Staff Writer
Summertime is for grilling. While burgers, hot dogs and steaks are a given, we’ve come up with some fun ideas for grilling outside the box.
Make Your Lemonade Stand Out
Grill your lemons before turning them into lemonade. Simply sprinkle halved lemons with sugar and place face down on the grill. Once they have nice char marks, remove and allow them cool enough to handle. Then make your favorite lemonade recipe the way you usually do. The sugar helps the lemons caramelize, which adds a smoky flavor to this classic summer sipper. Consider spiking your grilled lemonade with blueberry vodka for a refreshing summer cocktail.
Do Something Different
These days, grills are used for more than just cooking proteins. You can make flavorful vegetables and even cook an entire pizza on your grill. Prepare your dough then make it a family affair by having the younger kids choose the toppings, the older kids chop them up, and the adults do the cooking.
Pizza dough can go from perfect to burnt in no time. Try pre-grilling the crust so you can give it your full attention. Then add the toppings off the heat and put it back on the grill to finish.
Delightful Desserts
Did you know you can use your grill to bake? Fill a cast-iron skillet with dough and a berry mixture and bake it in a closed grill for 15-20 minutes to make a southern cobbler. Or grease a sheet of aluminum foil, place cookie dough several inches apart and bake cookies over indirect heat with the lid closed.
You can also cook firmer fruits like pineapple, peaches or bananas directly on the grill and serve them over ice cream for a quick and easy grilled dessert. The following recipe does just that.
Grilled Peaches
Ingredients:
4 peaches, cut in half and pit removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
½ cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
Zest of 1 orange
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons fresh mint
½ cup slivered almonds, optional for garnish
Directions:
Using a paring knife, cut the peaches along their seams, all the way around, twist apart and carefully remove pits. Using a pastry brush or your fingers, brush the cut sides of the peaches with olive oil and set aside. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium. Place peaches on the grill, cut side down. Cook until the peaches have softened and developed some grill marks, about 4–5 minutes. Brush the tops of the peaches with oil, and turn over, cooking over indirect heat, another 4–5 minutes. In a medium mixing bowl add yogurt, orange zest, and honey. Using a whisk, mix well to combine. Add about ¾ cups raspberries and gently fold in using a rubber spatula. Place one-half peach on individual plates, spoon yogurt sauce over top. Garnish with remaining whole raspberries, fresh mint and almonds.
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