Local food blogger’s recipe accepted in ‘Grilling for Heroes’ benefiting veterans
Written by Ken Hedler
Shawn Syphus, a stay-at-home mom in St. George, said that she had no cooking skills when she got married at age 19.
Syphus, 31, had to become a quick study to prepare meals for herself, her husband Chris, and a family that expanded to four children ranging in age from 3 to 10.
“I’m self-taught,” Syphus said. “I started making a lot of recipes. And I have lots of friends and family.”
Family and friends inspired her to start a blog, http://www.iwashyoudry.com, five years ago.
Each blog posting, done three days a week, features a new recipe that Syphus has created and tested first on her family. She said that inspirations for recipes come from restaurants, cookbooks, magazines, and other blogs, adding that she sometimes “brainstorms” for weeks to create recipes.
“My blog focuses on the quick and easy,” said Syphus, who illustrates recipes with photos of each creation for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert. “I’ve got things on my site like 15-minute dinners.”
The blog has gained readership over the years and now generates more than 700,000 page views a month, Syphus said.
That exposure in turn attracted the attention of a book publishing company, Page Street, and led to the upcoming publication, “Express Lane Cooking.” The book, due for release July 21, contains 80 recipes—none featured previously in her blog—and retails for $19.99.
Syphus said that a public relations firm contacted her to submit a recipe to the Propane Education & Research Council for what turned out to be the cookbook, “Grilling for Heroes.”
The council recently announced that Sunny Anderson, co-host of “The Kitchen” on the Food Network and a U.S. Air Force veteran, picked Syphus’ recipe for honey Dijon grilled chicken as her favorite recipe for “Grilling For Heroes,” along with Syphus’ story of military service in her family. Anderson, who wrote the foreword for the cookbook and a recipe, chose Syphus’ recipe because it had “the best likely taste, creativity/originality and ease of preparation,” Laura Hirschman, of the PR firm that represents the propane council, stated in an email.
A news release from the council states that contest officials received hundreds of submissions this past summer on GrillingforHeroes.com. The council is accepting donations for the cookbook, available in a download on the website, with all proceeds going to Hope For The Warriors, a nonprofit that benefits wounded veterans who served in the military after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, along with their families.
The cookbook features the recipe from Syphus and 49 others and military accounts they submitted. GrillingForHeroes.com also features PERC’s tips for safe grilling, including proper grill placement, what to do if the flame goes out, and proper procedures for relighting.
Syphus wrote briefly of the death of her uncle, Edward Smith, in a reconnaissance mission in Iraq in 2003, adding, “I will never forget him or the courage he had to fight for our country.”
Besides publishing her recipe and account, the council paid for a two-day trip for Syphus and her mother—Kelda Toliver, of Glendale, Arizona—to Washington, D.C. over the Memorial Day weekend. It was the first trip for Syphus to the nation’s capital, and she and her mother visited the National Mall and Arlington National Cemetery.
A native of Anaheim, California, Syphus moved with her family from Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada, in January to St. George to be closer to her husband’s extended family.
Syphus said she plans to continue her blog and appear on the QVC Network to promote her cookbook and might go on a book tour.
While she formerly waited tables at a restaurant chain when she lived in Glendale, Syphus said she has no plans to open her own eatery.
“I’ve got a blog where I can share the recipes with millions of people,” she said.
This is Syphus’s recipe, to be featured in “Grilling For Heroes.”
Honey Dijon Grilled Chicken
4 6oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/3 cup horseradish Dijon mustard (regular Dijon mustard will work, too)
3 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat grill or grill pan on medium-high heat, and spray with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil. Once pan is hot, reduce heat to just below medium. In a small bowl, combine the Dijon mustard, honey, and parsley flakes. Set aside.
Flatten chicken breasts to an even thickness by placing between two sheets of parchment paper and pounding with a rolling pin or heavy-bottomed pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place chicken on grill for 3 minutes, then flip over and brush chicken with the honey Dijon sauce. Grill for an additional 2-3 minutes, then remove from grill and loosely cover with tin foil. Let rest for 5 minutes before enjoying. Serve with any additional sauce on the side for dipping.
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