Green Onion Chicken / Summer Rolls

You might remember my mention of a lunch party a few weeks back? My friend, N., had brought all the fixings to make our own summer rolls... Everything was delish, especially the grilled chicken. She sent me her recipe a few weeks ago and I couldn't wait to try it for myself.

Tuesday night I set the chicken to marinate, yesterday my hubby grilled it - easy as pie. Oh my goodness, it is THE most tender and flavorful grilled chicken EVER!!! Already I can't wait to make this chicken again. Next time, I'm thinking of using whole legs and basting with BBQ sauce as it's grilling... YUM!!!

Along with the chicken, we filled yesterday's rolls with mushrooms, lettuce, green onions and carrots. I had leftover peanut dipping sauce from my lunch party - voilà! A light, tasty summer dinner.



N.'s Green Onion Chicken

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/8 cup canola oil
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
4 green onions, chopped

Other ingredients for Summer Rolls

27 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp Siracha (hot sauce)
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

8 leaves iceberg or boston lettuce
4 green onions, chopped
2 large carrots, grated

8 rice papers
warm water

Combine canola oil, sugar, salt and green onions in large air-tight container. Add chicken thighs making sure to coat each piece with marinade. Pop in refrigerator for 24 hours hours.

IMPORTANT, CHICKEN NEEDS 24 HOURS TO MARINATE!

The next night, grill chicken until cooked through. The BBQ is an important element to this recipe! I'm sure it would be okay in the oven, but the BBQ pushes it over the edge.

If you're making summer rolls, let cool. While cooling, mix mushrooms, sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, hot sauce and ginger (garlic would be good too). Sauté in very hot pan until fully cooked and no liquid remains. If you're making summer rolls, let cool.

Once everything is cooled, set up your assembly line: rice paper, lettuce, mushrooms, green onions, carrots, chicken. This is where it gets tricky - you need to be speedy! Quickly dip the rice paper on both side in lukewarm water. Don't let it soak! It will continue to soften as you pile on the other ingredients and as you roll. Once the rice paper is wet, lay on it on the counter and quickly top with desired filling and roll. First fold left and right edges, then bottom and roll towards the top keeping the roll as tight as possible. Repeat until you run out of ingredients. Best enjoyed right away as the rice paper will dry out rather quickly. If you must wait, I recommend to cover with wet paper towel. Serve with peanut dipping sauce.

Yield: 8 rolls.

Firecracker Shrimps

Whoa baby, these shrimps are HOT! I found the recipe for these spicy numbers on The Pioneer Woman. Quick, easy, and oh so tasty; to quote Elizabeth Barrett Browning: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” These would be perfect: as an appetizer, in a salad, in a stir fry, as a side for steak, with rice, pasta or, as I enjoyed them, with buttered homemade bread and a big green salad. You can be sure I’ll make these again, and again, and again!



1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined.
2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
4 to 5 cloves garlic, pressed
Worcestershire sauce to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large Ziploc bag, then add shrimp and marinate for 20 minutes to 2 hours. Skewer shrimp and grill until opaque and brown, with black bits.