Time to Fire up the Grill!

By Kilah Hemesath, Latham Hi-Tech Seeds Marketing Intern

The grilling aroma has been filling the fresh spring air on days we’ve been blessed with warm weather! Hamburgers, hotdogs and brats are always popular choices but switching it up can be fun.

Pizza and shish kabobs are some of my favorite foods to grill. When grilling pizza, my family has found it works best to put the pizza on a baking stone or tinfoil. Cooking the crust halfway in the oven before adding the toppings helps ensure an evenly cooked pizza. It also gives the pizza some structure, making it easier to transfer it to and from the grill.

Once we transfer the pizza to the grill, we put the lid down and cook it for about 20 minutes at approximately 250º F. Today I’m sharing the pizza crust recipe we’ve successfully used on the grill.

Pizza Crust

1 cup warm water
1 pkg yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 1/2- 3 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp olive oil

Mix yeast, sugar, oil and warm water together. Set till foamy. In a mixing bowl, add 1 1/2 cup flour and salt. Mix until smooth. Continue adding 1/4 cup flour at a time until reaches the consistency that you like. (I usually add about 2 cups total.) Knead about 3-5 mixtures, or until tacky. Coat the inside of the mixing bowl with 1/2 tsp olive oil. Place dough in bowl and cover for about 1 1/2 hours. Press in greased pan. Bake at 450 until slightly brown.

What’s better than eating food on a stick? (Just thinking about food on a stick reminds me of the state fair, and that certainly brings back a lot of memories!) My favorite summer food is shish kabobs. One of the best things about kabobs is that you can make them your own way! I love putting peppers, onions, mushrooms and squash on a stick with the chicken. We’ve found it helps the veggies stay on the stick if we begin and end with a piece of meat. We also marinate the chicken for a day before we grill it.

Here’s our “go-to” sweet marinade for shish kabobs.

Chicken marinade recipe

1/2 c. ketchup
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp salt

Combine these ingredients. Marinate 2 pounds of meat (chicken or beef) in this sauce overnight.

Some suggestions for kabobs:pineapple, zucchini, mushrooms, boiling onions, green peppers. Grill 15-20 minutes.

Grilling sweet corn has always been on my list that I need to try! There are endless flavors and styles of grilled sweet corn, which can also make a great summer dish because of the bright yellow color. Give these food items a try when you are looking to veer away from the typical grill-out food. Embrace the nice weather and everything it entails, and start grilling!