chicken kabobs with island rice

My friend Pat and I decided it was time to join the ranks of food lovers and bloggers everywhere, and start our very own blog site. It was time to share with the rest of the world our beloved recipes and those not so beloved. You could say we are blog junkies because we are totally addicted. Our first joint effort was our grilled chicken and veggie kabobs with island rice. Pat was unsure about the island rice, but I told her to trust me, she was going to love it. Of course she should have never doubted me -- that's right, she loved it. It was a little hectic with 3 kids running around and trying to grill in a thunderstorm, but we persevered and the result was well worth it in the end. Of course there was dessert and we will post that separately.

The recipe is as follows:

Kabobs -
1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cubed
1 green pepper (or your favorite color pepper)
1 package mushrooms
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 large onion

Marinade-
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp grill seasoning
2 tsp hot sauce
3 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil

Island Rice -
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1/2 cup chopped dried pineapple
2 teaspoons butter
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped green onions
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Directions -
1. Using skewers that have been soaked in water, create your kabobs alternating between the chicken and the veggies until you have the desired number of kabobs.

2. In a small bowl, mix the garlic, grill seasoning, hot sauce, worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Whisk in 1/4 cup of olive oil. Place kabobs in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over them. Let stand for approximately 30 minutes or longer. While the kabobs are marinating, prepare the island rice.

3. Bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add rice and next 4 ingredients (rice through salt). Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro, onions, and juice.

4. Using a preheated grill, place the kabobs on the grill and cook on both sides until chicken is cooked through.