1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, cut in half
3 artichokes
8 baby carrots, peeled
16 mushrooms, cut in half
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise
1 small red onion, cut into eights
1/2 pound small green beans, trimmed and cut in half
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Olive oil for brushing vegetable

Remove the tough outer leaves from artichokes. Cut the stem away from the artichoke, leaving about 1 inch of the stem still attached. Cut the artichokes in half and remove the choke.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the artichokes and simmer 6 minutes. Add the carrots and continue boiling for 4 minutes longer. Drain well and let cool slightly. Heat the grill to medium-high heat. While the coals are heating, heat the oil and garlic in a small saucepan until the garlic is golden, about 6 minutes. Remove the garlic with slotted spoon, chop and set aside.

Lightly oil the grill. Grill all of the vegetables on both sides until tender, but not mushy, about 8 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a large platter. Cut zucchini in large chunks. Whisk lemon juice, and cooked garlic in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Stir in basil. Add grilled vegetables, season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss to coat vegetables. Serve warm or cooled to room temperature.

Yields 4 servings

Calories 309, Total Fat 19g, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrate 37g, Protein 8g, Sodium 102mg

4 full racks pork baby back ribs, trimmed (about 6 pounds)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt to taste

Rinse ribs under cold running water and pat dry. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, lemon rind, garlic, crushed red pepper and salt to taste in small bowl until well combine. Place ribs in large bowl and drizzle olive oil mixture over the ribs and rub mixture over the ribs until well coated. Place the ribs in a large sealable plastic bag (or bags). Seal bags and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight for more flavor.

Heat the grill until medium-hot heat. Push the coals to opposite sides of the grill and set a disposable drip pan in center. If using a gas grill turn off the center burners. Remove the ribs from plastic bags and pat dry. Place the ribs on the hot grate above the drip pan and away from the coals, bony side down. Cover and grill until ribs are done, turning occasionally, for about 1 1/2 hours. Serve with your favorite sauce.

Yields 6 servings

Calories 878, Total Fat 75g, Cholesterol 228mg, Carbohydrate 1g, Protein 46g, Sodium 212 mg

8 ears corn, unhusked
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Salt to taste

Blend butter, lime juice, chili powder, lime rind, cumin, garlic powder, and cilantro and salt to taste. Pack it into a small crock or bowl; chill. Use on grilled corn.

Heat grill to medium hot. Peel off the excess husk (leaving the cob with 4 or 4 layers of husk still intact) and yank off the silk. Place the corn on the hottest part of the grill and turn 1/4 rotation every 2 to 3 minutes, as the husk starts to blacken, about 20 minutes. Peel away husk and serve with Cilantro Lime Butter.

Yields 8 servings

Calories 183, Total Fat 13g, Cholesterol 31mg, Carbohydrate 18g,Protein 3g, Sodium135mg

3 pounds chicken wings
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup butter or margarine
10 tablespoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Heat grill to medium –high heat. Season wings with salt and pepper to taste. Grill the wings until crispy and done, about 25 minutes, turning occasionally. Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in hot sauce and lemon juice. Place grilled wings in glass baking dish and pour sauce over wings. Gently toss wings in sauce to coat the wings. Let stand for about 5 minutes, so that the wings can absorb the flavor.

Yields 6 servings

Calories 372, Total Fat 30.g, Cholesterol 115 mg, Carbohydrate 1.8g, Protein 22.9g, Sodium 223mg.

3 pounds beef short ribs
1 cup water
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon grated fresh gingerroot
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Toasted sesame seeds

Combine ribs, water, soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, garlic, cayenne and gingerroot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until ribs are tender, turning occasionally. With slotted spoon, transfer ribs to platter; set aside. Add sesame oil to saucepan; bring to a boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce is reduced to 1 cup.

Cook ribs on lightly greased grill over hot coals or high setting, turning and basting occasionally with the reduced sauce, for 10 to 15 minutes or until glazed and browned. Transfer ribs to serving platter. Sprinkle ribs with the toasted sesame seeds if desired.

Yields 6 servings

Calories 714, Total Fat 62.3g, Cholesterol 126 mg, Carbohydrate 8.2g, Protein 25.0g,
Sodium 1,191mg.

1 broiler-fryer chicken (about 4 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 12-ounce can beer*
2 cloves garlic, cut in halves
2 sprigs fresh thyme

Remove neck and giblets from the chicken and discard. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towel. Combine oil chopped thyme, rosemary and minced garlic in small bowl. Rub chicken with oil mixture inside and out. Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat grill to medium-high, indirect heat (no coals or burners on directly under the chicken). Open the beer and pour half of the beer in a glass leaving beer can half full. (or drink 1/2 can) Place beer can on a solid surface. Place the garlic halves and thyme sprigs in beer can. Then place the chicken cavity over the beer can. Transfer the chicken on a beer can to your grill and place in center of the grate, balancing the chicken on its 2 legs and the can like a tripod.

Cook the chicken with the grill cover on, for approximately 1 1/4 hours or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees in the breast area and 180 degrees in the thigh, or until the thigh juice runs clear when pierced with a sharp knife. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with your favorite barbecue sauce.

Yields 4 servings

1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
4 grouper fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each and about 3/4-inch thick
2 lemons, cut in half
Tropical Salsa
1 ripe mango, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 small jalapeno, minced
Salt to taste
Toasted coconut flakes

Combine the shallots, oil, orange juice, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, cayenne and salt to taste in small bowl. Place the grouper in a large non-reactive baking dish. Pour the marinade over the fish, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

Combine the mango, pineapple, red onion, red bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno and salt to taste in a bowl and gently toss to combine. Adjust seasoning to taste. Let sit for 30 minutes before servings

Heat the grill to medium hot and lightly oil grill rack. Remove fish from the marinade and place fillets over direct high heat, with lid closed as much as possible until they are just beginning to separate into flakes and color is opaque at the center, 6 to 8 minutes, turning once after 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from grill and serve with Tropical Salsa. Garnish with toasted coconut if desired.

Yields 4 servings

Calories 440, Total Fat 17g, Cholesterol 96mg, Carbohydrate 21g, Protein 52g, Sodium 144mg.

GRILLING TIPS

1. An easy marinade is bottled Italian salad dressing or other flavors.<
2. Use long-handled tongs to turn meats and poultry, so that you don’t pierce the surface and lose the juices. This help to keep the flavorful juices inside.
3. Brush the cold grill with oil to prevent food from sticking.
4. Use tomato and sugar-based sauce only during the last 15 minutes of cooking to prevent scorching.
5. To help prevent flare-ups, trim excess fat from meat. Also keep a spray bottle of water near the grill to put out flare-ups.
6. To make your ribs tender, boil them for 30 minutes in seasoned boiling water. This will get the rib going and not dry them out. Marinade or season ribs, then cook over low heat until done, turning occasionally.
7. Wooden skewers are great for kabobs. Before using, soak them in water for 30 minutes, so that they will not char, while the food cooks. They best part you can throw them away. They are not expensive.
8. To add an interesting smoked flavor use wood chip, such as mesquite, hickory, or oak. Always soak wood chips for about 30 minutes and chunks for one or two hours. Place a few damp chips directly onto hot coals or set chips in a foil pan with a few holes in it on coals. You can also, wrap chips in heavy duty foil with a few holes.
9. Fish and seafood is wonderful when done on the grill. Don’t over cook it. Fish is naturally tender and tends to break easily when cooked so handle it carefully. Make sure to oil grill surface very well before placing fish directly on grill. If you are grilling a whole or split fish use a wire fish basket. This will make handling the fish easier.
10. Always use a heavy fire –proof oven mitt and long-handled tools. To turn foods.
11. Salt food after cooking to prevent drying them out.
12. Don’t forget to check food often when cooking, because temperatures can change at any moment.
13. To make fancy cross-hatch grill marks, lay the food on the grill for 3 to 5 minutes, (don’t disturb) then rotate food 45 degrees and grill 3 to 5 minutes longer.

1 pound elbow macaroni or pasta shapes (such as shells or penne)
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
4 cups milk
1 cup grated mild cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Colby cheese
1 cup grated, white, smoked cheddar cheese
Season salt to taste
White pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs

1. Cook macaroni as directed on package for al dente. Drain pasta. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the melted butter into small bowl and set aside.

3. Add the flour and mustard to remaining butter in the saucepan. Cook and whisk until smooth, making sure not to let flour darken. Stir in milk and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes.

4. Remove the sauce from heat. Gradually stir in the cheese. Season with seasoning salt and pepper to taste.

5. Arrange macaroni in a buttered shallow 4-quart baking dish or 9×13 rectangle dish. Pour cheese sauce over and stir to combine.

6. Add breadcrumbs to reserved butter and gently toss to moisten the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over casserole. Place casserole on baking sheet and bake until bubbling, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Yields 8 servings

Calories 442, Total Fat 27g, Cholesterol 83mg, Carbohydrate 30g, Protein 18g, Sodium 467mg.
NOTE: You can substitute 3 cups of any kind of cheese you like (such as Gruy`ere, Fontina, Muenster, Parmesan etc.), or whatever cheese mixture you like.

1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 clove garlic, mashed
1 tablespoon white or black sesame seeds

1. Cook the green beans in a large pot of boiling water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet until hot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger; cook and stir for about 1 minute. Do not let the garlic brown.

3. Add the green beans and quickly toss to coat with the seasoned oil. Continue to cook and stir until green beans are heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve hot.
Yields 4 servings
Calories 75, Total Fat 5g, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrate 8g, Protein 2g, Sodium 6mg.

1/4 pound sliced pancetta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium green cabbage,
cored and diced
1 small onion, chopped
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon
crushed red pepper
Salt to taste

1. Cook pancetta in olive oil until crisp in large saucepan; remove and drain on paper towel. Crumble.

2. Add the cabbage, onion, crushed red pepper and salt. Cook and stir until cabbage is tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.

3. Place in serving bowl and top with pancetta. Serve hot.
Yields 6 servings

Calories 67, Total Fat 4g, Cholesterol 13mg, Carbohydrate 2g, Protein 6g, Sodium 513mg.