Grilling Season is Upon Us!

Andrew and I hosted his parents for dinner a couple of weeks ago. To celebrate the beginning of spring, we brushed the snow off of the grill and grilled some chicken kabobs. I pulled an Asian-inspired marinade recipe out of a cookbook that my mom had purchased for me a couple of years ago (it's called An Occasion to Gather: Milwaukee Entertains). Once it was mixed together, I took a small taste to test for seasonings and my mind began to race with all of the things I could do with this marinade. On top of being a great marinade for chicken breasts or kabobs, it would make a great dipping sauce (think chicken satay) and would also work with hardy white fish (halibut, swordfish, etc.) or even seared tuna - just brush some on before grilling and drizzle a little bit more on top after the fish is cooked. You could even toss this marinade with noodles for a yummy side dish. You are guaranteed to love it. (This recipe makes enough marinade for 6-8 boneless chicken breasts).

1 cup creamy peanut butter
8 green onions, minced
1/2 cup chili sauce (I used a sweet, mild chili sauce from Lund's)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Combine all ingredients together. Pour over chicken breasts (I recommend reserving some of the sauce for dipping!) and marinate for 8-10 hours.

Baked Orzo with Fontina and Peas

I served this last night at book club, and it seemed to be enjoyed by all. It is super easy (except for maybe the cheese grating, which I do not have a talent for) and great for big groups.

Baked Orzo with Fontina and Peas
Courtesy of Giada DiLaurentiis and Food Network

4 cups chicken broth
1 pound orzo pasta
3 tablespoons butter, plus more to grease the baking dish
1 onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces shredded fontina cheese (about 1 cup)
4 ounces diced fresh mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the orzo and cook until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Pour the orzo and the broth into a large bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms are beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 7 minutes. Add the Marsala. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and cook until the Marsala has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture to the orzo in the large bowl. Add the cream, fontina, mozzarella, peas, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and dried thyme. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top of the pasta. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

HaiVy's Edits: I added 3 cloves of garlic to give the dish some more flavor and an extra handful of fontina cheese, just because I love both. I also cut back on the bread crumbs to about 1/3 cup and the peas to about 3/4 cup because I'm not crazy about either of those.

Wines Under $15!

The April issue of Food & Wine is my favorite so far in 2008 - it features "winter into spring" recipes and some great articles about wine (my favorite being a feature about Santa Barbera). Above all, there is a feature that highlights F & W's favorite American wines under $15. Click here to see their lists. Some I have tried before and some I will be purchasing soon! I recommend picking up this issue and saving it as a guide when you need to buy some great but afforable bottles of wine for entertaining. Share your review if you try one!