders from a pound of ground meat but these would make great regular sized burgers, too!).  

Cook in a skillet on medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes per side or until chicken is fully cooked.  

Place cooked sliders on buns and top with your choice of toppings.

Pickled Red Onions

courtesy of Food Network/Bobby Flay

3/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt (I lowered this amount)

1 thinly sliced red onion

Combine ingredients 1-4 and bring to a boil.  Allow mixture to cool for at least 5 minutes.  Toss with onion and refrigerate at least overnight.

I usually make a double batch as these keep very well in the refrigerator--I love these and always have some in my fridge!

Potlatch-Seasoned Grilled Salmon on a Cedar Plank

Over the years I've had several opportunities to enjoy salmon grilled atop a cedar plank. Each time I remember thinking "Oh, this is easy. I can do this at home. No sweat." Mmm...not so much. My gas grill didn't allow for the flame down to be adjusted to a point low enough to keep from catching the cedar plank on fire (bad, because you may not realize it right away since the grill lid is closed for cooking). Also, I wasn't soaking the plank properly--you need to place something heavy on the plank and keep it fully submerged in water for several hours (I let it soak all day). Now that I have a charcoal grill (yep, still singing the praises and giggling at converting my parents who thought it was just a waste of time and energy) I decided to try again. It seems to work better because when you let the coals of charcoal burn down, there is no actual flame to ignite the board. This time I wanted to try a seasoning I've heard so much about. Get ye to Williams-Sonoma and buy some of this Potlatch Seasoning. They also carry the cedar planks, but some grocery stores even have these now. Make sure the wood is UNTREATED!

Potlatch-Seasoned Grilled Salmon on a Cedar Plank

1 cedar plank (soaked)

2 lbs. fresh salmon (with the skin still on)

2 heaping TEAspoons Potlatch Seasoning

enough olive oil to make a paste of the seasoning (but no more than that...stir the olive oil and seasoning together to make a thick paste)

Prepare your charcoal grill. Let the coals burn down until there is no more flame. The temperature will be between 350-400 degrees. While the coals are burning down, prepare the fish as follows:

Place the salmon (skin down) on the soaked cedar plank. Spread the paste evenly over top of the salmon filet. Rub it in gently, not tearing the flesh of the fish filet.

When the coals are ready, place the plank on the grill and close the lid. The salmon will take appx. 20 minutes to cook, but this can vary due to grill temperature and thickness of your salmon filets.

Favorite International Foods online stores...

Often I have to order ingredients to stock my pantry, or take a trip to Pittsburgh. These are some sites I've found that may make finding some elusive items a little bit easier!

I stumbled across this website in Rachel Ray's magazine...


La Tienda


They have Spanish foods and serving/dinnerware. I have never ordered from them, but intend to soon.

MexGrocer

Another one I haven't tried, but they seem to have a good selection.


Import Food


They have lots of Thai and Oriental cooking staples, at good prices. I have ordered from this website numerous times (even some of their fresh produce). Their customer service is good, and they have a great selection of basics for Thai cooking!

A New Find!

Yesterday I received a catalog in the mail that I have not seen before. It's called 'The Baker's Catalogue' and it's affiliated (apparently) with King Arthur Flour. There are some great recipes, they sell all-natural baking mixes, food-of-the-month and sampler gifts, and my favorite...GADGETS :-)