5 Awesome Grilling Recipes for Summer

Before you get grilling, a word of advice: make sure your grill is in good working order before you fire it up for best results. Gas grills produce the best food when they're cleaned regularly, stored properly during the winter and occasionally inspected for malfunctioning gas grill parts that need to be replaced.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper
• 4 slices of tomato
• 1-1/3 lb lean ground beef
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 c fresh basil, chopped
• 1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 4 hamburger buns

Directions
1. Whisk the oil, vinegar, pepper and salt in a bowl. Pour over tomato slices and allow to marinate.
2. Meanwhile, preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Apply a light coating of oil to the cooking grate.
3. Combine ground beef, basil, tomato paste, garlic, Parmesan and pepper in a large bowl. Form into 4 patties.
4. Cook until burgers reach desired doneness. For well done, cook for around 5 minutes per side. Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the center reaches 160 degrees F.
5. Top each burger with mozarrella and allow to melt. Serve on buns with marinated tomato.

Ingredients

• 1/3 c Dijon mustard
• 1/4 c honey
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp steak sauce
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions
1. Preheat your gas grill to medium heat.
2. In a bowl, combine steak sauce, mayonnaise, honey and mustard. Set aside a bit of the sauce for basting the chicken as it cooks. Dip the chicken into the remaining sauce to coat.
3. Lightly oil the grill's cooking grate. Ensuring these grill parts are oiled keeps the food from sticking. Now, grill the chicken over indirect heat for up to 20 minutes, turning once or twice, or until the juice runs clear. Baste occasionally with the sauce during the final 10 minutes.

Ingredients

3 lbs lamb
12 flat pita breads
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika

Marinade:

• 1 c olive oil
• 1/4 c lemon juice
• 1/2 c dry red wine
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp dried oregano leaves

Vegetables:

• 4 tomatoes in wedges
• 2 onions in strips
• 1/2 lb cubed feta cheese
• 1/2 c olive oil
• 1/2 c red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tbsp dill, chopped
• 1 tsp dry oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Tzaziki:

• 2 c yogurt
• 1/2 c cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried mint
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:
1. Cut up lamb into 3" strips that are 1/2" thick. Combine marinade ingredients and pour over lamb pieces, allowing to chill in the fridge overnight. Turn occasionally.
2. Combine veggie ingredients and allow them to chill in the fridge overnight.
3. Skewer around 8 pieces of meat per skewer. Wooden skewers should be soaked for at least an hour beforehand.
4. To prepare tzaziki: Put the yogurt in a cheese cloth and twist to squeeze the yogurt. Put this in a colander to drain for around an hour.
5. Fire up grill and allow it to get hot. Gas grill accessories like a smoker will add a nice smokey flavor, but it isn't necessary.
6. Grill kebabs until meat is cooked through and brush often with the marinade. Remove from grill when meat is still a bit pink in the center but brown on the edges.
7. For pita: mix olive oil and paprika and brush on both sides of each pita bread. Put bread on a griddle to warm, about 1 minute on each side.
8. Serve everything warm. Wrap a pita around a kebab and pull the skewer out, then top with vegetables, feta cheese and tzaziki.

Ingredients

• 4 ears of corn, shucked
• 1/4 c melted butter
• 1/4 c mayonnaise
• 1/2 c grated cotija cheese
• 4 wedges of lime and additional toppings to taste (Parmesan cheese, cumin, red pepper, etc)

Directions
1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
2. Grill corn until it's lightly charred and hot, between 7 to 10 minutes. Roll the ears of corn in melted better then spread with mayonnaise. Sprinkle with cheese and any other toppings you like.

Ingredients

• 4 slices fresh pineapple
• 1-1/2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp cherry brandy
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Directions
1. Marinate: Combine brandy, honey and lemon in a glass dish. Add pineapple and coat well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for one hour.
2. Preheat grill to medium heat and lightly oil the cooking grate.
3. Remove pineapple from dish and throw away marinade. Place wedges right on the rack or in a grilling basket and grill for 10 minutes, turning, until pineapple is carmelized and hot.