Patrice Powers-Barker, OSU Extension, Lucas County
The Truth Contributor
Although meat and poultry are the most common foods to cook on the grill, the grill can be used for all types of meals. If you’ve already got the grill heated up for your favorite recipes, try some new ones this month. Believe or not, the following recipes all got a “thumbs up” from a panel of youth and adults a couple years ago when we sampled a variety of unusual grilling recipes as part of a WeGrill program.
Grilled Caesar Salad for Two – Ingredients: 1 romaine lettuce hears, 2 Tablespoons Caesar dressing, 2 Tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese and a dozen croutons. Other items include cooking spray and foil.
Grilled Caesar Salad for Two – Directions: 1. Heat grill to medium to medium-high heat. 2. Cut romaine heart in half. 3. Coat romaine halves with cooking spray, lightly on all sides. 4. Grill on foil until warm and wilted. 5. Place one half on a plate and drizzle with half of the Caesar dressing, shredded Parmesan, and croutons. 6. Repeat with the second half.
Grilled Chicken Parmesan (2 servings) – Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts, cubed, 2 Tablespoons pasta sauce, 4 Tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning to taste. Other items include cooking spray and foil.
Grilled Chicken Parmesan – Directions: 1. Heat grill to medium high heat. 2. Place foil on grill and spray with cooking spray. 3. Place chicken cubes on foil, season with Italian seasoning and turn to cook evenly. 4. Once chicken is cooked with an internal temperature of 165 degrees, pour pasta sauce over chicken. 5. Top with Parmesan cheese and cook until pasta sauce is hot, and cheese is melted.
Grilled Pineapple (8 servings) – Ingredients: 1 fresh pineapple, ½ cup honey, 1 Tablespoon cinnamon (or more to your taste).
Grilled Pineapple – Directions: 1. Cook ½ cup honey with 1 Tablespoon cinnamon on stovetop at medium-low heat until honey is runny. 2. Preheat grill to medium heat. 3. Cut both ends off the pineapple and cut off the outside skin of the pineapple. 4. Cut pineapple into spears/wedges or into circular slices. 5. Brush pineapple pieces with Honey and Cinnamon sauce. 6. Grill pineapple on each side for 4-5 minutes until pineapple is tender.
Vegetables on the Grill – most vegetables cook best on a medium or medium-high heat. On a gas grill this is about 400 to 425 degrees. On a charcoal grill, you should be able to hold your hand above the coals for 4-5 seconds before removing it. Try some corn or onions this month!
By cooking sweet corn cobs directly on the grill, the kernels will lightly blacken, and it will bring out the sweet corn flavor. Turn the cobs frequently, over medium heat for about 4 -5 minutes.
Large, sweet onions like Vidalia or red onions taste great on the grill. Peel them, cut them into ½ inch slices, toss them in olive or vegetable oil and cook over medium-high grill for 2-3 minutes, turn them and then grill for another 2-3 minutes before they’re done.
As a friendly reminder, the four basic food safety guidelines are:
- Clean – Wash hands and surfaces often.
- Separate – Don’t cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat and poultry apart from cooked foods. Bring a clean plate or container to the grill to put the cooked food into.
- Cook – Use a food thermometer to be sure meat and poultry are safely cooked.
- Chill – Refrigerate or freeze any food that you will not be eating right away.
If you have any questions about food safety, the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline is open year-round Monday through Friday 10am – 6pm (just not on Federal Holidays), 1-888-674-6854.
Do you have questions about home food preservation like canning, drying or freezing? Join OSU Extension, Lucas County on Wednesday, July 19th, 1:00 – 2:00 pm at Locke Branch Library for Basic Home Food Preservation: Deciding What’s Best For You. Patrice can be reached at powers-barker.1@osu.edu or 419-574-0983. This is a free overview of home food preservation. Learn basic food safety principles for home food preservation. Compare different ways to preserve food such as freezing, drying and canning. Know where to access current information for successful home food preservation.