Indoor Grills And Griddles | kitchen electric appliances blog

Recipes for Indoor Grills

We have included some quick and easy recipes for your Indoor Grill.

Maple syrup and Watermelon Glaze Chicken

Servings: 8

To puree watermelon:

Cut into chunks and place in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until pureed. You may also mash it with the back of a fork before pureeing in a blender.

Ingredients for Glaze:

2 cups watermelon puree
juice from 3 fresh lemons
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

8 skinless boneless chicken breast splits
2 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup of soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 cloves of minced fresh garlic

Instructions:

Serves 8 (2 Cups glaze)

Simmer glaze ingredients together in a heavy saucepan for 20 minutes or until sauce is thick. Keep warm.
Place the chicken in a large zipper lock bag with the rest of the ingredients and seal tightly. Allow to marinate at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
Using your indoor grill cook the marinated chicken through, turning once, and arrange on a warm platter. Pour the Watermelon Glaze over the chicken and serve immediately.

Marinades are help make grilling interesting. Remember to always allow a minimum of one hour for food in a marinade and refrigerate for at least one hour before using the marinated food. You can use a plate, bowl or zip lock bag and pour the marinade mixture over the meat or vegetable to be grilled. You can have fun with different marinade mixtures. For a Greek taste, use garlic, lemon, olive oil and oregano. For a Chinese zing, use soy sauce and ginger.

Quick and easy ~ Prosciutto Provolone Panini Recipe

Ingredients:

• 8 slices white bread
• 8 slices provolone cheese
• 4 thin slices prosciutto
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh sage

Directions
• On four slices of bread, layer a slice of cheese, a slice of prosciutto and a second slice of cheese. Top with remaining bread.
• Brush both sides of sandwiches with oil; sprinkle with sage. Cook in a panini maker or indoor grill until bread is toasted and cheese is melted.

Grilled Bananas

You will need:

• 2 ripe bananas peeled
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp walnuts finely minced.

Instructions:
• Cut the bananas in half widthwise & in half lengthwise.
• Combine the sugar, cinnamon & walnuts in a small bowl.
• Place the bananas on a pre-heated grill horizontally & spoon the cinnamon-walnuts over each slice.
• Grill for 3-4 minutes, or until the bananas are warm & the cinnamon & walnuts are slightly glazed.

Be Heart Smart

If you have decided to adopt a healthy active lifestyle you would have already read our blog on lifestyle choices and how you can reduce fats when cooking and preparing meals. Today we give you 10 tips to get healthier today. This is basic information that you might have read before but sometimes to optimize your health (and look and feel your best) you need to re visit information that you have seen before. Tomorrow we will include healthy diet food recipes.

Living a Healthy Lifestyle ~ 10 Tips to Get Healthier Today
These are basic steps you can implement into your everyday life to help you optimize your health— to help you feel and look your best.

1. Start your day with breakfast.
It’s important to start the day with energy and it makes you less likely to overeat later on.

2. Get moving.
Make an effort to fit physical activities into your daily routine. If you work in an office or are busy at home, try to take a five to ten minute activity break every couple of hours. Climb stairs instead of taking the elevator. Try to be active for a minimum total of 30 minutes a day.

3. Set goals for yourself.
Write your goals down. Make them simple and specific. Whether it’s to add three days of walking after work into your schedule, a target weight you want to hit, or a reminder to schedule an appointment to get your cholesterol checked, it’s helpful to keep yourself accountable.

4. Snack smart.
Snacks are an important way to keep your energy up and can prevent over indulgences. Plan ahead and make smart snacks that you can bring to work or grab throughout the day. Think low-fat, satisfying foods like vegetables and fruits, and nutrient dense foods like nuts.

5. Plan meals ahead of time.
If you have a busy week coming up or you know that weekdays often get crazy balancing all of your family’s activities, set an hour aside to plan out the meals for the week as specifically as possible. Then, grocery shop accordingly. You’ll be thankful for the time you took to plan when it get to mid-week and you don’t have to wonder what to make for dinner.

6. Work up a sweat.
Make an effort to sprinkle more vigorous workouts into your exercise routine. Activity where you’re breathing hard and sweating help your heart, gives you more energy, and can help you look and feel better. Consider taking a cardio class at your gym or community center, kickboxing or a jog through your neighborhood. Ideally, you follow this type of activity up with some strength building such as weights or push-ups. Remember to cool down and stretch.

7. Recognize that foods aren’t good or bad.
Some foods may have more fat, sugar or salt while others may have more vitamins or fiber. There is a place for all these foods. What makes a diet good or bad is how foods fit together. It is important to be aware of what your foods do have more or less of so you understand what you’re eating. Refer to the Nutrition Facts Panel on food labels to help you understand what nutrients are in a certain food and what you may need accordingly.

8. Balance food choices and ways of preparing food.
You don’t have to give up foods like hamburgers, french fries and ice cream to eat healthfully. There are ways to prepare foods like hamburgers that make them lower-fat, such as grilling. And ultimately, you body needs nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat and many different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and A, iron and calcium from a variety of foods.

9. You can always eat more grains, fruits and vegetables.
These foods give you carbohydrates for energy, plus vitamins, minerals and fiber. Try breads such as whole-wheat, bagels and pita. Spaghetti and oatmeal are also in the grain group. Bananas, strawberries and melons are some great tasting fruits. Try vegetables raw, on a sandwich or in a salad.

10. Be active with others and try new things.
Take advantage of physical activities you and your family or you and your friends enjoy doing together—and eat the foods you like in moderation together. Be adventurous—try new sports, games and other activities as well as new foods and new ways of preparing your favorites.

Source: International Food Information Council

Healthier Lifestyle

Wanting to change to a healthier cooking and life style? These simple steps can optimize your health choices. When you are planning your meals there are healthier cuts of meat and chicken that you can always choose and ways that you can reduce fat in your diet when thinking about preparing and serving meat or poultry.

Some lifestyle choices include:
Buy the healthiest cut possible: These will be expensive buy they have less fat than other cuts of meat and poulty.
Beef cuts include ~ Sirloin Steak, Flank Steak, Roast Beef (extra Lean) and ground beef 90%+ fat free. These cuts should have little or no fat on them.
Chicken (always choose Skin Free cuts)
Chicken cuts include ~chicken leg, breast fillets and ground chicken
Lamb is one of the fattiest meats you can get, so reduce your intake of lamb. If you must have lamb opt for chops that have had most of the fat cut off.
Pork ~ modern pig farmers have developed a less fatty animal. Pork can still be a fatty meat so choose a lean cut such as the tenderloin.
Turkey (always choose Skin Free cuts)
Turkey cuts include ~ turkey leg, breast fillets and ground chicken

Always read the nutrition facts on the pack. In order for meat or poultry to be labeled “lean” the U.S. Department of Agriculture states that it has to contain 10 grams of fat or less per a four ounce serving. To be considered “extra-lean” it must be five grams or less per serving. When looking to buy meat or poultry look for the packages that have the highest lean meat percentage gram for gram. When it comes to poultry select the cuts that have had the skin removed (although tasty it is very high in fat). If the label identifies the meat as Prime it undoubtedly has more fat than one that is labeled Select.
Unfortunately sometimes you have no choice when buying cuts of meat. If this is the case trim off any visible fat you can see before cooking the food.

Use low fat cooking methods including grilling, broiling, roasting, sautéing and baking. The indoor grill is perfect for low fat cooking as the fat drains away from the food and the machine. If you choose to roast in an oven, make sure the meat is placed up on a grill tray so that the fat can drain back into the pan.

Always drain fat away from your food. Studies from the Journal of American Dietetic Association showed that fat content could be cut by as much as half if the fat was drained from a skilled after meat had been cooked and then the meat was rinsed under hot water.

This is the same effect that is achieved with a contact grill (such as the George Foreman Grills) that facilitates the draining off of fat as the meat cooks.
You can further reduce your fat intake by reducing your portions of meat or poultry. A portion of three ounces of meat is roughly the size of a deck of cards.

By adjusting just a few things in your diet you can significantly reduce your intake of fats dramatically.

Grilling Times

Day 4 – Grilling Times

The indoor grill has revolutionized how we cook in the kitchen. Grilling times are fast and the food is healthy and delicious.
When reading the following Grilling times remember these grilling times are for the George Foreman Grill which is a two sided dual contact indoor grill, don’t use these cooking time suggestions for any other type of grilling method. All meats must be boneless for best results. Please make ensure that chicken, hamburgers, and seafood are fully cooked before serving. Steaks can be cooked to your liking. Pork and lamb products should be cooked until the interior is pink.

Meat and Fish Grilling Times

Boneless Steak – Marinate if desired. Steak should be 1/2″ – 1″ thick - Grill for 4 – 7 minutes for medium rare, 6 – 9 minutes for medium.

Chicken Breasts Use only boneless products -Chicken breasts can be cooked as is, or pounded for quicker cooking time -Grill until thoroughly done, about 4 – 6 minutes.

Fish Fillets Cook until fillets flake easily when tested with a fork – Grill for 2 – 3 minutes per 1/2″ of thickness.

Fish Steaks including Tuna, Salmon, Halibut, Swordfish steaks – should be 1/2 – 1″ thick. Marinate before cooking if desired – grill for 2 – 3 minutes for each 1/2″ thickness.

Ground Beef Patties Patties should be 1/2 – 3/4″ thick – Grill until thoroughly cooked – Cook for 5 – 8 minutes.

Ham Steak Precooked ham steaks should be grilled until heated through -Grill for 3 – 5 minutes

Hot Dogs & Sausages For precooked products, grill until heated through, 2 – 3 minutes. For raw products, first precook in skillet until almost done, and then finish cooking on grill 4 – 6 minutes until thoroughly cooked.

Boneless Lamb Chops Chops should be 1/2 – 1″ thick – Grill for 6 to 8 minutes.

Pork Chops Use only boneless products, 1/2 – 3/4″ thick – Grill until only slightly pink in center. Approximately 6 – 8 minutes.

Shrimp Grill until shrimp turn pink and are springy to the touch. You will need to cook them for 2-1/2 – 4 minutes.

Vegetable Grilling Times

Asparagus Marinate if desired and then grill for 2 – 4 minutes.

Bell Peppers Halve the peppers, remove seeds and membranes. Grill for 4 – 5 minutes.

Eggplant Slice 1/2 to 1″ thick and then Grill for 4 – 5 minutes.

Mushrooms Remove stems and grill whole, or slice 1/2″ thick. Grill for 2 – 4 minutes.

New Potatoes Scrub well and slice in half. It is a good idea to precook these in the microwave for 3 – 4 minutes or in boiling salted water for 6 – 8 minutes. Grill for 5 – 6 minutes until browned and tender.

Sliced Potato Scrub well and slice 1/2″ thick. You can precook these in the microwave for 3 – 4 minutes or in boiling salted water for 8 – 10 minutes. Grill for 7 – 10 minutes until browned and tender.

Summer Squash & Zucchini Cut into 1/2 – 1″ thick slices and marinate if desired. Grill for 3 – 4 minutes.

Tomatoes Cut into 1″ thick slices and grill for 1 – 2 minutes until tender

How to clean your Indoor Grill

Day 3 How to clean your Indoor Grill

The George Foreman grills (and similar grills) are one of the greatest inventions for cooking healthy foods. The food is grilled perfectly and the fat is removed. They are made with a non-stick surface to help with cleaning after the food is cooked. If you can afford one purchase the model that comes with removable cooking surfaces ~ as they are just rinse them down and put them into a dishwasher. Unfortunately basic models come with attached cooking surfaces, which means you cannot take them off the machine. The surface of these grills is still non-stick but cleaning the grills is a bit trickier.

Cleaning Tips:
• Unplug your grill and while it is still hot (usually within about a minute after removing your food from the grill) put about four wet thick paper towels between the griddles and close the lid. The paper towels will help absorb any hard to remove food. You can also use the spatula that comes with the grill.
• Toss the used paper towels and finish cleaning your grill with a sponge dipped in warm, soapy water. The George Foreman Company has a branded grill sponge set to help with cleaning up.
• Take care as the grill plates may still be hot!!
• Dry the grill with paper towels and let the grill air dry before closing the grill and putting it away.

Caring for your Griddle

Caring for your Griddle
Griddles are a great way to cook breakfast and other meals for large families with ease.
Here are a few tips to get the most out of your griddle. These tips will help your griddle last longer and help prevent you from damaging it.
Cleaning ~ is dependent on the cookware surface.

Hard Anodized Cookware ~ To care for anodized aluminum griddle pans, do not cook foods that are highly acidic or alkaline in them because they have a tendency to cause pitting in the coating. Hand wash your hard anodized griddle pans with hot water, gentle dish soap, and a cloth, sponge or scouring pads (such as Scotch-Brite brand)

Stainless Steel ~ To care for stainless steel griddle pans, wash with hot soapy water. If using a dishwasher remove the pan before it is dry and wipe with a soft cloth to avoid water spots and discoloration. If you need to scrub stainless steel use a non-abrasive cleaner such as baking soda or a specifically designed stainless cleaner.

Non-Stick ~ To care for non-stick griddle pans, use hot soapy water and avoid using abrasive pads or powders. If food does stick to the pan, soak in hot water to loosen stuck on food.

Cast Iron ~ To care for cast iron griddle pans, wash in hot soapy water , don’t over scrub, dry over heat and then preseason the pan by coating tit with oil and putting it back on the stove over high heat until all moisture has evaporated and coat with oil before storing.

Electric griddles generally don’t need to be cleaned with harsh soaps. A hot cloth or rag can generally be used to wipe off excess food particles from the griddle’s cooking surface. To clean the outer surface you simply wipe the exterior casing with a warm, damp (not dripping) sponge and dry with a soft cloth or paper towel. Wiping the casing after each use will help maintain the appearance of your grill. Never use steel wool or abrasive cleansers.

Maintenance
• Depending on which model and cookware surface you have, the non stick surface may need a light coat of oil rubbed down with a paper towel to keep it extra slick.
• Make sure not to use cooking materials that can scratch the non stick surface of the electric griddle.

Cooking
• Make sure you allow enough time for your griddle to warm up completely, or you will be left with an unevenly heated surface. Cooking on surface that is not heated properly will cause food to be undercooked and not cooked properly. Read the cooking directions to see how long it takes to warm up.

Indoor Grills and Griddles Week

Day 1 Care of Griddles
Today we start our Indoor Grills and Griddles week. In celebration of this week we are offering 10% off all our indoor grills and griddles at www.buyqualitykitchenware.com
As a company that is concerned for its citizens we are placing an importance on a healthier lifestyle so we stock a variety of indoor grills. The most widely known is the George Foreman grills. These George Foreman® products are synonymous with cooking products that help you create nutritious, great-tasting food that pleases the palate and promotes healthy living. If you don’t have a backyard of your own to do any outside cooking then indoor grills are for you. They are small and convenient to use and the grill cooks on both sides at once.
Griddles can have a cast iron, stainless steel, non stick or Hard Anodized cookware surface.

Hard Anodized Cookware ~ This is aluminum that has been given a special finish to protect it from corrosion. The surface does not react with foods and foods cooked in the pans will not absorb aluminum. The surface layer is also slightly non-stick. Unlike Teflon coated non-stick cookware, you can use metal utensils with anodized aluminum, since the coating is scratch resistant and durable.

Stainless Steel ~ Stainless steel is considered the best material for cookware because it is very neutral and easy to clean. It is probably the best choice for everyday cookware due to its low cost and high durability. Stainless steel is a good material for any type of pan because it does not corrode and does not react with alkaline or acidic materials.

Non-Stick ~ Non stick griddles have had a coating applied to them that prevents food from sticking and makes clean up easier. It also reduces the amount of fat that is normally required when cooking.

Cast Iron ~ Seasoning the surface will form a natural non-stick surface. This type of cookware also leeches iron into food prepared in it, so if you struggle to get enough iron in your diet, preparing your meals in cast iron pans can help increase your iron intake.