Grilling ideas

As many of you know, we're living in a camper now until our house is finished, so cooking is an adventure, to say the least. To avoid heating the small space up, I've been trying to grill more. However, we're not huge meat eaters. Does anyone have any good ideas for meals on the grill that are heavy on vegetables? I've been cedar planking salmon, and did fish and veggie packets last night, but more ideas will improve the variety!

This might be a bit heavier than you like but is my all time favorite thing to grill.

Pork Tenderloin Surprise Package

Ingredients for 6 servings


12 thick-cut slices bacon
1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin, cut into 6 slices about 1 1/2 thick
1 medium-size onion, cut into 6 slcies about 1/4 inch thick
1 large tomato, cut into 6 slices about 1/2 inch thick ( I don't like cooked tomatoes, so I get some big mushroom caps and slice them and use in place of the tomato)
1 medium-size yellow, green, or red bell pepper, cut in 6 pieces
Last but not least (are ya ready for this) 6 slices provolone cheese

For each package, cross 2 bacon slices and place a pork slice in center where bacon slices cross. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Top pork with an onion slice, a tomato slice(or mushroom), and a bell pepper piece. Bring bacon slices around stack and secure on top with wooden or metal pick. Make sure if your using a wooden pick to soak it in water to keep it from burning in the cooking process. Repeat to assemble remaining packages.

Arrange packages in center of cooking grate. Use the indirect cooking method with a drip pan under the bundles. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of meat registers 160 degrees F. This takes about 40 to 50 minutes for medium. About 5 minutes before meat is done, top each package with a slice of cheese. This envelops the meat & veggies making it a surprise package for your guests.

Makes 6 servings.

This is one of my all time favorite things to grill

Thanks wino.....any wino is a friend of mine!

You're right; that is a little heavier than we normally eat, but it's a method that I can vary to suit our habits! I will probably use about half as much bacon and cheese, and give it a try. I definitely like the sub of the mushrooms for the tomato.

Anyone who is fond of winos is OK by me too! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />

I love the recipe the way I have been using it and really haven't thought to vary it other than the mushrooms, however I would love to hear what variations you come up with. Now you have the wheels turning.. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />

When our oven died I discovered that you can make ANYTHING on the grill...I've baked bread, made brownies, you name it! When the oven was fixed I still didn't use it for most of the winter- we made Christmas dinner (turkey breast) on the grill last year. But our absolute FAVORITE is grilled pizza, and it's easier & quicker than you'd think. If you'd like recipes for crust(though some supermarkets sell dough) or sauce or instructions, let me know.

Also, baked potatoes are SOOOO much better on the grill! Coat with a very thin layer of butter & sprinkle with a teensy bit of kosher or sea salt (I use very little because I cook extremely low fat/salt), then wrap in foil, put on the top rack of the grill & forget about 'em for at least an hour. Poke through foil with a fork to test doneness.

We grill everything from Romaine lettuce for grilled Caesar salad to asparagus, tomatoes, spaghetti, and potato salad. Glad to provide any info you'd like! ENJOY... grilled is the BEST!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

I have grilled pizza, but totally forgot about it, so thank you for the reminder!

I saw a recipe for a grilled WATERMELON salad on the Food Network the other night. Can't remember the lady's name--the one with the dark hair who often wears it in pigtails.. It was arugula (maybe??) on the bottom, then slabs of watermelon which had been dabbed with olive oil and grilled, then goat cheese and balsamic vinegar, which had been boiled down and reduced. It looked fantastic!

Here's the recipe. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/grilled-watermelon-salad-recipe/index.html

Also, look at most anything Bobby Flay does, as he is a wonderful grill guy!!

One of my favorites is grilled shrimp. I really like a teriyaki marinade, so I pour some of that on the shrimp skewers and continue brushing the marinade on while it's cooking. Also love veggie skewers with mushrooms, onions, grape tomatoes, peppers, etc.

We've had grilled watermelon salad and it was FABULOUS!! I didn't grill the watermelon enough (too impatient) & used feta because I don't care for goat cheese. The salty cheese is awesome with the sweet melon!

Carol, I saw that one too! As soon as my mother=in-law's garden produces watermelon, that will be on my grill!

We like to do a simple asparagus and fish on the grill. Marinate the asparagus in olive oil and some fresh lemon juice for a while beforehand, and it depends if its the thick or thin variety for the timing (of putting it on before or at the same time as the fish.) Maybe just some of the fresh lemon and salt & pepper on the fish. Good and simple. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

Just received an email from Taste of Home with this recipe. Looks good and sounds like a recipe you're looking for:

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich
Ingredients

1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 medium sweet red pepper, quartered
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup prepared Italian salad dressing
1 loaf ciabatta bread (14 ounces), halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the zucchini, pepper, onion and salad dressing. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Drain and discard marinade.
Brush cut sides of bread with oil; set aside. Place vegetables on grill rack. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until crisp-tender. Remove and keep warm. Grill bread, oil side down, over medium heat for 30-60 seconds or until toasted.
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, peel and garlic. Spread over bread bottom; sprinkle with cheese. Top with vegetables and remaining bread. Cut into four slices. Yield: 4 servings.

I have a Traeger Smoker\Grill and love the pizzas I make on it. I will PM you for sauce and dough recipes.

Georgia,
I love to make grilled Eggplant...
Slice eggplant aqbout 1/2 inch thick, lengthwise...
Brush liberally with Garlic flavored olive oil...
Grill over meduim heat, or indirect heat, til done... YUMMMM!
Finished product, combined with marinara sauce and provalone & mozzarella on a sub roll makes a great eggplant sandwich!

I was lost once you stated not big meat eaters, oh well, no help from me.
Cheers,
Todd

Georgia, how about grilled asparagus? nothing easier!
just brush with Garlic Olive Oil and a little S&P... Yummmmm!
for a real treat, serve with some Knoor's Hollandaise Sauce!
also really easy!

Todd, one of your steaks would feed both of us for at least a month!!

Brian, yes, I grill asparagus often. Love it!

Have you thought of Polenta or Tofu? We're having guests next month who are vegetarians so I've been collecting a few recipes. The latest issue of Food and Wine has several good recipes.

Carol,
I agree with you about Bobby Flay. Have eaten at Bolo and Mesa Grill. Bought Boy Meets Grill when we first got place in SXM. Fabulous resource.
I used to grill a melange of veg: cherry tomatos, asparagus, red onions etc with Mango marmalade glazed chicken skewers. Excellent, light and flavorful!
Cheers
irina

Sounds v.g. Irina. Please post the recipe for Mango marmalade glazed chicken skewers! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Just got this in an email and thought of your request here.

http://www.finecooking.com/slideshows/me...gn=fine-cooking

Hey Georgia, nothing can beat a good grilled portobello mushroom!
I like to grill them stuffed with a crabmeat stuffing! only have to grill on the bottom side!
or I stuff them with a "meat loaf" blend!

I par-cook any stuffings before I stuff the mushrooms and grill...

By the way, we did make this Sunday night and it was a big hit!

Well, I grilled pizza last night and it was very close to a total disaster. I just used a packaged mix for the dough, since I don't have all my tools in this kitchen. The dough was fine, but when I grilled it on the one side, it was too thin and ended up with a huge hole in the middle. No problem, I just threw a slice of deli ham over the hole before I put the sauce on. I made a white sauce and added some feta, spread that all over, then topped it with some marinated artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, chopped spinach, and mozzarella. I have made this same pizza at home hundreds of times. However, not having my pizza peel here made getting it back on the grill a little challenging...Lost some cheese on the way and had to do a little reassembly. No real problem though, until it was time to take it off the grill, again without the pizza peel. Just so you know, those plastic cutting board sheets aren't grill-proof, even a little bit. Not that I intended for it to actually touch the grill, but things happen....Anyway, we did manage to get it off the grill and onto our plates. Not the best pizza I've made, but edible. I think I'll go out and pick up a pizza peel before I make another one! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

I grill pizzas and also cook them in a smoker. I have used the roll out rectangular pizza dough found in the dairy section and it is pretty decent. I also use a cookie sheet, build the pizza on it and then the cookie sheet with the pizza goes onto the grill. To me, they are much better than oven baked home made pizzas.

Instead of the sheet pan... try a pizza stone in the grill or smoker!

Nothing makes a better crust than to cook it directly on the grates of the grill.

When we make lots of them "production style" we use rimless cookie sheets as pizza peels, so we don't have to own 6 pizza peels! Just sprinkle some cornmeal onto it before placing the raw crust on it & it'll slide right onto the grill. Taking it off the grill you can just lift the edge of the crust and jam the pan under it & it comes right off.

That's my normal procedure, using the peel instead of the pan as I usually only make one. However, this time my dough was a little stickier, and I forgot the cornmeal for the second side. At least the process was entertaining!

what's a pizza peel? never heard of that before...

It's a large wood paddle with a handle that you slide the pizze off into an oven or on a grill.

I'm getting better at the grilling game!

I made some delicious grilled veggies on Monday, by cutting zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and red bell pepper into cubes and marinating them for several hours in olive oil and vinegar salad dressing. I grilled them in my grill wok for around 20 minutes and they were delicious.

Last night I grilled pizza, using the leftover veggies as my inspiration. I used prepared whole wheat dough from Harris Teeter, which I grilled on one side to give it some body. Then I flipped it over and spread on a sauce made from a can of Rotel and a roasted orange bell pepper, whirled up in the mini-processor, and topped the pizza with real bacon bits, the leftover grilled veg, some goat cheese, and fresh Thai basil leaves from my herb garden. Since the dough was almost cooked, it just took a few minutes on the grill to heat the toppings and melt the cheese. Tasty!

Recently we've started grilling pineapple rings, basted with Yoshida's Gourmet Sauce (teriyaki works). They are sweet and savory, and go great with meat that doesn't have a high fat content like grilled pork loin steaks or medallions of venison.

I love the Yoshido's Teriyaki sauce but I can not find it around here anywhere! We use to buy big bottles at Sam's Club but it has been at least 5 years since we have seen it. Can you tell me where you get it from?

Orange Burst - We get it at Costco here in Maryland.
Any thick Teriyaki sauce will work.

Thanks I will check at Costco, we have found others that we like but Yoshidos was our favorite.

There's lots available online! Just do a GOOGLE Search!
for example: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=160607880258

We buy squares of foccacia bread, and grill it with goats cheese, arugula, balsamic vinegar and herbs. Makes a great gourmet type pizza, and a great appetizer.

Have you tried grilling cheese?

3 different ideas:

[color:"blue"]Halloumi[/color]
Cut the cheese into slices 1/4 inch thick, and brush it with olive oil. Place on a medium-hot grill, and cook two minutes per side, or until it is golden brown. Drizzle with lemon juice, and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint

[color:"orange"]Provoleta,[/color] (from Argentina)
A slap of provolone cheese is lightly brushed with olive oil, dusted with oregano, salt and pepper and grilled until it's crisp on the outside and gooey on the inside.

[color:"red"]Grilled Roasted Red Peppers Stuffed With Cheese[/color]
this is definitely a method with which to experiment with different cheeses and wrappings.

Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients
4 large roasted red peppers, drained well and dried (may need more to enclose the cheese)
4 (1-inch) thick slabs scamorza or provolone cheese, a few inches wide smoked gouda, young, asiago, fontina are a few more ideas... use whatever firm cheese you like
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
A handful finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried or whatever dried herbs you have on hand
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Kitchen twine, cut into 4 (8-inch) lengths, soaked in water

Directions
Slice the peppers open and reserve. Add the cheese to a shallow dish and sprinkle with the red pepper flakes, parsley, oregano, a little lemon zest, lemon juice and a liberal drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Toss to coat the cheese chunks in the marinade. Wrap each chunk in a roasted pepper and tie with twine to make a bundle. You can wrap the cheese in slices of store bought marinated eggplant or prosciutto, marinated zucchini ribbons; etc.

Heat grill pan or outdoor grill to medium, and grill the bundles until the peppers are evenly charred and cheese is browning at edges, about 8 to10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

The Admiral got me a grilling rack for stuffed Jalepenos.
You core them out from the stem end and stuff them with everything bad you can think of... like cheese, sausage, and crumbled bacon.
Then you grill them in their special rack over low heat for 30 minutes or so. Even better ... a couple of hours in a smoker.

would love it if you'd post your pizza dough recipe! we're just getting into grilling our own pizza (with store bought dough) and wish we had started sooner. so good.

gakaye- ina has an excellent grilled shrimp recipe. it's one of my go to recipes for parties and is always a hit. there is a mango salsa recipe as a compliment. i don't think it's posted in the link below, but it's in her cookbook. (do you have it?)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/grilled-herb-shrimp-recipe/index.html

Sure! ...would you prefer white or wheat? Our recipe for white is a quick food-processor blend while our wheat recipe is a standard dough that I make in the stand mixer. Both have to rise twice, so the only real difference is about 2 minutes mixing time & the equipment!

But you could undoubtledly make either one with either method or by hand. Let me know & I'll post it up!

please post both if you don't mind. thanks!