When outdoor grilling there are a few simple things to remember in order to avoid any contamination of food. Any marinated food should be kept in the refrigerator (not on the counter) to prevent giving bacteria a chance to grow. Set some marinade aside at the beginning, and never reuse any marinade that has been used on raw meat. Always keep vegetable and fruits separate from raw meat; utensils and plates should also be washed before using. Be sure to properly cook all meats. Serve food immediately, so hot foods don’t have too much time to cool and to start growing bacteria. Perishable foods should not be left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours, and if the outdoor temperature is more than 85 degrees or hotter serve within an hour.

Grilling vegetable is an excellent way to bring out seasonal flavors. Vegetables and fruits such as; eggplant, bell peppers, summer squashes, sweet onions, roma or cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, mangoes, pineapple or peaches are all excellent choices for grilling. Cut vegetables into half inch slices or large chunks. Brush with some olive oil (may be seasoned with garlic or other selected herbs). Grill the vegetables until tender, turning only once. Fruit should be halved with pits removed, and grilled until tender (no oil is needed), with the pulp side down. Vegetable cooking sprays or small amounts of oil will prevent the vegetables from sticking (avoid spraying vegetable near lighted grill). Marinating the vegetable beforehand also makes the vegetables easier to handle and less likely to stick to your grill surface.

Grilling corn on the cob cooked in the cornhusks (without the corn silk) is a unique and tasty alternative to boiled corn. Peel back cornhusks and put butter and herbs around the corn. Fold over cornhusks and tie with kitchen string. Grill the corn for approximately thirty minutes, remembering to turn the corn about three times.

A simple and elegant meal might consist of a grilled pizza and some grilled fruit crisp for dessert. To grill a pizza use a store bought Italian bread shell cover with pesto, thinly sliced plum tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, kalamata olives and basil (drizzling olive oil over top). Use tin foil folded in half placing the pizza on top folding up the edges of tin foil up to the edges of the pizza. Using the indirect method of grilling, grill the pizza for about 10 minutes. For the grilled fruit crisp dessert, mix peaches, pineapple tidbits and brown sugar spooning into a metal baking foil pan. Then combine larger amounts of brown sugar, flour and butter with a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkling over top of fruit mixture. Grill about fifty minutes (indirect grilling method) or until hot and bubbly, serve with ice cream if desired.

Outdoor grilling is a convenient and nice alternative to cooking indoors. The options of menus are limitless. Grilling is one of the easiest and most tantalizing low fat ways of cooking. Whether you stick to the time honored steak and burgers or go for something a bit more adventurous, grilling is always a tasty and enjoyable way to be outdoors with family and friends.