Hooray! After a chilly start to spring, the sun has finally come out to play. Which means we can finally enjoy cooking on the barbecue!! To celebrate I am sharing 4 Awesome BBQ Recipes as well as the linky for #CookBlogShare Week 23.
It feels like forever ago since I last hosted CookBlogShare! That’s partly because it actually has been a little longer than usual because the Cook Blog Share team is now slightly bigger – if you don’t know already Monika and Jacqui have now joined the CookBlogShare team along with Kirsty and myself (whoop whoop – super happy to have you both on board!!), so we will each now be hosting once every 4 weeks.
But also, I think, because so much has happened since the last time I hosted! One of the biggest things for me have been my second blogiversary – crazy, huh? How have I been blogging for 2 years already???
Another exciting thing for me was that last week we spent a few days in Edinburgh – thanks to some travel vouchers I won for my Greek Chicken Traybake recipe. It was an awesome trip – pretty much my first time ever to Edinburgh (I did go when I was 3, apparently…but I don’t remember a thing!), so we hit all the main tourist sites: Castle / Palace / Royal Mile / Britannia / Scottish Parliament etc., did a couple of bus tours and did our level best to sample as much of the local restaurant scene as it was possible to in just a few short days and with two small kids in tow! We mixed it up with tried and tested family friendly restaurants like Wagamama and Zizzi, together with a few fab independent restaurants – we particularly liked Smoke Stack (mainly steak and beef burgers), where I had one of the best steaks I’ve ever had…and The Basement Bar, a really funky Mexican restaurant where they make guacamole at your table to your own personal specification, and also have a pretty insane list of tequilas!
We also tried a few Scottish specialities: haggis, neeps and tatties, cranachan and, of course, the whisky – I have a bit of a confession to make at this point…on the last afternoon we only had time for one more activity – our choice was either Dynamic Earth (lovely kid friendly, hands on science museum) or The Scottish Whisky Experience…can you guess which we went for? – yep, the whisky! Yes, we are very, very bad parents **hangs head in shame**. But actually The Scottish Whisky Experience was amazingly child friendly…the clever people at The Scottish Whisky Experience have clearly worked out that if you make it child friendly, you get the mums and dads to visit (especially the bad ones like us!!) – the tour starts in a whisky barrel where you go for a ride around the whisky making process (think tame theme park ride, but with interesting educational bits about whisky), then a film about the different styles of whisky complete with scratch and sniff card (which the kids loved!) and finally a whisky tasting, where the kids got to taste Scotland’s other national drink – Irn Bru! Which they dutifully (and rather hilariously) ‘tasted’ following our guide’s instructions to look at the colour, before smelling the aroma, then sipping…holding the whisky/Irn Bru on the tongue to fully appreciate it…their little faces full of concentration. Amusingly The Scottish Whisky Experience turned out to be one of the kids’ favourite parts of the holiday. (I’m not making that up – honestly!!) And I would heartily recommend it whether you have kids or not!
And finally on our way home from Scotland, we took a slight detour to go and visit Newcastle, where I had lived as a child, but hadn’t been back to since I left some 33 years ago, when I was 4! We found my old house and took a trip on the Metro into central Newcastle for lunch – the exact same journey I use to do when I was little – such a trip down memory lane! It was all quite magical 😀
Anyway, enough reminiscing – time to get on with CookBlogShare!
4 Awesome BBQ Recipes
Despite living in the UK pretty much my whole life (well apart from a year and a half in France), I never cease to be confused by our crazy weather. Spring is particularly confusing as it can range from freezing cold to boiling hot, from pouring with rain to perfect blue skies – and that’s just in one day sometimes! It gives me all sorts of ‘what to wear’ crises, (and plenty of days when I have to change outfit 3 times) and don’t get me started on the ‘what to eat’ crises! How often have I been caught out, planning soups and stews for dinners at the weekend, because the weather forecast says it’s going to be gloomy and cold, only for it to be swelteringly hot instead (or vice versa!!)?
Well, as I write this, the weather forecast is warm and sunny for the weekend, so I am going to be brave and share with you 4 Awesome Barbecue Recipes…4 recipes which are all a bit of a twist on the usual barbecue fare – now, fingers crossed I haven’t jinxed it!!
If you are not a #CookBlogShare regular and are wondering what an earth I am going on about, #CookBlogShare is a place for bloggers to share their recipes. If you are a blogger and have a recipe to share, you can link up your post by following the instructions below. If you are not a blogger, but love food and cooking, do check out the recipes that will be appearing below. If this week is as good as they usually are you will find some awesome recipes – the #CookBlogShare bloggers are very good at what they do!
Yummy Southwest Burger
First up, we have this Yummy Southwest Burger from Jaxx at The Bearded Hiker, which he describes as ‘Stupid Good’ – if you watch the video you can see why – my mouth was seriously watering and, if I had had all the ingredients in my kitchen, I’d have probably dropped everything then and there and gone into the kitchen to make it (I was tempted to go out shopping). Jaxx also has all sorts of hints and tips on how to make your burger really, really good! Like making your pan/barbecue as hot as possible and not fiddling with the burger while it’s cooking (so guilty of this one!)
BBQ Spatchcock Garlic and Herb Chicken
But barbecuing is not just about burgers – there are so many other options – one that particularly caught my eye was this incredible BBQ Spatchcock Garlic and Herb Chicken from Jacqui at Recipes Made Easy. What a wonderful alternative to roast chicken for a hot day – perfect for a Sunday Roast with a twist. If spatchcocking a whole chicken sounds tricky, don’t worry, Jacqueline has excellent step by step instructions and photos to help.
Barbecue Salmon Rainbow Kebabs
Another lovely alternative to the usual barbecue fare would be these delicious Barbecue Salmon Rainbow Kebabs from Jenny at Mummy Mishaps. Jenny first marinates her salmon in a delicious sounding barbecue sauce, before threading them on skewers together with mushrooms, peppers and onions, cooking on the barbecue and then serving in pittas – I love how simple this recipe sounds and I know my kids would go mad for them!! Jenny also has some great tips on how to cook kebabs to perfection on the barbecue.
Pulled Jackfruit
Finally, I didn’t want to leave the vegetarians out, and, quite frankly, I couldn’t not give this fab Pulled Jackfruit recipe from Choclette at Tin and Thyme a shout out!! Although not strictly a recipe you could make on the barbecue – it would certainly make a great veggie alternative to barbecue food and Choclette also shares her delicious sounding barbecue sauce recipe in this post, which sounds utterly delicious and is full of natural ingredients, but super quick to prepare. I am totally intrigued by the sound of jackfruit, which is being touted as a veggie alternative to pulled pork – hop over the Choclette’s lovely recipe to find out more!
#CookBlogShare Linky Week 23
And so we come to this week’s linky. You can link up any foodie post that you have – both old and new posts are welcome. All you need to do is:
- Link up a recipe or foodie post by clicking the blue ‘add your link’ button below and following the instructions.
- Add a link from your post back to this post (so everyone else can find it and link up too!) and / or add the #CookBlogShare badge to your post (you can find the code below).
- Comment on some of the other recipes linked up here and generally share the love with a bit of social media action!
If you wish, you can tweet a link to your recipe to me @easypeasyfoodie and also (if you have room on the tweet!) my co-hosts Kirsty @k_phillipson, Jacqui @jacdotbee and Monika @MonikasRecipes, using the #CookBlogShare hashtag and we will retweet them. You can also post your recipe on the Cook Blog Share Facebook Page.
I will comment on all the posts this week and pin them all to the Cook Blog Share Pinterest Board. I can’t wait to see what you’ve all been making!
[inlinkz_linkup id=713953 mode=1]
Just to remind you, by joining in you are giving the #CookBlogShare hosts permission to use your pictures in a round up and on social media, if your recipe is selected as one of our favourites!
Next week #CookBlogShare will be hosted by Jacqui at Recipes Made Easy 🙂
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
It certainly sounds as though you all have had an amazing time in Edinburgh Eb – and your little ones sound as though they LOVED the irn bru tasting ;-). Hubby & I absolutely love Edinburgh (the whole of Scotland really – if we ever left Yorkshire it would be to live in Scotland actually!)
Great round up too, perfect for the weather we’ve been having (with the exception of the past day or two!). I need to check out Choclette’s JackFruit recipe – it’s something we’ve never tried before.
Angela xx
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Angela, We really did! I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to visit! I certainly won’t leave it so long next time…in fact hubby and I were already planning a return trip on our way back home…we love the idea of hiring a campervan and driving round some more of Scotland…though we will definitely have to go back to Edinburgh too – that city totally stole our hearts!! Ha, yes I did the roundup yesterday morning and by the time I’d finished it was already starting to rain and now it’s absolutely chucking it down…I feel I’ve jinxed it!! Eb x
Jo Allison - Jo's Kitchen Larder says
Hi Eb! Your Edinburgh break sounds really great! We’ve done the “infamous” 😉 Whiskey Tour some 10 years ago so pre children and really loved it! We haven’t been back since but when we finally go back as a family, we are so going to do the tour again! That’s what proper education is all about 😉
Brilliant choice of recipes for the round up! Sometimes I think it’s better not to say BBQ word out loud and weather is more likely to “play ball” 😉 but we have been so lucky during Half Term week last week so definitely perfect theme choice. x
Eb Gargano says
Hahaha – I’m glad I’m not the only parent who thinks a trip to a whisky museum is an important educational experience!! 😀 Yes, I am beginning to wish I’d chosen winter stews as my roundup theme – then maybe we’d have had some good weather today, saying that the sun is shining now at least!! Eb x
Mandy says
Lovely choice of recipes Eb. Loved reading about your trip to Scotland/Newcastle as well and love that your kids had a great time at the whisky tasting experience, I’m not sure it would have occurred to me to take my children along to that so great tip! Also – I know just what you mean about what to wear in this stupid weather! Yesterday I had to get changed after the school run as I was freezing! And today I had to lend my mother in law socks and shoes as she got so wet on her way to my house to look after my toddler. And it’s meant to be summer! Anyway, I digress. Off to link up my sweet potato and peanut stew recipe. x
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Mandy, it was an amazing trip…and it really was a great museum – the kids still tell me it was one of the best bits of the holiday!! Loving your stew – soooo up my street!! Eb x
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
We loved the Whisky Experience in Edinburgh and the hubby and I certainly enjoyed one or two drams in the taster bar! It was a good job we were not driving! This is a great collection of recipes, I just wish the weather would be kinder so that we can have more BBQ’s. Thank you for hosting and hope you have a lovely week xx ps I’ve got a post scheduled for tomorrow so will be back then x
Eb Gargano says
It’s a good museum, isn’t it? Yes, definitely not one to do if you are planning on driving anywhere – fortunately Edinburgh is so walkable, we hardly needed the car! Yes, I keep hoping the weather will perk up – or just make up it’s mind really – we’ve had so many different weather’s today!!
TurksWhoEat says
Happy Blogiversary! Your trip sounds wonderful 🙂
Eb Gargano says
Thank you! It really was 😀
Rebecca Smith says
Loved reading your post this week Eb, you made me giggle (you bad parent you) we had to do the Whisky Tour too, different one though, it was when we were local Avemore and stayed in Carrbridge….incidentally Avemore have the Mountain Cafe which was AWESOME for our Beth….everything could be made gluten free – totally amazeballs! Awww, miss Scotland now, want to go back.
Eb Gargano says
Yup, very, very bad parent. But it felt wrong not to do something whiskey related in Edinburgh!! That cafe sounds fab – so great when cafes and restaurants just get it! I am missing Scotland terribly – we’re already planning our return visit 😀 Eb x
The Bearded Hiker says
Ah Scotland, on my list one day.
I know what you mean about the weather. Same here, except we never get chilly or cool or anything days except hot and more hot. And it’s rained for over a week now with no relief, and oddly enough, it doesn’t cool anything off.
Thanks for featuring my burger, what a treat!
Eb Gargano says
Oh you should – I highly recommend it. We only visited Edinburgh this time, but we are already planning to go back and do more! A pleasure to feature your lovely burger – it sounds sooo good!! 😀
Monika Dabrowski says
Sounds like a pretty eventful and enjoyable week! The BBQ roundup looks scrumptious, all we need is the weather:)
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Monika – it was a great week 😀 Want to go back already!! We have the weather back…at least for now!! Eb x
Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook says
Eb, thank you so much for hosting! I hope you are having a fantastic time!
Eb Gargano says
A pleasure Jhuls – thanks for linking up!! Eb x
Michelle Rolfe says
Fab post about Edinburgh. Being in the North East of Scotland, it is one of our favourite places to take off to for a weekend. My husband and I were just there in April and never visit the same places twice! So glad you enjoyed! And fab round up of recipes. I’m not vegetarian and often do a slow smoked pulled pork on the BBQ but the sound of the pulled jackfruit has intrigued me now! Great for a change!
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Michelle – we loved Edinburgh so much! Really want to go back already – and visit some other places in Scotland too!! The jackfruit really does sound interesting, doesn’t it? Eb x
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
Sounds like you have had a busy few week. I haven’t been to edinburgh since I was a wee little girl but would love to go again. Congrats on your leap up the foodies 100 chart too well deserved!.
Thanks for including my spatchcok chicken recipe. I love barbecuing food so shall be checking out those other recipes too.
Eb Gargano says
I have a bit, Jacqui – though it’s rare to have a week that isn’t busy…I either fill it with more blogging or a holiday of some sort! Or often both!! I would so recommend going to Edinburgh – I last visited when I was 3 and couldn’t remember a thing. It’s such a lovely city, so much to do and some fab restaurants…and of course the whisky 😉 A pleasure to include your lovely recipe – such a fab one!! Eb x
jenny paulin says
Thank you so much for the lovely mention of my kebabs Eb 🙂
and congratulations on 2 years of blogging – what a whirlwind that has been! I always forget to mention my blogaversary (which was 7 years at the end of April) – every year i think oh its coming up and then its May an I forgot!
I would love to visit Scotland – its on my to do list!!
Thanks for hosting x
Eb Gargano says
A pleasure, Jenny and thank you! I am the sort of girl who always likes to make a big deal of any anniversary, however big or small, so I always love to do something for my blogiversary!! Last year I did a whole week of posts, but this year I was too busy, so just did 2. I really want to visit more of Scotland now and go back to Edinburgh, again…it is such a fab city!! 😀 Eb x
Corina says
It sounds like you had a fantastic time in Edinburgh! My sister lives there with her three children and she’s often talked about Dynamic Earth. I really need to visit with my children one day but I haven’t been for 5 years as we tend to meet halfway at my parent’s house in Yorkshire these days. I love the sound of Chocolette’s Jackfruit too – It’s something I need to try! x
Eb Gargano says
I really did Corina! I need to go back to Edinburgh now to visit Dynamic Earth…if we had had another day we’d have gone there for sure. (So regret only going for 3 days…could have stayed a month and not got bored!!) I am super intrigued by jackfruit too – has gone on my must try list! Eb x
Choclette says
Thanks so much for featuring my pulled jackfruit. It’s yummy and I wish I had some to hand now. I love Edinburgh, so feeling a little bit jealous of your trip, especially as I’ve never been on a whisky tour – how fab. Well done for winning the vouchers and on your 2nd blog anniversary too. After the first one, I found they come thick and fast.
Eb Gargano says
A pleasure! Can’t believe you’ve not been on a whisky tour – so much fun. I am fortunate that in my previous life (working in Beers, Wines and Spirits) I got to taste quite a lot of good whisky, but this was the first time I’d ever tasted them in their home country – I’d really like to visit a distillery (or 3) one day. My favourite whiskies come from Islay, so maybe one day I will go there! Eb x
Laura says
Wow Eb, great update! Happy Blogiversary! 🙂 Congrats! And your trip to Edinburgh makes me want to go. I love that ye chose the Whiskey that’s so funny. Love the spatchcock chicken… will check out the recipe.
Eb Gargano says
Hahaha – yep, bad, bad parent. But actually they were completely unaware that Dynamic Earth existed and were actually really looking forward to the whisky museum – and it was so well set up for children, so I don;t fee too bad 😀 Yep, that spatchcock chicken looks amazing doesn’t it? Jacqui is a clever lady!! Eb x
Nico @ yumsome says
Sounds like you had a great time in Scotland – you missed a treat with Dynamic Earth though… it’s brilliant! At least it was when I was last there (I went weeks after it opened, and then again a year later) – the best part of Edinburgh, IMO!
Lovely round-up this week, Eb – as ever, thank you for hosting! xx
Eb Gargano says
Aaargh – I knew we probably had missed a treat…Jac from Tinned Tomatoes recommended it to me…but we just ran out of time and it came down to a choice between whisky or science…and whisky won – not sure what that says about me??? 😀 Eb x
Sadhna Grover says
Thanks for hosting the lovely party, Congratulations on your blog anniversary.
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Sadhna – can’t believe I’ve already been blogging for 2 years – it’s so true that time flies when you are having fun!! 😀 Eb x