Gearing up for Grilling

Aunt D has been on break but she's back now with a summer lineup that will surely make your mouth water. It’s all about the grill this summer – at least that’s my plan. Cooking outdoors is fun, the food can’t be beat and – the best part – you can avoid the never ending saga of Air Conditioner vs. Oven.

I started my grilling season off with asiago bread, bratwurst and chicken. Nothing special about any of those items, but it was my first time cooking bread on the grill. Click here for the recipe. Use a bread machine or stand mixer to make your dough, form two round loaves, cover and let rise for 20 minutes or so. I cooked it for half an hour on a stoneware pan on the top level of my grill. It turned out fabulous!

You’ll notice in the picture that I am using a cast iron griddle to cook the meat. It works wonderfully – seals in the juices instead of letting them drip away (thanks to Terri K. for the tip) and makes it easier to cook your veggies.

My little round grill, even though it has two levels, may not be up to the task. I’m definitely going to need more cooking space. Do I replace the current grill with a larger one? Or do I get another just like the one I already have? I’ll have to think about it.

My plan for next week is breakfast for dinner on the grill. Southwest scrambled eggs, home fries, grilled toast and a meat selection to be named later. Check in with me to see how that turns out!