End of Year Grill Out - Newspaper Students at Catawba College

Here's my 2010 college newspaper class. This group took us from print to online with The Pioneer, so I am super proud of this hard working group.



We like to end the year with a cook out. I do that now, because students were a bit challenged with grilling for groups. Hum. Let's see. One forgot to bring gas. Another had damp charcoal, and I had to run in and microwave the hot dogs before we starved. So, it works out for me to go ahead and do the grilling.

The class period is only 50 minutes, so I keep it simple. This year, I went with griled burgers and hot dogs. Those always go over well, especially my hand patted grilled hamburgers. One student said she never really liked hamburgers much but that mine were delicious.



I went with Weber Kettles - one 22.5 inch and the Smokey Joe tailgater. They are easy to use, so I don't have to watch close with these models.

The large grill was charcoal, but I used FlamdDisk from my OpenSky store in the smaller one. It's an alternative to charcoal and a fuel that I think works well for college students and for tailgating. It's super easy to light (like a candle), burns out clean, and there is no clean up. Hard to beat that.



The students had fun playing cornhole while the food was grilling. Cornhole is getting super popular here for tailgates or just on sunny days. It is a lot like horseshoes, but you throw bags filled with corn at holes in the game boards. A lot safer I'm sure than tossing metal, and you don't have to put up stakes or dig pits.



For dessert, I'd made peanut butter fudge. I usually put M&Ms on top, but some of the students asked if I could do chocolate chips. Easy enough. So, this batch had chips instead of the candies. Very tasty. This is also my boys' favorite dessert. It's easy to make and always turns out nice and creamy.

Some of my students have already tried making the fudge and some of my other recipes online. I always try to go for things that taste great and are easy to make. Also, I add tips, because there seem to be little things that make a difference when grilling of cooking that they just don't mention in the recipe books.



We had a great time at the end-of-year cook out. Most of my students this year are graduating, and I am sure going to miss them. It is amazing how fast four years go.

FlameDisk - My Students Had a Blast with Easy Grill Fuel Product

I am sitting here at my computer desk and thinking about this wild week. The exam in my Writing for Media class was to make a video. Since I am big into grilling and barbecue, I thought something in that line would be fun.

The great folks at FlameDisk which I carry at OpenSky now were kind enough to send out some FlameDisks for the project and also one for each student at the end of the project.

I had explained to my students (many who have never grilled or seldom done so) that FlameDisk is an alternative to charcoal. It is easy to use and safer, so it's a good pick for new grillers and tailgaters. FlameDisk is good for me too on nights when I'm tired and do not want to spend a lot of time working on a charcoal grill fire.

The students really liked the FlameDisks, the grilled out food, and a non-traditional exam. While it was more like a cook out party in some ways, the students worked hard and produced two neat videos about FlameDisk you ought to check out. I had a wide open class, so they went with humor, so folks will like these videos.

First, there is FlameDisk Boy. The hero swoops in and helps Amanda who has terribly burned up her hot dogs.



The second FlameDisk video project was a grill off between two students - one with charocal and one with FlameDisk.



Of course, it takes a village (or a pretty good sized group to do a good video), so thumbs up to the entire class who worked on the concepts, scripts, grilling, and editing.



And, thanks again to FlameDisk. You were a hit with my students. They liked the easy grilling, no mess, and green clean container at the end.

Instant Fire Every Time with FlameDisk - Easier Than Charcoal

If you've ever been frustrated trying to start charcoal, the FlameDisk may be just what you've been looking for. FlameDisk is an alternative to charcoal, but it can be used in your old charcaol grill that may be sitting there gathering dust if you've had bad grilling experiences.

All you have to do with Flame Disk is open it up and light it. That's it. You are grilling in seconds and with no pain. Plus, you do not have any clean up with FlameDisk.

FlameDisk is perfect for tailgating, but it's fine at home for barbecue parties or whereever you may want to fire up a grill. It's really a very simple grill accessory, but it does wonders for those who may be a bit grilling challenged.



Above you can see the FlameDisk in my Weber Smokey Joe. It's a perfect fit in my tailgater grill, but it can be used in larger charcoal grills too.

If you want to read more about FlameDisk, see my FlameDisk review at Yes You Can Grill, or you can find Flame Disk at my Yes You Can Grill Store.

I've always said that there's a grill to match every personality and taste. In this case, it's not a grill, but FlameDisk could certainly make grilling easier and more fun for many who have had a hard time getting the hang of outdoor cooking.

FlameDisk is nice, too, for pros when they don't want to have to think too much. You see the easiest pork chops I've ever grilled. Yep. It was a breeze to grill with FlameDisk, and there's no mess to worry about other than the dinner plates which are still sitting in the sink.