Summer is upon us. . .FINALLY!
That means hours of fun in the sun, waterlogged kids, and hungry families. The warm summer nights with extra daylight make grilling the perfect way to make family dinners more exciting and different from the months of stews and comfort foods inside by the fire.
Our pantries are stocked, fridges are full, and our summer menu is complete with our favorite and most versatile grilling marinade recipe. The best part about this marinade is that it adds great flavor to any recipe without really needing to be adapted. In fact, sometimes we just make a huge batch of the marinade, store it in the fridge, and use it throughout the week. Having this flavor booster on hand makes it easier to throw meals together after long, hot days at the pool, which is a major mom win!
As we are planning out our meals for the week and creating our shopping lists, we usually make the most basic version of this marinade. To change it up throughout the week, just add your favorite protein (chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, scallops, etc.) and veggies.
Need some inspiration? Here are some of our favorite meals that we add this marinade to:
- Grab chicken skewers from the meat counter at your grocery store, or make your own. Then make veggie skewers with whole mushrooms, red onion, bell peppers, and zucchini. Add 1 TBSP. dried thyme and 1 TBSP dried parsley to the marinade base. Place your chicken and veggie skewers in separate Ziploc bags and saturate with the marinade. You can let them sit and soak up the flavor as long as you want or just want 30 minutes before you throw your meal on the grill. This recipe is pictured in this post.
- Chop Brussel sprouts, jalapenos, and shallots. Toss your raw veggies into a Ziploc bag. Add 1 TBSP Sriracha into the marinade base and pour into the bag, making sure that everything is well coated. Pour your veggies into a grilling basket and cook on the grill to serve as a delicious side that everyone will love!
- Prepare raw shrimp and add 2 TBSP. brown sugar, 1 shallot, finely chopped, to marinade. Pour mixture over shrimp and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
A Delicious and Versatile Summer Marinate
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 4 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 4 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar or Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Pepper
- 2 tbsp Garlic Salt
- 3 tbsp Freshly Minced Garlic
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Mix all of the ingredients together in a glass container. These measurements make enough marinade for one meal, but if you want to be able to use this several times throughout the week, double or triple this. Store in your refrigerator for up to two weeks! Always be sure to mix well when you go to add the mixture to your raw food.
We hope that you find more than one way to spice up your summer meals! Share your variations in the comments below.
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