Jamaican Jerk Grilled Kebabs

Sorry for the lack of posts lately.  I took some time away and went down south to my parent's house to help them while my Dad had knee surgery and recovered a little.  Hope you are feeling better Dad!  My Mom is a great cook so that is another perk of staying with them, plus the kids love seeing their grandparent's and taking full advantage of being spoiled.  Needless to say, I didn't cook for my own family nor spent time on everyone's blogs.  Hopefully this week will allow me some more time to get going once again in the kitchen.

This recipe should remind you of a cool breeze and a beach with a side of a gorgeous sunset.  Think "Islands" in the summertime.  Jamaican Jerk Grilled Kebab with chicken and smoked sausage smothered in a jerk glaze will take you on a mini vacation.  Slightly sweet and slightly spicy.  It is a perfect mix of the two and gives the meat and vegetables a fantastic smoky-like flavor.  Next time I will be adding mushrooms at The Brit's request, which suits me just fine. 

Adapted from Cuisine At Home

For the jerk glaze:

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of 1 lime

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp minced fresh oregano

1 Tbsp grated lime peel

1 Tbsp onion powder

1 Tbsp light brown sugar

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp cayenne

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.  Brush grill rack with oil.

Combine the 1/4 cup olive oil, lime juice, garlic, oregano, lime peel, onion powder, brown sugar, allspice, cayenne in to a bowl and mix well.  Set aside half for serving.

For the kebabs:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes

8 oz. smoked sausage

2-3 green and red bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces.

Thread the chicken, sausage and bell pepper pieces onto 8 10-inch skewers.

Grill skewers, covered, over direct heat until chicken is no longer pink, about 8 minutes.  Turn skewers and brush with glaze every 2 minutes during grilling, using all the glaze.  Just before serving, brush with the remaining glaze.