The Essence of Summer Sandwiches

Post Edit: I made one of these for my little sister Heidi-and she says it's her new favorite food in the world. How's that for an endorsement? When it is hot and the days are long....

When it is hot and the days are long and the kids are bored and sweaty....

When it is hot and the days are long and the kids are bored and sweaty, and the air is so heavy that even my brain is working on slow motion.....I don't feel much like cooking.

Except I always want this...

And this..

And this, too.

It's easy-it's got to be or I wouldn't make it right now.

It's delicious-it's got to be or I wouldn't make it right now.

It's fast-it's got to be or I wouldn't make it right now.

It's cheap (about $5 for the whole thing; cheaper if you've got a garden)-or I wouldn't make it ever. (Well, maybe once in a while.)

You should make it too, since it tastes like the long, hot summer. (In the best kind of way.)
Make some basil mayonnaise by chopping up handfulls of fresh basil and combining it with mayo (or Greek yogurt) and minced garlic. Spread it on wheat French bread.

Top it with sliced garden tomatoes, mozzarella (fresh-if it's on sale), and baby greens. (Add a little ham if you have those kind of people around who don't believe that it can be dinner without it. I married one of those people, but he hasn't suffered. Much.) Put it on a plate (paper, please!) and go sit on the patio. When you get hot, come back in and make another sandwich. The end. Next Up:

Cubed Steak Parmesan from Food on the Table

Irish Ploughman's Lunch for Saint Patrick's Day

Last year, before I went on my trip to London, an English friend told me to be sure to have a "Ploughman's Lunch." What? Never heard of it. Had you? Here's what wikipedia had to say about it: "A ploughman's lunch (often just called a ploughman's) is a cold snack or meal originating in the United Kingdom, comprising at a minimum cheese, pickle, bread, and butter. It is often accompanied by a green salad..." It sounded reasonably good at the time, but I couldn't squeeze it in-literally and figuratively-between all the other lovely foods I devoured in London. Right before I got on the plane home, I stopped at a take-and-go food shop, called Pret a Manger, where I grabbed an assembled Ploughman's Sandwich. It was a brown bread sandwich with cheese, chutney, and dressed greens. Not bad, but not as fantastic as I had hoped. I really still didn't have an idea what a real Plougman's Lunch consisted of-that is until I opened March's Cooking Light Magazine and saw this glorious sight.

I had to make this stunning version, created by Irish cook book author, Margaret M. Johnson, post haste. I invited my parents to a family lunch on Sunday afternoon and we sat around the table and savored every morsel. The bread itself is worthy of attention. It's fantastic, full of whole wheat goodness and cruncy bits of steel cut oats. It's not sweet, like American versions of soda bread, but savory and moist. (My mom has made two loaves of it since Sunday. It's that good, people.) I served our sandwich with a bit of mayonnaise to balance out the sweet and tart chutney-which was also absolutely delicious. This will make a lovely Saint Patrick's Day Feast, but I'm quite sure it will show up on my table much more often than that. But start there and see if you don't fall head over heels for a Ploughman's Lunch. For these and other great healthy Irish recipes, check out Cooking Light's Website.
Irish Ploughman's Lunch from Cooking Light Magazine
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups salad, 1 1/2 ounces sausage, 3/4 ounce cheese, 1/2 bread slice, about 2 cornichons, and about 2 tablespoons chutney)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
3 (3-ounce) links chicken apple sausage, cooked and sliced diagonally
4 ounces reduced-fat cheddar cheese (such as Kerrygold), sliced
3 slices Brown Soda Bread, each cut into quarters
2 ounces cornichons
3/4 cup Tomato Chutney
Preparation
1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well. Slowly drizzle oil into vinegar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add lettuce; toss to coat. Arrange salad on a platter with sausage, cheese, Brown Soda Bread, and cornichons. Place Tomato Chutney in a bowl; add to platter.

Brown Soda Bread from Cooking Light
Whole-wheat flour, wheat germ, and steel-cut oats (also called Irish oatmeal) make this a super-healthy interpretation of the classic Irish bread.
Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 slice)
Ingredients
Cooking spray
11.25 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 2 1/2 cups)
2.25 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup steel-cut oats (such as McCann's)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Coat a 9 x 5–inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, and coat with cooking spray.
3. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flours and next 6 ingredients (through salt). Combine buttermilk and egg; add to flour mixture. Stir just until combined.
4. Spoon the mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Invert bread onto a wire rack; cool completely. Remove parchment; slice bread into 12 slices.
Tomato Chutney from Cooking Light

Notes: I used a (14 ounce) can of diced tomatoes with juices
Yield: 2 cups (serving size: 2 tablespoons)
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
7 plum tomatoes, peeled and quartered
Preparation
1. Place first 7 ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-low heat; bring to a boil. Add onion and remaining ingredients; stir to combine. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until thick, stirring occasionally.
Next Up:

Chocolate Mint Brownies

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

A very Happy Birthday to the Quiet Man today. This is a big one, folks. The big 4-0. I've been telling him for the last decade that he was almost forty, just to ruffle his feathers, so now what will I say to tease him? He's almost fifty? And to top it off.....My little boy West was coloring a birthday card and approached me with two crayons in his hand asking, "What color is Daddy's hair?" I wasn't sure how to answer. I think he already knew the answer anyway. One of the crayons in his little fist was brown, and the other was gray. I told West that in the interest of historical accuracy he'd better use both crayons. Since his Dad is just a mere decade away from 50, he'd better get used to the idea. (Besides, he really does look rather dashing with gray hair.)

And now, on to the food. You're really going to heart this one. It's a big sloppy pulled pork sandwich, dripping with savory and sweet juices, with a nice crisp and creamy slaw on a homemade wheat roll. If you're busy, skip the rolls and serve them on bakery buns. I've been using pork chops in various forms quite a bit lately, especially since Albertson's keeps having 2 for 1 sales. They're cheap, fast, convenient, healthy, and can be made into all kinds of delicious concotions. Like this sandwich. Have a great weekend everybody! See you Tuesday with a scrumptious treat for TWD.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Estimated Cost: $4.00

1 lb. pork chops

1/2 cup ketchup

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons mustard

1 teaspoon or more tabasco sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional

Place all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Shred meat.

Cole Slaw

Estimated Cost: $2.50

3 cups finely chopped cabbage

1 carrot, grated

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup mayonnaise or whole milk yogurt

4 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients in medium sized bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (I don't bother to mix the dressing separately.)

Homemade Wheat Rolls

Estimated Cost: $2.50

3 tablespoons warm water

2 and 1/4 teaspoons yeast

1 cup warm milk

4 tablespoons melted butter

3 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups wheat flour

2 cups all purpose flour

milk to brush on top

In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine water and yeast. (Make sure the water is baby bottle warm.) Let sit for five minutes. The yeast should be dissolved and starting to puff up. To the same bowl add milk, butter, sugar, egg and salt. Beat for one minute. Add wheat flour, then white flour about 1/2 cup at a time. Knead for about ten minutes. Shape into a ball. Coat the outside of ball with a thin layer of butter and return to bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise until doubled, about one hour. Grease a cookie sheet. Shape dough into 12 equal size balls. Place on cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375. Brush rolls with milk. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until nicely browned.

PS These rolls are insanely good plain with just a slick of butter.

Next Up: Split Level Puddings

Super Fast Grilled Steak Sandwiches

My little sister asked me what we were having for dinner last night. When I told her we were having grilled steak sandwiches, she asked me, "Does your husband know how lucky he is? Mine is getting a bowl of cereal!" Believe me when I tell you that my husband gets his requisite nighttime bowls of Cheerios, but last night he struck supper-time gold. Juicy grilled steak sandwiches on crusty rolls with sweet bell peppers and melted cheese make for one man-pleasing dinner. Best of all, it's not much more effort than pouring some Kix and milk into a bowl. Especially if you can get your fortunate fella to man the grill. Move over Lucky Charms, now there's something meatier.

Start with some thin cut steaks. I wanted strip steaks, but my butcher didn't have any, so I opted for tri tip steaks. (I paid about $4.00 for 3/4 lb. which was plenty for four sandwiches.)

Drizzle the steak with worcestershire or steak sauce and sprinkle with salt and loads of freshly ground black pepper.

Quarter some bell peppers, removing the stems and seeds, and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. Toss the steaks and bell peppers on the grill. (Thin steaks will only need about 4-5 minutes per side. The peppers need about seven minutes per side.)

Slice peppers and steak into thin strips. Drizzle the steak with a little more steak sauce or worcestershire.

Halve some hoagie rolls and place them on a foil lined cookie sheet. (I buy bolillo rolls from Albertson's market. They're $2 for six.) Drizzle the rolls with a teensy bit of olive oil and rub with a garlic clove, if desired. Top one side of the rolls with steak and peppers and top with cheese. I used sliced swiss, but cheddar or provolone would also be lovely.

Broil just until cheese is melted.

Serve to the man in your life with corn on the cob and call it dinner. Remind him how lucky he is. And also remind him to savor his sandwich, because tomorrow night dinner might be Raisin Bran. The end.

Up Next:

Blackberry Raspberry Crisp

Corned Beef Grilled Cheese on Rye

It is very important to watch at least two movies for St. Patrick's Day, so you might want to start early. The first is "Darby O'Gill and the Little People." This Disney live-action favorite tells the story of the old Irishman Darby and his relationships with the leprechauns, featuring a close encounter with the King of the Little People, a frightful screamin' banshee, and among other things, a young singing Sean Connery. The little people at your house will be sure to love it, and I can testify that one big person, namely me, loves it well. I defy anyone not to giggle till his side aches when you see King Brian dance an Irish jig. It makes me right jolly just thinking about it.

The second movie is one of my favorites the whole year through, but it's particularly fun to watch for St. Pat's day. If you've never seen "The Quiet Man," with its gorgeous rolling green hills, thatched roof cottages, and the charming stone walled country side of Ireland, you've been missing out.John Wayne plays not a cowboy, but a tortured prizefighter, who swears off boxing after accidently killing his oponent. When he returns to the Irish town of his birth, he finds happiness when he falls in love with the fiery Mary Kate. Though he is sorely tempted to pick up the gloves against her brother, the town bully, the Quiet Man is determined not to use his fists. (I plagiarized those three sentences from the back of the DVD, which also notes that the film won two Oscars.) The fight scene, (of course you know they have to fight!) the longest in cinema history, is not to be missed. And here's a little Prudy family trivia for you: my youngest sister is named Mary Kate because of the gorgeous Maureen O'Hara in this movie. Our Mary Kate is pretty fiery too, but only if you don't feed her properly. And of course, my loyal readers will recognize the nickname for my own Mr. Prudy-The Quiet Man. He's no prizefighter, but he's every bit as noble, cryptic and quiet as the hero of the movie. Don't even bother renting this movie; go out and buy it today.

And if you're beginning to feel peckish after these movie reviews, fear not. I've got a delicious little twist on Irish corned beef in the form a lovely grilled cheese sandwich. It will come together in ten minutes with a lovely combination of rye bread, dijon mustard, garlicky butter, smooth melted cheddar, and peppery corned beef. I don't necessarily think of rye as being Irish, but look what was on the bread this week.

Thanks, and same to you!

Money Saving Tips:

Stay home and have these sandwiches for at least 50 percent cheaper than at the deli. Your best bet is to shop your grocery circulars to see who has corned beef and deli sliced cheese on sale. Pastrami is an excellent substitute for corned beef, since they are essentially the same cut of meat with a slightly different preparation.

Corned Beef Grilled Cheese on Rye

Estimated Cost: $10.00 for 4 large sandwiches

1/2 lb. deli corned beef or pastrami, thinly sliced

8 slices rye bread (my favorite is Orowheat Dilly Rye)

8 ounces thinly sliced cheddar cheese

1-2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 clove garlic, finely minced

dill pickle slices

Heat medium non stick skillet over medium high heat. Add corned beef and cook until browned in places, stirring often, about five minutes. Meanwhile, heat another skillet over medium high heat. Spread dijon mustard thinly on insides of bread slices. Layer with cheese and pastrami and form sandwiches. Combine butter and garlic and spread on outsides of bread. Place sandwiches in preheated skillet and cook until bread is toasted and cheese is melted, lowering heat to medium low if needed. Remove sandwiches from skillet, open and add pickle slices if desired.

Up Next:

Irish Oatmeal Cupcakes with Broiled Brown Sugar Frosting

Turkey, Bacon and Cheese with Chipotle Mayo

Attention lovely Readers: My friend and former roommate, the supremely talented Aunt Spicy is having a give away. By day she's a high-powered career woman, but by night she's an incredibly stylish and chic crafter. If she was giving away her old socks, I'd want them. Check out her blog and enter to win. I'm greedy for the blue fabric bag, the pendant, the cards, the fabric....
I'm also greedy for lunch. I didn't plan to post two sandwiches in a row, but I'm always on the lookout for fast-and-fun Saturday late lunches. Especially now that football season has started and the Quiet Man is perfectly pleased to offer the gift of time in support for his true blue favorite team. What takes this sandwich from pleasant to perfect is the spicy mayo that you're going to whip up. Now, judging from yesterday's comments, the world is equally divided between mayo lovers and mayo-nayo sayers. In this case again, yogurt is a perfect swap out, but you'll also need to mix in a little olive oil. Yogurt alone will sink into your bread, but with the addition of fat it will create a seal that will keep your bread from being soggy. To save time, I'll make my bacon in the micro by placing it between paper towels and zapping for a couple of minutes until crispy. It's not quite as good as pan fried, but works very well on a sandwich with other competing flavors. Have a great weekend! We've got a church activity, Nutcracker practice (for my Sailor girl) and parent's meeting, a friend's birthday and a technology class.... and that's just tonight. Oh, mama, sometimes the weekends are every bit as busy as the weeks!
Money Saving Tips: Be flexible at the deli counter by buying the meats and cheese that are on sale. This sandwich would be equally delicious with any variety of meats or cheeses. When buying deli sliced meats and cheeses, don't over do as they only keep for a couple of days. Also, leftover thinly sliced meat (and your own sliced cheese) would work just as well as deli sliced meats. Chipotle chili powder is very spicey, so swap out a different variety if you like your food a little tamer.
1/2 cup mayo, light works very well here (or swap our 1/3 cup plain yogurt plus 2 tablespoons olive oil)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, or other chili powder
1 teaspoon lemon or lime zest
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
4 rolls (I like hard rolls for this sandwich)
sliced turkey, from the deli
crisply cooked bacon
sliced cheddar cheese
sliced tomatoes
spinach or lettuce leaves
In a small bowl, combine mayo, chili powder, zest and juice. Spread onto rolls and top with turkey, bacon, cheese, tomatoes, and spinach.

Next Up:
Overnight Blueberry French Toast

BLTs with Garlic and Olive Oil Avocado

How can it really be August already??? I'm not ready for freshly sharpened pencils and new backpacks yet....

I have nothing against mayonnaise on a BLT. In fact, I may be Best Food's (Hellman's East of the Rockies) greatest customer, excepting of course, for my mayonnaise-loving Pop. But last Saturday afternoon, I spied a perfectly buttery, 100% natural, and very innocent avocado on my counter. It may seem counter intuitive to try to use healthy fats on a bacon sandwich, but I'm always of the theory that every little bit of good sense counts. Still, I have other reasons besides health for choosing avocados. Buttery, rich, and sensuous, their flavor alone is enough of a recommendation, especially mixed with some pungent garlic and fruity olive oil. It's ridiculousy delicious despite its simplicity. You may never want mayo on your BLTs again.
P.S. In a fit of Saturday afternoon indolence, I made the bacon in the microwave on paper towels. It's not quite as good as pan-fried, but the difference is minimal on a sandwich.
BLTs with Garlic and Olive Oil Avocado
Estimated Cost: $4.00
Notes: Use your best red ripe tomatoes here.
1 large avocado
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
2 crusty whole wheat rolls (I use padhinas from Albertson's)
4-6 slices of cooked crisp bacon
2 red ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
lettuce, arugula, or spinach leaves
In a small bowl, mash together avocado, garlic, and olive oil to form a smooth paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread on bottoms of rolls and top with bacon, tomatoes, and lettuce.
Coming Tomorrow:
Frozen Heaven
Raspberry Lime Sorbet with Raspberry Vanilla Ice Cream

Tuscan Travel Sandwich

Since I am a discriminating and penny pinching eater, I have to plan ahead before I travel. I'd sooner go hungry than eat just about any of the overpriced and gray food available in the airport, unless you count M and Ms. This Italian inspired sandwich is perfect for lunch in a plane, train, or automobile-whether you're going around the corner or for a week in Tuscany. It can be made 24 hours in advance since you are using a hard and sturdy roll, like the padhina rolls pictured below. In fact, the longer the sandwich sits, the better the pesto flavor will permeate and soften the chewy bread. It travels wells, will survive a smashing or two in a travel bag, and can last several hours without refrigeration. Wrap the sandwich tightly in waxed paper and pop it in a brown bag with a homemade cookie and an apple. Bon Voyage!

Tuscan Travel Sandwich

Estimated Cost: $10.00 for four

Notes: Some of these ingredients are a bit pricey, but consider how much you are saving over a store bought sandwich. I usually use only butter and meat and cheese on the kids' sandwiches.

4 hard chewy rolls

-homemade or bottled pesto

-bottled roasted red peppers

-fresh mozzarella

-thinly sliced prosciutto

Slather your cut rolls with pesto and layer the remaining ingredients. Enjoy.
Coming Tomorrow:

Rhubarb Streusal Coffee Cake and an Orange Speedo....

Italian Ham Sandwiches with Roasted Red Peppers and Asparagus

Check Back Later Tonight for Coconut Key Lime Ginger Bars....
For special ocassions, my Italian mother would go to the Italian deli La Prima in Whittier, California. She would order a few dozen baby hard rolls, provolone cheese, and very thinly sliced capicolla (spicy Italian ham). Except she wouldn't call it capicolla. She would call it, and I'm not lying, "Cob O' Cole." I believed that we would go to the Italian deli to pick up our favorite Irish sandwich meat. Since we had a little Irish blood (and English and French) mixed in with our Italian, I couldn't believe our good fortune on finding a deli that would cater to our unique cultural heritage. Our friends adored "Cob O'Cole," too since they consumed it at parties, baptisms, and all our other family celebrations. When I grew up and moved away, I regularly checked delis and sandwich shops for "Cob O'Cole," without any luck. Mom said it was very difficult to find (which is true).

Years later, I made it back to La Prima. Eagerly I ordered a "Cob O'Cole" sandwich just like the kind I grew up on. The bored teenager at the deli counter assured me that they didn't carry "Cob O'Cole" anymore, but she would get someone who had been there a REALLY long time that would know what OLD people (me-all of 26 years old at the time) were talking about. The beautiful Italian gentleman she brought over, impeccably clean in a white cotton apron, was baffled. When I described my lost treasure as a spicy hot pepper treated deli ham, he pointed me to the capicolla. Bingo! I ordered 85 pounds and went home to interrogate my mom. "MOM-Why didn't you tell me that this is capicolla and not Cob O'Cole? Everyone at La Prima thinks I'm an idiot." With just a tinge of smugness, she explained, "Well, that's what I like to call it and that's what I've always called it."

And now you know a secret about my mother. She calls celebrities, pets, ham, son in laws, and various other things whatever she likes, and the rest of us simply adjust. Mom is five feet tall, unfailingly kind, and full of hilarious quirks and a healthy ability to laugh at herself. Having given birth to ten rambunctious children, the least we can do is indulge her "renaming"-and then tease her for it later. At mom's house and now at my house "capicolla" is still, and forever will be "Cob O'Cole."

"Cob O'Cole" Italian Ham Sandwiches with Roasted Red Peppers and Asparagus

Estimated Cost for 6 sandwiches: $6.00

Notes: If you can't find capicolla, (I couldn't this time), mix some crushed red pepper into your mayonnaise before you spread it on the rolls.

1/2 lb. fresh asparagus

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 small hard rolls, split

mayonnaise

Dijon mustard

1/3 pound capicolla or sliced deli ham

6 thin slices provolone cheese

jarred roasted red peppers

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Place asparagus on cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Roast for about 10 minutes, or until softened and browned in places. Remove from the oven. Coat rolls with mayonnaise and mustard. Cover one side of rolls with provolone and leave the rolls open. Place in oven, just long enough to melt cheese. Layer sandwiches with capicolla, peppers, and asparagus.

Come back tonight for these..... Coconut Key Lime Ginger Bars

Coming Tomorrow:

20 Minute Rosemary Orange Pork Chops with Couscous

Root Beer Barbeque Chicken

Why you should make extra Root Beer Barbeque Sauce....
I've had a heartfelt, desperate request for "ANYTHING without bones" and Root Beer Barbeque sauce. While I felt absolutely confident that the smoky-sweet soda sauce would be smashing on chicken, I hadn't actually tried it. Now I can bear witness.

I can relate to the repulsion of eating meat off the bones. After all, I spent a couple of years as a vegetarian after doing a study abroad in Israel. With no refrigeration in the Old City meat markets, even King Henry VIII would have gone veggie. I survived and recovered, but I still think twice before sinking my teeth into a side of ribs. I think twice. Then I gobble them up.

The concept for chicken is the same as for the ribs, except I add a smidgen of olive oil to the marinade because chicken can dry out fast on the grill. I used chicken tenders, but you could use any boneless, skinless chicken you've got around; thighs, breasts, or other sultry cuts.

As a bonus, with leftover chicken and my refrigerator pickles (see yesterday's post), I packed my husband a humdinger of a sandwich: whole grain bread smeared with Caesar dressing and piled high with chicken, pickles, and romaine. In a cruel twist of fate, he left it in his work fridge before we left for a week's vacation. I'm told, by his very reliable and trustworthy coworkers, that the sandwich was in fact worth skipping vacation for.

Root Beer Barbeque Chicken

Estimated Cost: $4.00

Notes: When your store has chicken on sale ($1.77/lb at mine), cram your freezer.

2 cans root beer, divided use

1/2 cup smoky barbecue sauce

1/2 cup Dijon mustard, plus 1/4 cup more for marinade

brown sugar, if needed

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken

1 teaspoon each salt and pepper

1 tablespoon each paprika and garlic powder

2 tablespoons olive oil

In a small saucepan, boil one can root beer until thick and syrupy, about 30 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup each smoky barbecue sauce and 1/2 cup Dijon. Taste this sauce and add brown sugar if the sauce needs a little sweetness. (Notes: you should have plenty of extra sauce for dipping-just reserve half of it before spreading it on the chicken.) Meanwhile, smear chicken with Dijon. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder; drizzle with olive oil. Place in zip top bag. Pour root beer over chicken, cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Grill or broil chicken, about five minutes per side, or until outside is nicely browned and inside is no longer pink.

Coming Tomorrow:

Grilled Cherry Tomato Salad with Rosemary Vinaigrette