Buffalo Wings

Buffalo Wings are one of my all time favorites for a large group of people. I generally serve these along with something else.....Brisket, Pulled Pork sandwiches, Burgers etc. I will also serve them up two different ways which tends to satisfy most everyones taste. The first way is using just a good Lemon Pepper seasoning, and the other is with a good spicy (not overly hot) wing sauce. Both can be done at the same time and on the same grill. You just have to keep a close eye on wings as they cook since the longer they cook the better the chance for flareups from your fire. You can also get the 8-10 pound bag of individually frozen wing sections, simply allow them to thaw at least enough to make sure none of the pieces are frozen together. They don't have to be completely thawed prior to cooking.

Sausage and Cheese Frittata

I have always enjoyed breakfast (and lunch and dinner) so I am very familiar with the typical omelet. A Frittata is a type of Italian omelet which is not folded and is baked in an oven or in my case a grill. It can be very simple or enriched with a number of additional ingredients such as; Bacon, Sausage, Tomato, numerous cheeses and vegetables....even pasta. I decided to give it a try and made a Sausage and Cheese Frittata. It is actually very easy to make and can be cooked in an oven or even in a grill using indirect heating. Once I got all my cheeses grated and veggies cut it was simply a matter of putting it all together and baking for about 30 minutes. I was serving 4 people so I used 10 eggs and it was more then enough. I think next time I'm going to roast a variety of vegetables and use those in it.....mmmm....can't wait.

Bacon, Pineapple, Shrimp......

Needed a quick, tasty, fancy appetizer.....mmmmmm....hey, how about Bacon wrapped Pineapple Shrimp. Easy to make.....yes. Quick......yes. Tasty...... definitely. All you need is Bacon, large to jumbo sized shrimp, and some chunk pineapple (canned or fresh). Only about 10 minute prep time and 6 minute cook time. These things will be gone in no time.

Pizza and Lasagna

I have finally decided that I have a problem....I am a smokaholic, a grill junkie.... whatever you want to call it. I want to cook almost everything on the grill. I know what your saying, "its time for an intervention". Well you may be right, but lets hold off until after the holidays.

Today I decided to have a nice simple Italian meal. One with plenty of carbs (why not, its the weekend). So we had lasagna and believe it or not, pizza. Although I really wanted to do the lasagna on the grill, I opted to make it in advance and heat it in the oven, thus leaving the grill for the pizza.

The lasagna is very simple to make and can be prepared days in advance and simply heated when you are ready for it.

Now, I am the first to admit that I live by the KISS principle, which my Dad instilled in me at a young age.....Keep It Simple Stupid. If there is a way to do something easier and shorter AND it doesn't deter from a positive outcome, then I am all for it. Because of this I decided to try an "Oven Ready" lasagna made by Skinner. No need to boil the pasta ahead of time, simply use it straight out of the box. After a little apprehension and disbelief, I was really surprised that it came out just fine.

As for the Pizza, I have definitely found that NO pizza chains pizza can hold a candle to homemade pizza on the grill. Not only is it MUCH better tasting but it is a whole lot cheaper. Seems like a no brainer to me. Although there are several sources for pizza dough; refrigerated dough, dough made from scratch or even bought from a pizza shop, I would stay away from the ready made crusts. Now that's just a personal opinion. If you live in the Dallas area, there is a great little Italian grocery store in East Dallas by the name of Jimmy's Food Store. Besides getting just about anything Italian in the way of meats, cheeses or ravioli, they also sell 20oz balls of pizza dough for $2. Each of these balls is good for two 12"-14" pizzas and can be stored in the freezer for weeks when properly wrapped.

I have also found that everyone should have a basil plant. I bought one this spring and it has tripled in size. I now have an endless supply of "FRESH" basil. Next I am getting some Thyme and Rosemary. Fresh herbs on a pizza really do improve the flavor.