The height of the barbecue season is definitely the weekend of July 4th! If you're not quite sure what to prepare, we gathered some of the best recipes from around the web to put together the DinnerBeat 4th of July Barbecue Meal Plan!

Start off with some delicious potato salad! This creamy and cool Southern Style Potato Salad (with egg, sweet relish and mustard) goes well with savory grilled meat. You might have guests that are counting their calories, so skip the mayo and prepare this Red Wine Vinaigrette Pasta Salad for your weight-conscious guests. A barbecue isn't complete without coleslaw - go for the traditional recipe or give it an oriental twist with this Asian Coleslaw recipe.

People love dips with chips or veggies, but rather than reaching for a jar or can of ready-made stuff at at supermarket, why not impress your friends by making your own? Try this simple Sour Cream and Onion Dip. If you're feeling adventurous, you can make this yummy Crab and Artichoke Dip.

Now it's time for the main event! Hotdogs and hamburgers are the most common barbecued meats on the grill and can be bought from the store. If you're a DIY kind of guy (or gal), then make your own spicy Firecracker Burger. If you're tired of the usual plan beef burger, mix it up with this Gourmet Burger which tops it off with a tasty portobello mushroom. This Memphis Style Ribs recipe will have your mouthwatering, while this simple Pork Ribs recipe will have your licking your fingers!

Finally, it's time for dessert! What's more American than apple pie? Nothing, of course! This scrumptious classic Apple Pie will make you nostalgic. If you love cake decorating, the this fun Flag Cake, decorated with strawberries, blueberries and marshmallows will be great way to finish your 4th of July barbecue!

Labels: Grill

Summer’s here and the time is right for… grilling vegetables? Yes, you read right, grilling vegetables. Most people when they think of summertime cuisine never place vegetables on the grill. They’re to be found in a side salad, a bowl of coleslaw, or as “dressing” for a burger. And on special occasions they may make an appearance between chunks of meat on a shish kabob.

Thanks to the growing vegetarian population, grills aren’t just for meat anymore. There are endless recipes for cooking fruits and vegetables outdoors.

Probably the most popular “burger replacement” are Portobello mushroom caps. They can be marinated or not and eaten just like a meat burger. If the mushroom caps are not marinated, just brush them with oil while grilling so they won’t become dry. Then just put the mushroom in a bun with all the condiments (and, yes, even lettuce and tomato).

But what if you wish to barbeque? Well, there are many vegetable alternatives to spare ribs, but none more versatile than the vegetarian standby of tofu. Yes, tofu.

There is a trick to preparing tofu for the grill, lest it gets stuck to the grates. First, you must use extra firm tofu. Soft or just firm tofu will fall apart and melt into the charcoal. The extra firm tofu will then need to be very well pressed. No matter how well pressed the packaging claims the tofu is, press it again when you get it home. You might also want to freeze and thaw your tofu so that it will absorb more of the marinade flavour.

Speaking of marinade, you will need to marinade your tofu for at least half an hour before you grill it. Any barbecue marinade recipe or store bought marinade will work. Prepare your grill by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray. Now you are ready to grill tofu (cook six to seven minutes each side while brushing occasionally with extra marinade).

Of course, the grill offers endless possibilities for vegetable cooking. The trick is in understanding that vegetables do not cook the same way that meat does.

• Asparagus: needs to be soaked in water for 30 minutes before grilling. Brush with oil and turn every minute while on the grill until the tips start to turn brown.

• Bell Peppers: needs to be brushed with oil and cooked 2-3 minutes each side

• Tomato: cut in half, top to bottom then brush with oil and grill with the cut side down for 2-3 minutes.

• Pineapples: cut into rings and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar
• Apples or Pears: slice in half and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar (or drizzle with maple syrup)
• Broccoli and Cauliflower: these work better on kabobs. Soak in water for 30 minutes before cooking and then brush with oil (cook 2-3 minutes)

• Garlic: use a whole bulb. Cut off the root end of the bulb and brush with olive oil. Place the cut side down over a “hit” of fire. Grill for 10 minutes or until the skin turns brown.

• Eggplant: smaller eggplants need to be cut lengthwise and larger ones can be cut into disks. The eggplant needs to be soaked in water for 30 minutes before grilling and brushed with oil while cooking (2-3 minutes). Great with marinade or BBQ sauce!

Be creative. Grilled vegetables can be eaten as an entrée, side dish, or dessert. Bon apatite!

Labels: Grill, Vegetarian

Summer is almost here and that means it's grilling season! Backyard pool parties, Fourth of July celebrations, beach blow-outs - we barely need any reason to fire up the grill this season! Before you do light up the barbeque, we here at DinnerBeat have scouted the best of the best grilling tips, tricks and recipes on YouTube:

1) Grilling Corn of the Grill
Chef Jason Hill shows us the proper (and delicious!) way to grill corn on the cob!


2) BBQ Pizza
Pizza on a grill? You'll be surprised how easy it is to grill a pizza, by turning it into an old-fashioned brick oven!




3) How to Cook Vegetables : Grilling Asparagus
Kitchen Manager Chris Marconi gives us some tips on how to cook some yummy asparagus.




4) Cooking Tips : How to Use Oil When Grilling
This video from Expertvillage.com has some excellent advice on how to properly use oil when grilling.


5) The Rookie Cook: Grilling Burgers

Burgers are the king of the barbeque and the Rookie Cook will show us the best way to prepare and cook a burger!

Labels: Grill