Be the Grill Mayor and Go to NYC for a Great BBQ Blow Out Prize

You can be the Grill Mayor with the Food Network Contest: Grill Mayor of 2012.

This is WAY more than just “bragging rights” where you impress your barbecue buddies with a cool title. The winner of this barbecue contest will feel like a rock star – no kidding.

The grand prize Grill Mayor wins a trip for two to New York City. If you are spouse-less and friend-less, then I’d be glad to fill your guest seat. Just kidding, but this is a terrific prize and one that I’d be thrilled to win as I know you guys would be too.

What does the grand prize to New York City include?

• 2 nights in the Big Apple in a first-class hotel
• $100 Food Network gift card
• Food Network grilling cookbook
• Omaha Steaks grilling kit
• Assorted Grill Mates products (I’ve been enjoying those all summer myself)
• Dinner at Food Network’s chef restaurant in NYC with your guest
• VIP access passes to a premiere New York City BBQ festival (along with your guest – of course)
• Tour of the Food Network kitchens in the Big Apple

See! I told you this is one massive trip to New York with all the trimmings and then some.

You do have to be a legal United States resident and 21 years or older to be eligible.

Now that I’ve got you dreaming of a fabulous getaway packed full of fun plus some terrific take home treasures, I’m sure you’re wondering how you can get your name in the pot. After all, you don’t win contests that you don’t enter (and this is one you barbecue guys and girls really don’t want to miss).

How to Enter to be the Grill Mayor 2012?

1. Complete the online entry form at Food Network.
2. Share a grilling tip or piece of advice along with a photo related to your tip (limit 100 words on the tip)

How easy is that? Share a tip and snap a photo, and you could be kicked back in luxury in New York City between special outings especially fun for barbecue folks.

If you aren't the contest type of person (gasp - that's cool though), then check out the McCormick Grillmates Facebook page. You don't have to do a thing other there than soak up great information about grilling and for free. You'll be surprised at how much grilling data they have at the site to get your grill cranking and your brain pumping with new ideas.

 The contest ends at 4:59 pm ET on July 31, 2012, so head over and sign up while it’s fresh on your mind.

Let me know if you win, because it’s great when my readers get something special like this.
Good luck all!

McCormick Grillerhood - Best and True Rule for Grilling

 Barbecue Master Grilling on a Beautiful Summer Day

I’m heating up my grill this summer with McCormick and Grillerhood. You can too. It’s easy to sign up and be part of the “hood” and have a blast while getting new tips and ideas that will take your grilling from “just okay” to awesome.

Ready for the Grillerhood Challenge?

The challenge here at the height of the grilling season is to share and put together the “best ever” list of tips for grilling. Yes. That is a challenge, but you can win prizes for your ideas on grilling, and you can help create a pool of information that can pass down to others and share the grilling love.

McCormick asked me what I’d share as my top three grilling tips. I had to give that some serious thought. There are many tips that I could give, but when push came to shove, these were my top ones:

McCormick True Rules of Grilling from the Barbecue Master

1. Grilling is about fun. So, do it your way. Gas, charcoal, pellet, or electric . . . it’s all fine if it works for you and your crowd. You can grill great food no matter what method you decide is best at your home.

2. It doesn’t have to take all day to rock the grill. Smoked sausages in a grill wok with flavorful rubs and seasonings takes only minutes, and they wow the crowd. So, have some easy recipes in your grilling file, so you can grill on the fly and still impress.

3.  You don’t have to spend a fortune to have a grill out and your family and friends over. It doesn’t have to be steak or lobster. You can flavor up burgers or flank steak or even vegetables (very healthy) and have an amazing barbecue without taking out a loan.

Boiling it down to three top grilling tips was hard, and I know that there are lots of other great tips out there. You are likely just biting your tongue and wanting to say what you think makes grilling good and fun. Really, I am sitting here thinking of about a thousand other ideas. With every cook out we learn something new that will help the next person.

Don't Miss Out on All the Fun - You Can Be in the Grillerhood Too

 Share your tips and help me pick the very best one to share with the Grillerhood.

Barbecue Master Joins McCormick Grillerhood - And You Can Too!

Join the Fun with McCormick Grillerhood Summer Grill Mates

Want to join the cool grilling crowd this summer? Then, you need to hook up with the McCormick Grilllerhood. Yes. You might not be on my block, but we all break bad no matter where we fire up our grills. So, let’s make it official. High five (and don’t forget the grill glove).

I’ve been using McCormick seasoning for years. Really, who hasn’t? Now, they are out of the gate with Grill Mates. They must be mind readers. Their products have always been great for grilling if not designed with that in mind. You would not be able to count the number of steaks that have come off my grills with McCormick’s lemon pepper. Now, McCormick has products just with all the grilling crowd in mind, so that, of course, caught my eye down at the local grocery store.

I caught McCormick’s eye too, and they contacted me about being a member of the Grillerhood. I’ll chalk that up to all my fans and readers. Thanks for putting me up high on Goggle with all the visits and comments. In any case, I’m an official griller with McCormick this summer and get a stipend and the apron, chef hat, and glove along with some samples (that will be in a giveaway coming up soon – so look for that and win some great summer grilling gear and seasoning).

Be Watching for My Upcoming Giveaway (June 2012). You Could Win This Apron Stuffed Full of McCormick Goodies.

First, go check out all the great grilling products they have at McCormick. Yes. They came out of the gate with all cylinders firing. You’re sure to find something here that you’ll love.

Then, you can join in the fun at Facebook where McCormick has a Grill Mates FB page that is already hopping. You can sign up for the Grillerhood and even compete to be the mayor of the hood with a barbecue trip to New York City for the winner. You know that would be a blast, and I’d love to be in on that. I’ll be waiting to hear all the details from the mayor – when he or she is named.

The name of the game is fun and sharing, so what are you waiting for?

OK. I’ll share a tip here. You don’t have to make burgers just for the bun. You can use a muffin pan (either a dedicated pan that you don’t mind getting smoked up or the throwaway kind) and make what I’ll call meatballs or mini meatloaves. If you can’t have bread or are cutting the calories or can’t have gluten, then these may be just what you want to toss on your grill. We love them, and this crowd can eat anything (not toxic).

Grilled Grill Mates Mini Meatloaf Recipe

• 1 pound lean ground beef (since you’re using a pan and don’t want the meat real greasy)
• 1 egg
• 1 Tablespoon McCormick Grill Mates Molasses Bacon seasoning
• A few splashes of Worcestershire sauce (around ½ teaspoon)
• Ketchup or Barbecue Sauce (your favorite type - just enough to slather a bit on top of each McCormick's meatballs)

Join the Grillerhood Outside the Bun with Grill Mates Meatloaf on The Grill 

Directions: Just mix all of the ingredients together. It’s better to do it by hand, so the meat does not get packed too tightly. Divide into 6 equal sized balls for a regular sized muffin pan or 12 for the minis. Slather a little ketchup or barbecue sauce on top of each meatball. Place in grill on low medium meat for around 40 minutes for large meatloaves and 20 minutes for the minis. Grill temperatures vary, so do check on the time.

YUM! Eating Good in the Grillerhood This Evening. See why you need to join up and learn to rock the grill this summer with McCormick and all the friends, fans, and family sharing ideas, tips, and recipes.