Father’s Day Grillin’

By Stacy Carroll

I’m the first to admit; grilling really isn’t my thing.  It seems like a lot of work for one person and then there is the fact I don’t have the outdoor space to put a grill where I live.  I do love my little G.F. counter top grill and this time of year it sits out ready for hamburgers, asparagus, peppers, and even fruit.  But that does not make me a grill master that is for sure!

I felt though that with Father’s Day approaching I should still try and bring you some new grilling recipes.  It seems like the dad thing to do!  I searched through my recipes for the best, and then ended up putting together a meal without even realizing it. 

Grilled vegetables would be a great addition to this meal.  I’ve learned recently that using skewers to make little ‘veggie rafts’ works great for easy turning on the grill.  Try asparagus, mushrooms, onions or even baby potatoes that are skewered crosswise or both horizontal and vertical so they don’t turn around on the skewer like tomatoes.  Enjoy grillin’ and chillin’ this weekend dads!

Easy Mediterranean Spatchcocked Chicken

Prep Time: 2 hr

Cook Time: 45 min

Serves: 6

328 Calories

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken

4 T. olive oil

3 T. fresh oregano leaves

1 T. chopped garlic

3 lemons

1/4 t. salt

1/8 t. black pepper

Instructions:

Butterfly the chicken, by placing it breast-side down on a cutting board. Use kitchen shears to cut straight up both sides of the backbone from the cavity to the neck. Remove the backbone and save for chicken stock. Open the chicken like a book and flip it over so it’s breast-side up. Press down firmly on the breasts until you hear a pop. Tie the legs together with butcher twine to make the chicken easier to turn on the grill.

In a glass baking dish or zip top bag, mix together the olive oil, oregano and garlic plus the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Add the chicken and turn to coat and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 8 hours.

Start the grill and set to medium heat.  Remove the chicken from the marinade, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on the grill, skin side down, and grill until the skin becomes a crispy golden brown, about 15 minutes. Turn the chicken over, close the grill cover and continue grilling until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. The chicken is done when it feels firm to the touch and a meat thermometer inserted in the center reaches 170°F. Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest it 10 minutes before carving

While the chicken is resting, cut 2 lemons in half and place on the hot grill. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes until the lemons have softened and have grill marks. Cut up the chicken into 8 pieces and place on a serving platter. Squeeze grilled lemon juice over the chicken as desired.

I would consider using a Tuscan flavored olive oil I have or increasing the garlic in the marinade.  Also, other herbs could be used; thyme and rosemary also pair well with chicken.

Grilled Corn, Basil & Tomato Salad

Total Time: 23 min

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 ears fresh corn husked

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for grilling corn

1 T. red wine vinegar

3 med. tomatoes chopped (or 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, chopped)

1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese

2 T. chopped fresh basil

Instructions:

Brush ears of corn with olive oil. Roast corn on the grill, turning often until desired doneness, about 5-7 minutes or steam the corn if you prefer.  Then cool corn, and cut from cobs. Whisk 1/4 c.  olive oil and 1 T. red wine vinegar in a medium bowl to blend. Stir in corn, tomatoes, feta and chopped basil. Toss to coat. I’m not a big feta fan, so I would change that out for cubed provolone and add some lemon or lime juice.

Source: throughherlookingglass.com

Grilled Pineapple Foster

Ingredients:

1/2 c. dark rum

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 pineapple, cored and cut into about 6-8 rings

cooking spray

vanilla ice cream

Instructions:

In a small bowl, mix together rum, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  In a shallow baking dish, lay out the pineapple rings and pour the rum mixture over them. Toss to coat, then let soak for at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours.  Pour off the rum sauce from the pineapple into a small saucepan. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 6-8 minutes, or until reduced by half.  While the sauce is cooking, heat your grill or grill pan over medium-high heat and oil grates or pan generously.  Add pineapple slices in an even layer and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until browned and grill marks appear. Transfer to a serving plate and top each pineapple ring with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle with rum sauce.

This recipe offers a lot of versatility for an easy summer dessert; either for company, supper on the deck or even camping.  If you are uncertain about using alcohol in the recipe because of children (even though the alcohol burns off in the cooking process); I would use juice, such as pineapple, orange or apple.  I would consider using dark brown sugar and adding some vanilla to the sauce while cooking.  Or add toasted coconut on top or a crumbled cookie over the ice cream too!

Source: gimmesomoven.com