This Labor Day, grill your side dishes
Firing up the grill is a great way to enjoy summer’s last fling. Choosing a main dish such as burgers or chicken makes the meal easier, but if someone is left inside cooking side dishes they may miss out on the fun. Instead, try making some side dishes on the grill that are something deliciously different.
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Grilled Lemon Garlic Mushrooms
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 pound large fresh mushrooms
In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, parsley, oil, garlic and pepper; set aside. Grill mushrooms, covered, over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Brush generously with lemon mixture. Turn mushrooms; grill until tender, about 5 to 8 minutes longer. Brush with remaining lemon mixture before serving. Makes 4 servings.
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Grilled Potatoes and Onions
4 medium baking potatoes
1 small onion, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup zesty Italian salad dressing
Cut each potato into 5 slices. Place onion between slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reassemble each potato; place on a double layer of heavy-duty foil (about 12-inches square).
Pour 3 tablespoons of salad dressing over each potato. Wrap foil around potatoes and seal tightly. Grill, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 50 to 60 minutes. Makes 4 servings.
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Grilled Cabbage
1 small head cabbage
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 teaspoons butter
Cut the cabbage into 4 wedges and remove the core. Place the wedges on a piece of aluminum foil large enough to wrap the cabbage. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper; top each wedge with 1 teaspoon of butter. Seal cabbage in the foil. Grill, covered, over medium heat until tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
To get the best flavor from grilled vegetables, rub the vegetables with olive oil or vegetable oil or toss them with a light marinade prior to grilling.
Large vegetables cut into bite-size pieces cook well on skewers. Vegetable baskets--hinged wire baskets designed for the grill--are excellent for cooking small vegetables that might otherwise fall off skewers. Instead of turning skewers, you simply invert the basket.
For an easy grilled dessert, peel and core large apples and cut them into quarters. Brush with melted butter and grill over indirect heat until softened, about 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
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