Grilling Fruit

If you've gotten away from your Pilates lately, I have a 4th of July treat for you. While everyone else is gorging themselves on pies, cakes and ice cream treats, we'll enjoy grilled fruit. Fruit is perfect for grilling because it's so easy and it is made up of water and sugar. By grilling it you can concentrate the flavors by reducing the water and caramelizing the natural sugars. All you need sliced fruit, water, and cooking oil to make the most basic grilled fruit. What you will get is a quick and easy addition to any meal whether it is as an appetizer, side dish, or dessert.

Hard fruits like apples, pears, and pineapples are the easiest to prepare since they hold their shape and texture while cooking.

Softer fruits like peaches, nectarines, plums and mangos will become soft and mushy if overcooked. You will need to be more attentive of these kinds of fruit. Either way, pick a fresh firm fruit that is just short of being perfectly ripe. You will want a fruit that is solid enough to hold together and maintain its texture on the grill. With many fruits you can simply cut them in half.

Split bananas lengthwise and cut apples, pears and similar fruits down the middle and remove the seeds and core. Typically, with most fruits you can leave the peels on. This helps hold them together whether you eat the skin or not. Large fruits and citrus should be cut into slices to expose the flesh to the flame.

Once you have cut the fruit, soak it in water to maximize the amount of liquid inside the fruit so it stays juicy on the grill. Use enough cold water to completely cover the fruit and add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to each cup of water to preserve its color. Let fruits soak in the lemon water for 20 to 30 minutes. If you need to, add ice to keep the water cold. It is best to grill fruit over medium heat on a very clean cooking grate. Nothing will ruin the flavor of fruit like left over drippings from the last batch of hamburgers you made. So, make sure to clean the grate before using.

To keep the fruit from sticking to the grill, lightly spray them with cooking oil or brush them with melted butter. Many oils, like olive oil have too strong of a flavor for fruit, so pick something that will compliment but not overpower it. This basic process will give you flavorful grilled fruit that will be perfect for any course.

To step up the flavor of the fruit, try adding spices to the water the fruit soaks in and increasing the soaking time. Simply throwing a stick of cinnamon into a bowl of soaking apples will enhance its flavor. You can also add spices like nutmeg, allspice, cloves, or ginger to the melted butter used to brush the fruit with. Since fruit is naturally high in sugar you won’t typically need to add any. If you do want it sweeter you can dust the fruit with brown sugar, but be careful because sugars burn quickly and easily.

Now to really add something to grilled fruit. Try marinating them in a combination of your favorite spices and your favorite alcohols. A mixture of rum, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg will make a truly fantastic set of pineapple slices perfect for topping with vanilla ice cream. Be careful when they hit the grill though, because the rum will cause a spectacular and immediate flare-up, something that is sure to impress the guests.

Grilled fruits have such a delicious flavor that you can add them to virtually any dish. Try grilling apple slices for your next apple pie. Or grill plums, puree them, and combine with tomato sauce and jalapenos for a fruit-based barbecue sauce. Let your imagination run wild and you’ll find what a great addition grilled fruits can be.

Grilled Pineapple: This tropical fruit is delicious sliced and grilled until lightly caramelized. Select a ripe pineapple, slightly soft to the touch and with a fragrant smell. Cut off the top, slice off the tough skin, core and slice into 1-inch rounds. Grill until warm and browned. Serve along alongside grilled chicken or pork, or as a dessert.

Have a fantastic 4th of July!!!!

Grilling Vegetables

When my husband and I first started dating, the only vegetable in his bubble was corn. Naturally, I took out a hat pin and popped that bubble and told him corn was a starch. He fell madly in love with me for saving him and pleaded with me to marry him. Nah, just kidding about bubble popping, but corn was his only vegetable. Anyway, disguising the taste of veggies is the easiest way to get him to eat them. Plus, guys will eat just about anything that's been cooked outdoors and I personally like food that is cooked outdoors because it's less mess I have to clean up.


Grilling vegetables is easy. The basic rule is to cut them into pieces that will cook quickly and evenly. All pieces should be of consistent thickness and no more than about 3/4 to 1 inch thick.
A neat little trick I learned is to soak the vegetables in cold water for about 30 minutes before grilling them to keep them moist. Pat them dry and then brush lightly with oil to prevent sticking to the grill or grill basket.


Do not over cook and you'll have vegetables better than you thought possible.
If you like grilling vegetables and want to try smaller things use a grilling basket to keep them out of the fire.


Asparagus - Hold at each end and gently bend until the spear breaks. This will be your guide to cut the remaining spears in the bunch. Soak in water for 30 minutes, pat dry and brush with olive oil or for a twist, brush with vegetable oil with a few drops of sesame oil added and brush on spears). Season with a little salt and black pepper. Place on grill, turning every minute. Remove when tips start to turn brown.



Bell Peppers - Cut through the middle of the pepper top to bottom. Remove stems, seeds and whitish ribs. Brush lightly with oil and grill for 2-3 minutes on each side.



Chili Peppers - Brush with oil. Grill whole on each side, 2-3 minutes. To reduce the heat, cut off the stems and pull out the seeds.



Corn on the cob - Gently pull back the husks but don't remove. Remove the silk and cut off the very end. Soak in cold water for about 30 minutes. Dry and brush with butter. Fold the husks back down and tie or twist the ends. Place on top rack of grill for about 15 to 20 minutes. Turn to avoid burning. Another method is to de-husk and clean the corn, place on a piece of aluminum foil, place two pats of cold butter on the foil with the corn. Sprinkle the corn with garlic powder and Parmesan cheese. Wrap the corn tightly and grill on upper rack for 15-20 minutes.



Eggplant - Peel and cut lengthwise for smaller eggplants or in disks top to bottom for larger eggplants. Soak in water for 30 minutes. Pat dry, brush with oil and grill 2-3 minutes.



Garlic - Take whole bulbs and cut off the root end. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and black pepper and place cut side down over a hot fire. Grill garlic bulbs for about 10 minutes or until the skin is brown.



Mushrooms - Wipe off dirt with a damp towel. Place clean shrooms in a disposable foil bread pan, add 3/4 stick of butter, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Place pan on top rack of grill and let butter melt while the rest of your goodies are cooking. OR Brush portabella mushroom caps with oil and grill for about 10 minutes.



Onions - Remove skin and cut horizontally about 1/2 inch thick. Brush with oil and grill 3-4 minutes.



Tomatoes - (Technically a fruit) Cut in half, top to bottom. Brush with a light coating of oil, sprinkle cut side with salt and black pepper and grill cut side down 2-3 minutes.



Potatoes - Wash thoroughly and dry. Rub with oil. Wrap in aluminum foil and grill 35-40 minutes, turning occasionally.



Zucchini and small squash - Slice 1/2 inch thick rounds or cube. Brush with oil, season with salt and black pepper. Grill 2-3 minutes per side.

Grilling Sauces

The quintessential summer holiday is upon us. Ok, really it's time to panic. Hordes of people are coming over and we know we're going to grill, but WHAT are we grilling? I've been asking A.J. this for a couple of weeks now and all I get is, "Let me get back to you.". He's a kind of fly by the seat of his pants type person...he calls it spontaneous, I call it procrastination. I was going through my recipes looking for ideas of things we've done in the past that came out really good and for a few new things. So here goes...

Lemon Steak Sauce for Burgers

1/3 cup A-1 steak sauce
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon McCormick Montreal Grill Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In small bowl, combine steak sauce, lemon peel, garlic, grill seasoning, and olive oil; brush on both sides of burgers. Grill burgers over medium heat on each side until done, brushing with sauce occasionally.

Grilled London Broil Sauce -

3 teaspoons McCormick Montreal Grill Seasoning
1/2 cup Kraft Mayo
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Scallions finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In large shallow dish combine mayonnaise, soy sauce, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, scallions. ginger and grill seasoning. Add steak, turning to coat. Cover, refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Grill or broil about 6 inches from source of heat, turning once, 25 to 30 minutes or until desired doneness. Slice diagonally across grain.

Grilled Honey-Garlic for Pork (Tenderloin or Ribs) -

3 teaspoons Pork Seasoning
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup Teriyaki Sauce
2 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Scallions finely chopped

Combine marinade ingredients and pour over tenderloin/ribs in heavy plastic bag, seal. Refrigerate 2-24 hours. Prepare covered grill with drip pan in center banked by medium-hot coals. Remove tenderloin/ribs from marinade, reserve marinade. Grill pork 12-15 minutes, turning once and basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Discard remaining marinade.

Grilled Portabella Mushrooms (Also Great for Trout or Talapia!) -

3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 bottle Italian Balsamic Vinegar Salad Dressing
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
2 teaspoons Emeril's Essence
3 dashes Crystal or Louisiana Hot Sauce

In a medium-size mixing bowl combine all the ingredients and whisk them until fully blended. Heavily brush the sauce over the Portabellas/fish. Then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and allow to marinate for at least an hour. Brush on the sauce occasionally as the mushrooms or fish grills.

Cranberry-Barbecued Chicken Wing Sauce -

1 can jellied cranberry sauce (8 ounce size)
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons prepared Creole mustard or Brown Grain Mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 teaspoons Crystal or Louisiana Hot Sauce
2 cloves of garlic minced

Place chicken wings in shallow glass dish. Mix remaining ingredients in 1-quart saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth; pour over chicken. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Remove chicken from marinade; reserve marinade. Cover and grill chicken 5 to 6 inches from medium coals 20 to 35 minutes, turning and brushing 2 or 3 times with marinade, until done.

Hope this gives your some ideas for the 4th!

Boiled Shrimp

One of the things my husband, A.J., misses most about living in New Orleans is boiled seafood. He not only enjoys eating seafood, he loves to have friends and family over on the weekends and boil pounds and pounds of shrimp, crawfish or crabs. Nothing makes him happier than sitting in our backyard on a beautiful sunny Saturday or Sunday afternoon, drinking a beer and "Picking" seafood with our friends. Once he's had his share, he'd sit back in his chair and say, "I wonder what the poor people are doing today.". In my opinion, when it comes to boiling seafood, no one can touch A.J.



Boiled Shrimp -



We used 1-1/2 lbs. of shrimp, heads off, shells and tails on. Fill a medium size pot halfway with water. Add 1/3 cup Zatarain's Crab Boil (powder form) and 1 teaspoon of Zatarain's Liquid Crab Boil to the pot. Cut one lemon in half, squeeze both halves into the water and throw in the lemons too. Add teaspoon salt, and one head of garlic, cut in half cross-wise. Now add 1/4 onion peeled. Allow the water to come to a boil, add shrimp. Allow the water to come to a boil again, remove the pot from the burner and let the shrimp soak for 5-10 ten minutes. The longer the shrimp soak, the spicier, they will be. Drain the shrimp into a colander, eat warm or chill in the refrigerator before serving.


A.J.'s favorite cocktail sauce is 1/3 cup ketchup, 1/4 teaspoon prepared horseradish, a couple of drops of fresh squeezed lemon juice and a dash of Lea & Perrins. Blend together with a fork and dip your shrimp.

Pasta Mezanotte

Pasta is my comfort food; I guess it's more chick food than anything since there's no meat in it for the guys. I'm sure there are some of you guys out there that would consider this more of a side dish than a main . I'd love to hear from the reclining chair section on this one!

This is more of a method than anything else. We're infusing olive oil with garlic and red pepper flakes. You can pick your favorite herbs and infuse the oil to your taste to make your favorite comfort pasta.

Pasta Mezanotte -


Cook 1 lb. of angel hair pasta until al-dente (about 7-9 minutes) and drain.

While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1/4 cup of extra virgin, 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes and 3 cloves of garlic thinly sliced. This is a slightly slow process to infuse the oil with the garlic flavor and the heat from the red pepper flakes. Once the oil begins to bubble around the garlic slices, turn off the heat.

Add the cooked angel hair pasta to the skillet, along with 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley. Combine and serve immediately.

Squash Casserole

Can you believe all of the wonderful vegetables and herbs in the grocery stores and probably even in your garden or your neighbor's garden this time of year? Hopefully, you're sharing with your friends and they are sharing with you. Sharing homegrown vegetables is very big in rural Appalachia. The colors are vibrant and the taste and the price can't be beat.

In the spirit of sharing, this summer squash recipe is so chock full of flavor even your vegetable hating children will love it. Our cute little 7 year old neighbor is now a squash lover.


Squash Casserole -

Wash 4 yellow summer squash or is it squashes?

Slice the ends off the squash, cube and put in a high-sided pan with about 3 cups of water and a teaspoon of salt. Simmer on medium-high heat for about 15 minutes until the squash has softened. While squash is simmering, cook three slices of smoky bacon and reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease and crumble the bacon.

Drain squash and let cool just a little.

While squash is cooling, return pan to the stove and lower heat just a notch, add the reserved bacon grease and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Add 1 medium onion finely chopped to the pan and saute for 2 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons minced garlic and saute for another minute.

Remove pan from heat, add squash, salt and pepper to taste, 2 tablespoons freshly chopped flat leaf parsley, reserved crumbled bacon, 1/2 to 3/4 cup of seasoned Italian bread crumbs, 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, 2 teaspoons Louisiana Hot Sauce, 1/4 cup of milk, 2 tablespoons of butter. Fold ingredients to thoroughly combine and then turn into a buttered casserole dish.

Sprinkle top of casserole with seasoned Italian bread crumbs, 1/4 Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a couple of pats of butter and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

I dug my spoon in the casserole before I took a picture. Sorry, I was hungry and I hadn't eaten in like 20 minutes, and it smelled so good and the way everyone was hovering when I took it out of the oven, I was afraid I wouldn't get my share.

Go make friends with your neighbors or go the grocery and get some summer squash!

Lemon Chicken

I've been really busy in the Smoky Mountain Cafe test kitchen tweaking flavorful recipes to share with all of you. I don't care much for the yellow, thick, gooey lemon sauce found lemon chicken in a lot of restaurants. This has a more delicate lemon taste and a less gooey sauce. Ok boys and girls, let's make one of the easiest and best tasting versions Lemon Chicken I've found.

Lemon Chicken -

Slice 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this strips.

Place about a cup of cornstarch in a medium size bowl.

In another bowl, mix 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon of Asian Five Spice powder. I started with one egg and wound up needing 2...so use 2 eggs.

Coat the chicken strips first dusting each strip one at a time in the cornstarch, then dredging it through the egg mixture then again in the cornstarch. Fry the strips at medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok in about 1/3 cup of vegetable or peanut oil, 3 minutes per side Be careful not to crowd the skillet. Remove the strips from the skillet to a paper towel lined platter.

While the chicken is cooking, whisk together in a medium bowl, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and 4 tablespoons tamari (aged soy sauce) or regular soy sauce and set aside. In a small bowl, mix together 1-1/2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water and set aside.

When the chicken is cooked, lower the heat just a notch and add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and 2 finely chopped shallots to the skillet and stir fry for about 30 seconds, then add the lemon/soy sauce and let it come to a boil. Once the sauce comes to a boil add the cornstarch/water mixture and stir until sauce has thickened.

Return the chicken strips to the skillet and coat the strips with the sauce. Simmer for about 5 minutes and serve. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve some fried rice (http://smokymountaincafe.blogspot.com/2008/02/asian-in-mountains.html) on the side.