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Fire Up the Grill for Dad This Weekend

Balsamic Grilled Vegetables

Father’s Day is this weekend. While dads are celebrated year around, it’s the one day to show dad how much you care. From an appetizer to dessert, why not use dad’s favorite gadget to create a meal fit for a king.

“This Grilled Pineapple and Bacon Blue Cheese Bruschetta is a variation of a tasty little appetizer I entered in a recipe contest,” shares Linda Dalton (Stoughton, MA). “It’s got lots of flavors and is sure to wake up all your taste buds.”

Linda starts by grilling the bread. Then, it’s topped with a creamy mixture of grilled pineapple, Neufchatel cheese, blue cheese, celery, raisins, and crumbled bacon. Wow, it’s packed with so much flavor. Slightly smoky, tangy, and sweet, your taste buds really do get a workout. A quick and easy appetizer recipe.

The seasoning on Adrienne Boswell’s (Glendale, CA) Roast Pork Loin with Balsamic Mustard Rub is the perfect blend. Into balsamic vinegar and oil, she mixes Creole mustard, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Rubbed all over the pork and allowed to marinate, the pork is extremely flavorful.

“I made this for Memorial Day and it disappeared,” explains Adrienne. “The meat is moist and is melt-in-your-mouth tender.” With a bit of spice, this grilled pork roast is hearty and super satisfying.

Alongside Adrienne’s pork, try Cassie Passero’s (Canon City, CO) Greek Fries and Susan Din’s (Houston, TX) Balsamic Grilled Vegetables. Both are delicious!

Cassie’s Greek Fries on the Grill are a quick way to have potatoes as your side dish. The mix of the herbs on these potatoes (thyme, rosemary, and oregano) are very good and not overpowering. The secret ingredient, in my mind, is parboiling the potatoes in beer. It gives the potatoes a little zing. They become even more flavorful after being finished on the grill. A nice twist on fries.

If you haven’t grilled vegetables, then you have no idea what you’re missing. During the summer, I love to cook vegetables on my grill and these balsamic grilled veggies are fabulous!

“The veggies are marinated in balsamic vinegar and soy sauce, then cooked in a grill basket until smoky, slightly charred and tender-crisp,” explains Susan. “A healthy and tasty side dish.”

Susan suggests marinating the vegetables overnight which I did. They really absorb all the goodness from the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. When grilled, charring enhances the flavor even more. If you have someone in your family that doesn’t think they like vegetables, I encourage you to make this recipe. I think they’ll change their mind.

Leah Stacey’s (Mt. Juliet, TN) Grilled Pineapple Napoleons with Coconut Caramel Sauce is a delicious way to end Father’s Day.

“I made up this recipe by using different components of other recipes that I have seen and the end result was the most delish, delicate, divine grilled dessert,” says Leah. “The grilled phyllo dough gives this recipe a nice crunchy texture while the warm cinnamon grilled pineapple is so juicy. The coconut caramel sauce is to die for and really takes this dessert to the next level.”

Each element of Leah’s napoleons adds a layer of flavor. Grilling fruit brings out their sweetness and is a delicious option for a summertime dessert. Her coconut caramel sauce is simple and sweet (it would be great over vanilla ice cream too). Grilling phyllo sheets makes them crisp and adds some crunch. Don’t like pineapples? Try bananas – it will be just as good. Everything together makes for a really impressive dessert.

This weekend, take over the grilling duties and create a meal he’ll cherish. Happy Pinching!