Late spring and summer is such a wonderful time to entertain.
Use your backyard as a dining room and you are all set! Everyone can visit while you cook on the grill. The kids end up playing in
the sand box later, while the adults talk. This menu is a good one:
Savory Bruschetta
Ingredients:
2 ripe tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped coarsely
1/2 loaf of sourdough or Italian country bread, sliced
2 cloves garlic
Using the coarse side of a grater, grate tomatoes into a bowl or use
food processor. Discard remaining skin. Add oil, salt, pepper, basil,
and mix. Grill bread over coals or on gas grill until very brown.
Before bread cools, rub garlic clove over the entire surface of one side
(each slice should use up about 1/4 clove of garlic). Just before
serving,
spoon tomato mixture over bread.
Grilled Pita Breads
Ingredients:
4 pita breads
2 tsp. fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese
2/3 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms
1 tablespoons fresh oregano
Place a large piece of foil on the grill rack. Crush the rosemary
in the oil. Place pitas on foil, brush liberally with the rosemary oil,
and top with cheese, mushrooms and oregano. Grill on low heat
with the cover down until cheese melts. Cut into sections, as you
would for pizza.
Chicken With Lemon & Rosemary
Ingredients
3 sticks butter, softened
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
6 tablespoons finely diced onion
1 1/4 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup dried lemon peel, or fresh zest
Salt and ground black pepper
5-6 pounds of bone-in chicken pieces
6 tablespoons olive oil
Combine butter, rosemary, onion, bread crumbs, and lemon in
a bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Separate the chicken
skin from the poultry, and stuff the in-between so the meat is
covered. Brush the skin of the chicken with the oil, then season
with salt and pepper. Heat the grill to medium-high. Place the
chicken pieces on the grill skin-side down, and cook until the
skin is browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the chicken, close the grill
hood or cover with thick pieces of foil, and cook for 15 minutes.
Test for doneness--juices should run clear.
Spicy Grilled Shrimp
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground peppercorns--hot or mild mixture
1 teaspoon olive oil with dash of red pepper flakes added
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1-1/2 pounds raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
In small saucepan, combine butter, garlic, peppercorns, and the
oil with red pepper. Simmer over low heat until butter is melted
and the just garlic begins to sizzle. Remove from heat; stir in the
fresh parsley. Thread shrimp on four or five skewers. Brush with
olive oil. Place the shrimp in center of cooking grate. Grill 4 to 5
minutes until pink, and no longer white. Turn once during grilling.
Remove shrimp from skewers; toss with butter mixture. Serve hot.
Makes 4 servings. NOTES: If you have a grill pan with holes in it
you can toss the shrimp in there instead of using the skewers. You
may have to grill half at a time. Serve as an appetizer, or on top of
pasta.
Grilled Marinated Vegetables
Ingredients:
1/2 cup thickly sliced zucchini
1 cup sliced red, yellow or green bell pepper (or mixed)
1/2 cup sliced yellow squash
1/2 cup sliced red onion
16-20 large fresh button mushrooms
16-20 cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup garlic soy sauce
1/2 cup lemon juice
Place the zucchini, bell pepper, squash, red onion, mushrooms,
and tomatoes in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together olive
oil, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Pour over the vegetables. Place
in a covered container and marinate in the refrigerator for 30
minutes to an hour. Preheat grill, then turn down to medium heat.
Remove vegetables from marinade, and place on the grill. Cook
for 12 to 15 minutes, brushing with marinade, until tender.
About the Author: Brenda Hyde lives in the rural Midwest United States with her husband and three kids, where she edits Old Fashioned Living.com and is a freelance writer.
