Hot Hot Hot!

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Grill Girl

Temperatures all around the country are HOT and getting Hotter!

Whether your means of cooling down is an air-conditioner that blasts 24/7 or an open window with a fan and a desperate hope, there’s absolutely no need to heat up your living space more than necessary!

That’s right folks, avoid those ovens and stove tops like the plague! You can cook SO many things on the grill using indirect heat and some roasting pans. Today, I’m dreaming of a nice crisp salad to end my day. You know me though, as the Grill Girl, I couldn’t have a salad without a lovely grilled chicken breast, or maybe some sliced grilled steak.

Doesn’t that sound amazing?

I don’t consider myself a chef, but here’s how I would build my dinner salad:

Get that grill going and throw on your choice of protein; how about grilled steak, chicken, salmon, or even shrimp? If using chicken, pound it out a bit so it’s nice and thin. It will take less time to cook. I like to add some citrus into my foods, so drizzle fresh-squeezed lime or lemon (your choice) along with some salt onto your meat before putting it on the grill. It is summertime after all!

Start your salad with a bed of romaine. In the hot summer months, nothing compares to the cool, watery crisp of romaine lettuce. Atop that, I would add some corn. If I have leftovers from a cookout I would definitely put that to use, or just open a can of sweet corn. Then throw on some chilled cherry tomatoes and sliced avocado. Add your meat and finish off with a sprinkle of Parmesan. Then, try making your own summer dressing instead of purchasing one from the store. Fresh is best! Here’s my all time favorite:

Cilantro Lime Dressing

The ratio you need is 2:1, oil to lime juice. I use olive oil, but you could also use canola. Then, add in some chopped cilantro, salt and pepper and fresh garlic! I blend in up and it gets pretty creamy. It’s very yummy and so easy!

Ok everyone, get outside to cook! Let the grill and the sun battle it out for who’s the hottest, while you get a great meal and run back inside to keep cool.

Happy Summer Grilling!

-GG

Grilled Bacon

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Grill Girl

Have you ever been tempted to try your hand at bacon on the grill?

With the social sharing sites like Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter all loving the idea of bacon and loving the method of grilling, it’s a short jump to grilled bacon.

However, it’s definitely easier said than done!

Doesn’t a bacon wrapped burger, stuffed with cheddar cheese, grilled to perfection sound amazing?

It looks even better according to the “oh so easy” picture by picture instructions found on pinterest for this recipe. Aspiring for wife of the year, a pinterester found and attempted this recipe. It resulted in the above photo, along with a full blown grill fire, complete with singed eyebrows.

So should we toss in the grill tongs when it come to bacon on the barbie?

***If you like to play it safe, yes. Just do bacon wrapped stuff in the oven.***

If you’re set on the adventure, here are a few tips before you get started.

Do not grill bacon over open flame
- heat the grill with one burner on low and place the bacon on the opposite side, using the indirect heat to cook it.
- if using charcoal, wait until the flames die down and cook over a hot bed of coals.
Grill bacon on aluminum foil or over a pan so the grease is not dripping into the grill
Low and Slow is the way to Go
- high heat is not your friend in this situation
Use a temperature gauge to check the internal temp of the food wrapped by bacon to ensure it’s cooked.
Make sure it’s easy to cut off fuel supply to your grill in case of fire.

Even taking these precautions, please remember that bacon is a very fatty food. Grilling it creates a high likelihood of your food and/or grill catching on fire. Just be careful!

And feel free to share your triumphs OR failures with us [email protected]

Happy Grilling!
-GG

For more hilarious pinterest fails, see pinstrosity.blogspot.com

10 Things You Never Thought of Grilling

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Grill Girl

10 Things You Never Thought of Grilling, But Should

Spring has officially sprung here in the South, although we are still getting a few cold and gray days. On days like today, where it’s just chilly and drizzly enough that you don’t want to go anywhere, I often find myself daydreaming about the wonderful things I could cook if it weren’t so darn dreary outside. So while I wait for the rain to pass, I put together a list of 10 things you never thought of grilling. I thought I would share some of my favorite and slightly unorthodox things to grill with you. It’s also a great moment to remind you that you can get tons of fun accessories to make your grilling easier and better right here.

1. Pineapple and Mangoes

I know some of you are looking at me like I’m crazy right about now, but trust me on this. Cut a fresh mango into medium sized chunks. Do the same with your pineapple, or use canned pineapple chunks. Slide these on a shish kebab, alternating mango with pineapple. Grapes are nice with this too—pretty much any fruit can be used. Grill on low to medium heat for about ten minutes with your grill cover open. The fruit should start to crisp up on the outside, but remain tender on the inside. These are great for dessert or a special treat!

2. Pound cake

One of the great things about grilling is finding new ways to spice up old recipes. For a new take on an old favorite, toss a few slices of pound cake on a grill heated to high heat and cook for five minutes per side. Keep the lid down. Serve warm with fresh berries, vanilla ice cream, and drizzled with honey. For a great pound cake recipe check out this grilled pound cake recipe.

3. Peaches

Some fruits take to grilling better than others. Peaches are a fool-proof grilling fruit. For the most basic grilled peaches, cut four or five peaches in half and remove the pits. Brush each side with melted butter. Grill them on medium heat for about five minutes on each side. They should become soft and nicely charred. Grilled peaches go great with pork and can be easily spiced up and modified. Try sprinkling them with cinnamon or brushing with your favorite BBQ sauce instead of butter. The possibilities are endless! They make a great side dish to any summer meal, but go especially well with BBQ ribs.

4. Meatloaf

I’ll admit I’m not the biggest fan of leftovers. It just feels so…desolate. But when you can take a leftover and make it into a whole new meal, I’m game. Enter a grilled meatloaf sandwich. Warm up a slice of leftover meatloaf on the grill. Toast a few slices of sourdough bread alongside it, add some lettuce, tomato, and red onion, and you’ve got yourself a grilled meatloaf sandwich to please even the pickiest of eaters. If you don’t have a stand by meatloaf recipe, try this one from Food.com.

5. S’mores

This is great if you’ve got little ones who you may not want gallivanting around a fire. Kids can help assemble the s’mores before handing them off to a grown up to grill. Just sandwich a marshmallow and piece of chocolate between two graham crackers and wrap in tinfoil. Grill the tinfoil bundles four to five minutes on medium heat, or until the marshmallows have melted. In fact, we highlighted this in our Facebook Page.

6. Clams

One of my favorite parts of visiting my grandparents was going clam digging with my grandfather. We would spend all day at the beach, and when the sun set go home and grill up everything we found. Grilling clams is simple and easy, even if you decide to go with store bought clams instead of fresh caught. This recipe from Bonappetit.com is delicious, and definitely worth a try for anyone who enjoys seafood.

7. Pizza

A homemade grilled pizza is a world away from your classic delivery not-super-healthy options. Start out using a pita bread as your pizza crust. Brush each side of the pita with olive oil. Grill one side for three to four minutes on medium-high heat, then flip it over. Top this side with tomato sauce, shredded cheese, pineapple, or any topping of your choice! Cook until the cheese has melted, and enjoy!

8. Nachos

I love nachos. You can do so much with them! There’s something really exciting about taking a basic junk food and making it into a delicious, healthy meal. Grilling nachos gives them a smoky deliciousness that oven-made nachos can’t even come close to. My favorite recipe is this one from Bobby Flay for The Food Network. It’s a little more effort than you usually expect to put into nachos, but it is well worth every moment.

9. Green Tomatoes

I live in Georgia, and for better or worse this means everyone and their grandmother will be munching on fried green tomatoes for most of the spring and summer. They’re a decent little snack, but everything needs a little variety. It’s easy to grill tomatoes, and they’re much healthier grilled than fried. If you want to take your tomatoes beyond simply grilling and munching try this recipe from Good Housekeeping.

10. Artichokes

This recipe from CarolinesCooking.com requires a little more than just tossing artichokes on the grill, but the effort is worth it. Grilling artichokes in the final step locks in flavor that would be lost simply boiling the artichokes, and gives them a unique texture. They go great with grilled chicken of any kind, or with fettuccine alfredo.

So, are you inspired to fire up your grill and try something new? I hope so. What was your favorite on the list of 10 things you never thought of grilling? I’m currently looking over the above and doing an inventory of the ingredients in my fridge/pantry…

I think I have stuff to makes s’mores…

Enjoy!!

-GG