Grilled Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon melted butter (olive oil works as well)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh lemon wedges, squeezed (for serving)

Preparation:

1. Pour four cups of warm water and ¼ cup of kosher salt into a large bowl to brine the chicken breasts. Stir until the majority of the salt has been absorbed.
2. After adding the whole chicken breasts, let them rest in the brine for fifteen minutes. Another option is to cover the bowl and keep it in the refrigerator for up to six hours.
3. After taking the chicken breasts out of the brine, give them a quick rinse in cold water and use paper towels to pat dry. (This brining step can be skipped entirely if the chicken breasts you bought have already been brined in a sodium solution.)
4. Set the temperature of the grill to medium-high. Before usage, soak wooden skewers in water for fifteen minutes.
5. Slice the breasts of chicken into 1-inch sections. Transfer them to a sizable mixing bowl and evenly distribute the olive oil over them. Toss to mix.
6. In a different small bowl, stir together the paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Distribute the seasoning mixture evenly on top of the chicken. Then toss for one minute, or until the seasoning is uniformly distributed throughout the chicken. After that, arrange the chicken on the skewers.
7. After the grill is hot, evenly arrange the chicken kabobs on it. The chicken should be golden brown and cooked through (no longer pink on the inside) after 10 to 14 minutes of cooking, turning once halfway through.
8. After moving the kabobs to a sanitized platter, cover them loosely with aluminum foil.
9. Allow the chicken to rest for at least five to ten minutes.
10. Then, when the chicken is hot and juicy, serve it warm, drizzling it with freshly squeezed lemon juice if preferred.

Sausage and Shrimp Kabobs

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces smoked sausage rope
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 12 ounces shrimp jumbo, tail-on, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons barbecue seasoning

Preparation:

1. Preheat the grill to 350 degrees F. Ensure that the grill grates are clean.
2. Slice the sausage into pieces about 1 inch thick, matching the shrimp's thickness.
3. Use paper towels to pat the shrimp dry. Put the shrimp in a bowl. Add the sausage, barbecue seasoning, and olive oil, and toss to mix.
4. Thread the sausage slices onto skewers after tucking them inside the shrimp's “C” curve. Be sure to soak the skewers in water for about thirty minutes or more, if you are using wooden skewers. Otherwise, you might risk it getting caught in the fire.
5. The shrimp should be cooked through and opaque after about three minutes of grilling over medium-high heat, then flipping. Serve right away.

Jalapeño Cornbread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 jalapeño peppers
• 1 cup fine cornmeal
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ cup vegetable shortening, melted
• 2 tablespoons salted butter

Preparation:

1. Preheat your oven to 425º. Slice one of the jalapeños after stemming and seeding it. Remove the stem and slice the remaining jalapeño into thin rounds.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, chili powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the egg, whole milk, and buttermilk. Stir to blend the cornmeal mixture with the buttermilk mixture. Stir to mix in the melted shortening.
3. In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, warm the butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped jalapeños and simmer for about two minutes, until they are barely softened. Transfer the jalapeños to the batter using a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings in the skillet; mix the batter to distribute the peppers.
4. After pouring the batter into the heated skillet—it should sizzle—carefully level the top. Place the slices of jalapeño over the batter.
5. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before cutting.

Grilled Lamb Kabobs

Ingredients:

• 48 ounces boneless lamb
• 2 large green bell peppers
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup teriyaki sauce
• 1 tablespoon steak seasoning
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 large onion
• 1 large red bell pepper (optional for grilling)
• 1 large yellow bell pepper (optional for grilling)
• 1 large yellow onion (optional for grilling)

Preparation:

1. Place the lamb in a large bowl after chopping it into 1 to 1 ½-inch cubes or slices. Add black pepper and kosher salt for seasoning.
2. Put the onion, garlic, spices, parsley, olive oil, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor that has a blade attached. To achieve a rich marinade of onions, cover and process until all ingredients are finely chopped.
3. To ensure that the lamb is completely covered in the marinade, pour the onion marinade over it and stir thoroughly. Refrigerate, covered, for up to two hours. If you are pressed for time, let the kabobs marinate for about half an hour at room temperature.
4. Heat a gas grill or indoor griddle by brushing its grates with oil.
5. After shaking off any extra marinade, thread the lamb pieces onto long skewers, leaving space between them.
6. Place the lamb kabobs on the hot griddle or grill in a single layer. Depending on how well you prefer your lamb cooked, you can grill it for 7 to 9 minutes, rotating each kabob a quarter turn every couple minutes, until the meat is browned all over. You can cook it more if you like your meat well done.