Grilled Vegetables

I love to make an entire dinner on the grill, less heat in the house and keeps my kitchen clean!

You can grill practically any vegetable - summer produces an abundance of fresh and delicious veggies, here are some of my absolute favs...

Grilled Corn

The fresher the better but frozen is fine if that's what you have on hand. Remove husk and silks, wash and pat dry with paper towels. Brush each ear with mayonnaise, just enough to lightly coat it...you should still be able to see the kernels then roll the corn in shredded Parmesan cheese (not the stuff you sprinkle on pizza - use real shredded Parmesan cheese). I know that mayonnaise and cheese sounds crazy but trust me, no one will ever guess if you don't tell them. Salt and pepper each ear and roll in heavy duty aluminum foil. Grill on low heat, turn every 10 minutes or so....cook in about 40 minutes. I leave mine on longer as I like it really dark - that's when all the natural sugars come out the most!

Grilled Asparagus

I have a real problem making this - I tend to eat it as fast as it comes off the grill so having some left to serve with dinner is my biggest challenge. Cut the tips off fresh asparagus (I can't do frozen and it is too slimy) place in a baking dish or large zip lock bag, sprinkle with olive oil, just a tiny amount, then season with salt and pepper. Grill on low flame for about 15 - 20 minutes. They should be cooked but still have some crunch. You don't want to over cook these. You might as well make a double batch, that way you can eat some right off the grill and still have some to share with everyone else! If you want to get all fancy, wrap some asparagus with pancetta or even a slice of regular bacon for a smokey stalk of grilled goodness.

Potato Bundles

This is a timeless substitute for the old faithful baked potato. Wash and slice Idaho potatoes or half those little new potatoes, place them on a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil. Season with pepper and season salt (or salt substitute like Mrs. Dash), put in one pat of butter and seal the package. Grill over low heat for half an hour. Nothing to clean up and we never have leftovers! If you have a crinkle slicer - these come out really cute!

Squash

One plant makes enough squash for us AND our neighbors...that's why they like us so much :) I love to just wash and slice them (about 1/3 inch thick) then place the slices in a big Tupperware box or large baking sheet. Sprinkle very sparingly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Then slide the slices onto metal skewers and grill over low heat. I brush them with a little more olive oil and sprinkle with a little more seasonings and turn the skewers every 7 minutes. They will start to brown on the edges in about 15 - 20 minutes. Slide off the skewer and serve.

Mix and Match

A good set of metal skewers is a summer necessity. You can mix your veggies and the presentation is so pretty. I like to use squash, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes. You can use green onions, potatoes or what ever you have ... just be careful and don't poke yourself with those sharp skewers! Brush with olive oil or with butter, season and grill!