Rosemary Ranch Kabobs with Strawberry Feta Salad

A summertime meal in the backyard: cool refreshments, a hot BBQ, lingering over the meal, and finally lighting citronella candles as the mosquitoes come out.

We invited our grandparents over for dinner on the deck, and decided to tackle the meal preparations ourselves. We started marinating the chicken early in the afternoon and tossed the salad just before serving the meal. As sides, we served hot rice and cold marinated asparagus. Our next blog post will be the spectacular dessert!

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs - from AllRecipes

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup ranch dressing

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary (we used 1 1/2 teaspoons dried)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon white sugar (optional --> we didn't add this)

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

Assorted chopped vegetables

• Stir together marinade ingredients (everything on the list except the chicken!) and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. Put the marinade in a wide bowl or shallow baking dish and add the chicken, coating it in the sauce. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Thread the chicken and vegetables onto skewers. Grill over medium-high heat for 8 - 12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked thoroughly (juices will run clear). Discard the rest of the marinade.

Strawberry and Feta Salad - adapted from AllRecipes

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup raspberry vinegar --> we used cherry vinegar and it was perfect!

2 tablespoons balsamic vingar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 head romaine lettuce, torn

1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced --> we used 3/4 cup frozen... and you should definitely use fresh

2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

• Toast the almonds in the oven (350 F for 5 minutes) or in a skillet on the stove. Remove from heat and set aside
• To make the dressing, whisk together garlic, honey, mustard, vinegars, brown sugar, and vegetable oil.
• In a large salad bowl, toss together the almonds, lettuce, strawberries, and cheese. Add the dressing a little bit at a time - you won't need all of it! Toss and serve.