Great Grilling Recipes

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

23 May 2009 05:36 PM

This weekend marks the unofficial start of the summer season, and what better way to celebrate than to get grilling. Grilled dishes can turn an ordinary meal into a gourmet feast. Fortunately, you don't have to be a top chef to create the following scrumptious recipes. Simply dust off your grills, grab some basic ingredients and get cooking:

RED HOT PEPPER BURGERS

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1/4 cup your favorite chunky salsa

4 jalapeno peppers

4 hamburger buns, split

1/4 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

2 tablespoons sliced pitted ripe olives

Directions:

Combine ground beef and 1/4-cup salsa in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Lightly shape into four thin patties.

Place one pepper in center of each patty, wrap beef around pepper to enclose, sealing seams and forming ball. Flatten balls into patties. Patties should be about 1-inch thick.

Place patties on grill over medium hot heat. Grill, uncovered, 15 to 16 minutes to medium doneness, until beef is not pink in center.

Top burgers with tomato and olives before serving on buns.

BACON RANCH BURGERS

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 tablespoon dry Ranch dressing mix

4 slices Cheddar cheese

8 slices cooked bacon

4 hard rolls

One bottle Ranch Salad Dressing

Directions:

Combine ground beef and dry Ranch dressing mix. Mix together lightly.

Form the meat mixture into 4 patties.

Cook burgers on the grill. When the burgers are just about done, top with cheese. Let cheese melt.

Toast rolls on grill, and then spread ranch dressing on both sides of the roll.

Top burger with lettuce, tomato, two slices of bacon and the top of the roll.

SIMPLE GRILLED VEGGIES

Ingredients:

Yellow and green zucchini

Eggplant

Mushrooms

Roma tomatoes

Asparagus

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Minced Garlic

Parsley

Directions:

Coat vegetables with virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic and parsley, then grill for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally.

Eat with steak, burgers or grilled chicken OR:

Make a grilled antipasto platter with different cheeses, such as fresh mozzarella, sharp provolone, Asiago, or Fontina.

Mix the grilled vegetables with pasta and fresh mozzarella.

Pair the eggplant slices with sliced sharp provolone cheese to create a tasty Panini.

Serve the grilled asparagus with shredded Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago cheese.

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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