I have been wanting to make vegetable skewers all summer long.
Kind of like how all summer long I have wanted to spill a cup of uncooked quinoa all over my stove.
In case you can’t sense my sarcasm, I’m being sarcastic. Being the intelligent person that I am, I took all of about 10 minutes to try and figure out the best possible way to salvage the quinoa, including spooning it back into the package. Yeah, I got the vacuum out — and no, I will not be eating that quinoa in the future.
Back in the day (because apparently I am an old woman now — better get out the bifocals!), I used to call these shish-kabobs. Anyone else in the shish-kabob family? Somehow I feel like shish-kabobs are the epitome of a summer food, even though my parents perhaps made them twice in the first 24 years of my life. But gosh darn it, I better have a shish-kabob before the end of the summer!
And there you are, laughing at me (what else is new?) muttering about how I still have about six weeks of summer left. Really people? I have six days. Don’t taunt me with those after Labor Day start dates some of you have.
Can I let you in on a secret? I don’t call these shish-kabobs anymore.
They’re called vegetable skewers. I think they suit the mature, grown up lady I have become. Wouldn’t you agree? Although who can really ever let go of a word that starts with shish and ends in bob?
All because of that fateful year and a half I worked at a steakhouse where the kitchen workers would ever so slyly slip me a few (skewers, not drinks) while I was working. The vegetables were tender, but still had a slight crunch, they were seasoned to perfection, and the mushrooms — oh the mushrooms, were meaty, juicy, and melted in your mouth.
The beautiful part about vegetable skewers is that you don’t really need a set recipe. All you need to do is chunk (gross word, am I right?) the vegetables into 1 inch pieces, season with your favorite spices, and cook for 5 minutes on each side on the grill.
These tasted even better than they looked.
Much like the quinoa that I scraped out of the vacuum.
I kid, I kid!
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