Gradutaion Party - Barbecue Luau

My kid is graduating from high school which is a wonderful excuse for a party - like an excuse is needed. Yes! We must celebrate this monumental occasion.

The young grad is not big on crowds. Never has been. Probably never will be. He cried through his entire first birthday party. It was not joyous - not a bit. I've kept his parties small since then and relaxed.

At last count, I think we have 20 relatives coming in from out-of-state. There are eight of us here around town. Then, of course, the kid-o has a few close friends who are always invited to our parties.

Hum. We're looking more at a medium sized party than a small party.

A Cook Out - Of Course

Since I'm Grill Girl, a cook out certainly seems the logical choice. Most of our home parties are on the barbecue no matter what time of year.

My brother suggested a luau theme. He found some cool stuff in Ohio on sale so picked up a blow up flamingo and palm tree plus some plates, cups, and napkins. Sounds like a plan to me.

I got in touch with some of my internet party buddies to get some more ideas. The funniest one was a coconut bra. Teehee. My net buddies have not seen me in person. I am a 34G. Coconuts do not come that big. Nope. They sure don't. So - scratch that idea.

Some Cool Luau Ideas

My lady friends who write about cooking and entertaining and such did give me some super ideas.

We, of course, needs leis and grass skirts. Someone suggested flowered shirts and said to check Good Will where folks often drop off such impulse purchases after a trip to the Islands.

The little drink umbrellas to go in the cups will be festive. Most of the party folks aren't drinkers, but those are fun regardless of what's in the cups. Those are for sure on the list.

Hula hoops. Yes. Those are always a blast. I'll have to swing by Wal-Mart and pick up a few of those. I used to be good a hula-hooping. Today? Not sure. Guess we'll find out.

While I'm at Wal-Mart I'll get a couple of wading pools - either plastic or blow up. I know the big kids (the graduates) may not want to wade, but we have little kid relatives. The bigger kids can use the pools to fill up water guns and also some little squirt toys that they have at Oriental Trading Company. They have all sorts of cute things at Oriental Trading Company. The prices are low. And, they even have an entire luau section.

The Barbecue Luau Menu

I considered a pit cooked pig, but the group size is really too small to go whole hog (pun intended). Pork shoulders on the smoker would be an idea, but graduation weekend will be a whirlwind with so many relatives in. I'm taking my own advice and keeping it simple and flexible.

So, it's hot dogs plus grilled pineapple. Those all cook fast, and no one is stuck manning a grill for hours and hours. If we have extra folks come, then it's really easy to toss on some more burgers and hot dogs, so I feel comfortable with that.

We'll have some of the typical fixings like chips and probably potato salad, slaw and chili. One of my friend's mentioned goldfish crackers. Oh yes. That's a cute idea. Maybe served in fish bowls (clean new ones of course).

The grilled pineapple is super for dessert, and I think ice cream would also be good. Most everyone loves ice cream.

Other Luau Ideas I'm Thinking/Working On

Music - We are Jimmy Buffett fans, so I know we'll play some Buffett at the party.

Games - My kids don't like too much structure. We have a basketball goal and will have the wading pools. I may try to get some horseshoe pits made and ready. Volleyball might be fun. Would need to figure out what to do about poles for that.

Lights - I thought I might string some of the Christmas lights around the porch. Oh? Is that tacky? Teehee. That's OK. Some of the camper lights might be good. Need to check prices on those.

Any Ideas From My Fabulous Readers?

There are the plans - so far. Please feel free to add any ideas. This is my first kid to graduate. I want this cook out luau to be extra special.

And Finally . . .

Congratulations to all members of the class of 2008!

Yes! You Can Grill - My New Barbecue Web Site

I've been writing online for about ten years now, but I've always written for other folks. Well - finally I made the leap and started building my own web site - Yes You Can Grill.

I must say that Dreamweaver is a bear to figure out, and I certainly don't have a lot of it figured out.

I'm slowly but surely getting all the family barbecue secrets and grill recipes posted up.

My site isn't so pretty (yet), but I know the information is excellent. If you want to grill and do it well, be sure to check out Yes! You Can Grill. Check back often too, because I'm adding as fast as I can.

Grilled Hot Dogs - Easy and Fun - Good For New Barbecue Cooks

Hot Dogs - The Other Grilled Meat - Cheap and Easy

Don't let the high foods prices get you down or prevent you from grilling out or having a party. It's really about getting outdoors and having fun. Almost anything cooked on a grill is tasty.

If you keep an eye on the sales, you can get a pack of hot dog weiners for a buck or two. Buns run about the same.

Hot dogs are also a good starter grill item. They're basically cooked and only need to be heated (sausages may be cooked or uncooked - be sure to check). When hot dogs have grill marks and look sweaty, they're ready to eat.

Learn more about hot dogs and sausages Yes You Can Grill! and fire up the barbecue. Any day is a great day for a cook out.

Grilled Beer Burgers - Barbecue Hamburgers with Beer Sauce

Heat up some barbecue beer sauce, and give your grilled hamburgers some extra gusto. The barbecue sauce goes on after the grilling, so it is served on the side for those family members or party friends who enjoy spirits with the meat. The kids and the teetotalers can still enjoy the burgers sans the beer dip.

Beer Burgers are easy to make, and they taste fabulous. These are great for tailgate parties or just for a fun evening at home.

If you need help with making your own hand patted Burgers on the Grill, check out my Yes You Can Grill Hamburger Guide. Then just add the beer sauce.

Barbecue Smoker - Smoky Mountain Bullet - Weber

Barbeque Smokers
Make Your Own Mouth Watering Meats

I hesitated on buying a barbeque smoker, because I knew that the process in smoking meat meant low (temperatures) and slow (many hours). Though I love to grill, I wasn't sure about investing from 4 hours up to a full day tending the grub.
If you've ever had pit cooked barbeque or ribs, then you know that smoking means that the meat is fork tender. It just falls right off the bones. The meat picks up the flavor of the smoke and is simply impossible to beat on taste. We live in barbeque country and are huge fans, so visions of home smoking continue to dance in our heads.

We Decided to Go For It

My boys and I finally talked ourselves into getting a smoker, and we discovered that it's not nearly as difficult or labor intensive to smoke as we had thought. A good quality smoker pretty well tends itself. We'd prepare the meat, start the fire, check back now and then, and the results . . . oh man . . . we're talking some really good eating.

Before buying a smoker, I did a lot of research. Yes. I'm the nerdy type, but it really does pay off to read before buying rather than after making a bad purchase.
There are some gas and electric smokers on the market, but most of the big barbeque fans go with standard charcoal/wood models. It's a little more work (not much really) to get charcoal fired up, and it takes a little more effort to regulate temperatures, but it's hard to beat old fashioned charcoal smoking.

In looking at charcoal/wood smokers, barbeque fans really raved about the Weber Smokey Mountain Bullet. Weber is known for excellent quality products. (We've used our Weber grill for years.) Another plus is that the smoker design by Weber means low maintenance during the smoking process. I was sold on getting a smoker that would last a long time and would be easy to use, so our pick was the Smokey Mountain Bullet.

Getting Started

Before smoking, we read up a bit on the process and checked out recipes. The Bullet comes with a small recipe booklet, and there is a great site called The Virtual Bullet at www.virtualweberbullet.com with almost everything you could think about when it comes to smoking.

Before smoking, you'll need to rub down the meat. It can go on without rub, but the seasonings do make the meat much more tasty. There are loads of rubs on the market, and there are lots of recipes for homemade rubs. One really good rub that is easy to find is Emeril (yes—made by the cooking show guy). Rub the meat down a couple of hours before cooking or the night prior.

The first step in smoking is to get the fire going. A barbeque chimney which is kind of like a big can really helps in getting the coals ready. You can't use the pre-soaked charcoal (usually called Easy Light or Quick Start), because the starter fluid will give the meat an off taste. Most any plain charcoal is fine though Kingsford seems to last longer and burn more evenly.

In order to get smoke, you'll need to get some wood chunks and soak them in water. If you don't have your own wood, then wood chunks are sold in bags at the grocery store. The wet chunks are placed on top of the burning charcoal and produce the smoke. Various types of wood give different flavors. It's fun to try out different woods.

You'll also have a water pan with the smoker. That is above the coal area. Before filling the pan with water, cover it in tin foil. Juices and fat drip down in the water pan, so it gets pretty messy. Using tin foil on the pan helps a lot on clean up.

Once the fire is going and the temperature regulated, you put the meat on. Temperatures and times vary depending on the meat being cooked. Weather conditions can also impact. Recipes help in the beginning. After you smoke a few times, you'll be able to get a "feel" for the process and can wing it.

We typically check the meat every couple of hours but have left the smoker going as long as six hours on its own during the night hours. It's hard to get used to leaving well enough alone when smoking. Taking the lid off to check drops the temperature and adds to the overall cooking temperature.

Generally, you need to add extra charcoal and water to the pan a couple of times during a smoking session. Extra wood chunks may also be needed if the smoke is not cranking out.

If you want barbeque sauce on the meat (yum), that is swiped on about a half hour before the meat is done. If you put the sauce on at the beginning or too early, then the sauce burns and the meat looks black (though is fine under the dark layer).
Yes. You Can Do This!

Smoking meat is much easier than I expected. Though it does take a long time to cook low and slow, it's just a matter of getting the smoker going and then checking now and then to make sure the fire is going and that the water has not cooked out.
Meat from a home smoker is absolutely fabulous. I love the local barbeque, but the home smoked is even better.

Another plus with home barbeque smoking is that the meat is just as tasty frozen and then reheated in the oven. The flavors really sink in over time. That means that we can smoke up some meat and then enjoy the results over several meals.

Easy Grilled Pineapple - Barbecue Fun

On of our favorites on the grill is pineapple. It's really easy to grill pineapple. And, it can be served as a side or as a dessert.

You can used canned pineapple on the grill, but we especially like fresh pineapple.

If you are thinking about grilling pineapple, check out my Grilled Pineapple recipe at Yes You Can Grill.

Perfect Hamburgers on the Barbecue Grill

Yum! Burgers are Delicious Cooked Out on the Barbecue Grill.

Burgers are the top pick for outdoor cooks according to a survey by Weber. And, they sure are yummy. Of course, some burgers are lots better than others. If you have problems getting your hamburgers perfect, try out my Hamburger Grill Guide. That should cover any question you have about making burgers on the grill, and if you follow the steps, you'll have the best grilled burgers you've ever tasted.

If you have specific questions or have had problems with your grilled burgers like the burgers falling apart or sticking to the grill, check out my Hamburger Troubleshooting Guide at Yes You Can Grill. That should cover all your grilled burger problems, but if you come up with anything else, let me know.

Southern Pecan Pie Recipe

Here is the Yummy Pecan Pie I Made to Go with Smoked Barbecue Shoulder


We grew up with pecan trees in the yard, so we had pecan pies often. If mom was willing to make pies, all “the kids” were certainly willing to pick up and crack out the nuts. We went through a lot of nut crackers, and my dad kept buying new and improved crackers. As we grew up and moved out, he continued to crack out nuts with his various crackers. And, mom kept making pecan pies but mostly at holidays when the family headed back to visit.

There are loads of variations on the basic pecan recipe, but I’d say that I like the traditional southern recipe the best. It’s simply hard to improve on something so delicious.

Check out my Southern Pecan Pie at Yes You Can Cook. It's an easy pie recipe, and I include some tips in case you run into questions and/or problems.

Pecan pie is probably not the first dessert that comes to mind when you're grilling, but no one is going to complain. It's very tasty. Pecan pie is more traditional if you're smoking during the colder months or if you enjoy deep frying turkey outside.

How To Tips - Grill Corn on the Cob - Two Ways - Both Easy

Most folks love fresh corn on the cob and especially grilled. I know it's one of my boys' top picks for barbecue side dishes.

There are two ways to do corn on the grill. One way is in tin foil and the other in the husks. Both are delicious - just different.

Corn on the Cob in Aluminum Foil

First shuck the corn. Lay it on a piece of tin foil. It's really good if you add butter. Sprinkle cheese in the shake can and seasonings can also be added. Then wrap the corn up in the foil.

It depends on how hot your grill is, but I usually run about 20 minutes on aluminum foil corn. I roll it every 5 minutes or so. To double check, just use a fork and stick it in through the aluminum foil. The fork slides in easily when the corn is ready.

Grilled Corn on the Cob in the Husks

This is my favorite way to grill corn on the cob. It's so easy.

Put the corn with the husks on in water. This can be in the sink or a cooler. Let the corn with husks soak submerged in water for 20 minutes or more.

Put the corn on the grill with the husks on. Turn them every little bit. With the heat level I use, the corn runs close 30 minutes to be done, since the water keeps it cooler starting out.

The great thing here is that when you pull off the husks, the corn strings or tassels just fall right off. That means no work other than soaking and tossing on the grill.

Beer Butt Chicken Recipes and Tips

How to Make Beer Butt Chicken on the Barbeque Grill

It's hard to say when or where Beer Butt Chicken originated. A safe guess would be that a group of guys came up with this gem of a technique for barbeque grilling a whole chicken. Picture some good old boys sitting around guzzling cheap beer and not being too keen on keeping watch over chicken pieces roasting on the grill. One of the fellows probably pondered on the situation. Since the cavity portion of a hole chicken is roughly the size and shape of a beer can . . .the rest is history.

If you'd like to make Beer Butt Chicken, see my Beer Butt Chicken Guide at Yes! You Can Grill. I have Beer Butt Chicken photos up as well, so this recipe is really easy to understand and follow.

You may also want to check out Beer Club of the Month where you can have new beers delivered every month and have a different flavor every time you make Beer Butt Chicken. My son lives in a micro brew area, and he turned me on to the fact that you can find a way lots more variety than at the grocery store on beer. Unfortunately, I don't live in a micro brew area as I'm sure many other don't, so it's really neat to just set up a subscription and have something new and cool every month.  

What! Don't These Look Like Barbecue Hands?

My friend Amy posted these interesting barbecue ribs at Viewpoints. She was writing about one of her favorite BBQ sauses - Sweet Baby Rays. When I clicked to read her review and saw the ribs, my first thought was, "Did someone barbecue some hands?" Well, maybe it's just me, but those look like hands. Fat hands true. But hands.

I had visions of Jeffrey Dahmer. He murdered young boys and even ate them. Real sicko. But, of course, my buddy Amy would not be putting up hands barbecued on the grill. So I looked some more, but these are still different from the ribs they sell around here. Meatier. I'll have to see if I can round up some of these ribs. They really do look good.

I asked Amy if I could share the barbecue hands here at Barbecue Master. She said that would be fine but to make sure that everyone knew that Melissa Beartrix captured this interesting photo. Melissa is an Aussie and takes some way cool photos.

That's my interesting barbecue note of the day. Barbecue hands that are really barbecue ribs. Well, they're a barbecue rib roast to be more exact. But, they still make me laugh when I see them.

Grill Dude is Also Looking at Healthy Grilling

Grill Dude stopped by to visit and gave me a link to his grilled bell peppers. Yum. Those look terrific. He has photos too, so you can see for yourself.

Grill Dude is also dealing with those high tri levels. No fun.

The good news is that grilling out is a healthy way to cook especially if you're doing vegetables. A grill basket helps if you're going to do veggies. You can also use a cast iron skillet. Just add a little olive oil and cook right on the grill in your cast iron skillet. Very easy.

Try different seasonings on your grilled veggies. There are so many great ones on the market now. We like lemon pepper - no salt either.

Healthy Cooking on the Barbecue Grill

All my Southern cooking and eating finally caught up with me. My doctor told me straight up that I'd have to eat healthier, since my cholesterol was high and my tri levels were absolutely awful.

On the plus side, grilling is healthy. Now I'm not going to be able to eat those rib eye steaks every night, but chicken and fish are wonderful on the grill as are vegetables.

Many of the grill sauces are also fine. Much better healthwise than the creamy dressings with mayonnaise.

For anyone dealing with health issues that require low fat cooking, I'd say - Buy a grill. The food is so good with the smoke flavor that you won't feel like you're eating special diet foods.

Even though it's winter now, we still love to grill. I say that we're members of the Polar Bear Barbecue Club. Chicken and fish grill up so fast, that it's not bad being out in the cold long enough to have a special grilled meal.

Lexington NC Barbecue Festival

Lexington, NC will host the 24th annual Barbecue Festival next Saturday (October 27, 2007). This is one of the biggest and best barbeque festivals in the South. Heck, it's one of the best festivals in the country period. They even have the awards to prove it.

I live about 45 minutes from Lexington, and we make an annual pilgrimage to Lexington. We go other times of the year for the fabulous local vinegar based barbecue, but we make sure to mark the calendar for the official food festival. Government officials were going to name it the state barbecue festival, but barbecuers in other parts of the state got their panties in wads. They just named it the state food festival, but it's definately barbecue.

Don't confuse the festival with a barbecue competition. You don't have to haul in your cooker, and you won't see all the hot dogging. Locals managed to come up with a representative trademark sandwich which is served at the festival from several large tents. That's just for starters on the food. You'll find all the carnival type foods plus some Southern favorites like fried apple pies. The line gets long for those, so don't wait until afternoon. You'll never get one if you do.

Even if you aren't a fan of barbecue and other fast foods, there's plenty to see and do at the Lexington Festival. They have entertainment on several stages. Some of the entertainment is music. Some programs are for the kids but fun for adults too. There are small rides and games and lots of merchant booths. I get a lot of my Christmas shopping done at the festival and have unique items that I can't find in stores.

Lexington is a small southern town, but it's busting at the seams come barbecue Saturday. They have buses running from the Wal-Mart parking lot, and that's the best bet. Just park and catch a ride over. The buses run just every few minutes.

Be sure to look for the cheese ball mix ladies. Yum. Those mixes are wonderful. I always stock up. And keep an eye for the marshmallow shooters. Those are made with PVC pipe and shoot mini marshmallows. My boys had a blast with those the year we picked some up.

If you miss the festival this year, mark your calendar. The Lexington Barbecue Festival is always one of the last two Saturdays in October. They have a web page. Check that out for details.

Lexington Barbecue Festival

If you love barbecue, then be sure to check out the Lexington, NC Barbecue Festival on Saturday, October 27, 2007. This is the 24th year, and this festival just gets better every time.

Lexington BBQ is a chopped pork que served on a bun with a vinegar based sauce. It seems to be an acquired taste, but once you're hooked you will drive miles for this stuff. YUM!

The Festival has been named one of the top 10 festivals in the United States by Travel & Leisure magazine. I'm not surprised. It is fabulous.

In addition to the barbecue tents, there all kinds of food vendors and craft booths. Be sure to try out a fried apple pie. Get one early, since the line for those gets really long.

I do some of my Christmas shopping at the festival every year. There is a guy who has ties, and I get my boss Christmas themed ties which are hard to find. He is a public speaker and does Christmas programs, so he enjoys having new holiday ties. Last year I bought a really neat snake made out of a chain and an airplance made out of beer cans. I also pick up new barbecue sauces. There are always loads of those, and most offer samples.

Cyndi Allison

Grilled Chicken and Grilled Garlic Toast

Cole's Garlic Bread on the grill - indirect heat.

Chicken brushed with cooking oil before adding barbecue sauce the last 10 minutes.

YUM!. Some great eating at our house tonight.

After getting the power bill for the month at $189 (and this is a small brack ranch house), we definately grilled tonight. No problem. We love to grill anyway. And, it does help to do the food outdoors instead of heating up the kitchen.

We decided to grill chicken tonight and use Carolina Pride Barbecue sauce which is kind of a blast from the past. My family used Carolina Pride when I was growing up. It's been years since I've bought any. In fact, I've not even noticed it on the shelves at the big grocery stores, but the little IGA in town has only a few choices - Carolina Pride BBQ was one of them.

Chicken can be kind of tricky on the grill especially if you're cooking large pieces like breasts. The key to getting it done without burning it is to use an indirect heating method. You'll see above in the bread picture how our coals were set up for indirect heat. The lid is then put on for most of the cooking time on the chicken - not for the bread though which cooks in minutes.

To keep the chicken from sticking, brush it with a little cooking oil before putting it on the grill. Then add the barbeque sauce during the last few minutes - 5 to 10. Anything tomato based is going to be bad about burning though not as much so with indirect grilling. We still wait and do the sauce near the end.

I've mentioned Texas Toast on the grill. This time I tried another brand - Cole's - since it was on sale. It was terrific. I think I like it even better than the Texas Toast brand. Either is great though.

We rounded out the meal with cheese potatoes in the crock pot (which doesn't heat the kitchen up) and asparagus in the new Glad Simply Cooking microwave cooking bags - just zip and cook a couple of minutes. Very easy. And another dish that keeps the cool going in the kitchen.

Cyndi Allison

Lazy Days of Summer - On the Creek

Here's the whole crowd - or most of them.

Dad plays Tarzan at the creek near his old home place in Oklahoma.

The little guy gets in on the fun while his brother cheers him on.

This kid-o is a lifeguard, but he didn't learn this trick at the YMCA.

The boys went out to Oklahoma to visit the relatives before the summer wrapped up. They especially enjoyed the rope swing out on the creek.

They also had a great time grilling, and I'm sure they all packed away a ton of grilled hamburgers and hot dogs.

Be sure to check out my tips for grilling perfect hamburgers. There are some little tricks that make them much tastier - not that a grilled burger is ever bad. Well, some of the burned ones might not be primo.

Castleberry's Chili Recall - Oops - I have a can of this.

If you have a can or cans of Castleberry's chili sauce in your cabinet or other products made by the company, be sure to read the recall information.

The original recall was July 18 and included only the chili sauce with "use by" dates from April to May 2009. The recall has been expanded. The list includes more products now and also batch numbers rather than just the "use by" dates.

I just checked my cabinet, and I have a can of Castleberry's chili sauce. I usually make my own, but I happened to have a can on hand if I wanted grilled hot dogs and didn't want to take the time to make chili.

The use by date is hard to read. It appears that mine is March of 2009 for "use by," but when I check back on the batch numbers, my can falls in the recall.

The concern with the chili sauce is botulism. Whew. Don't want to get that. That would be one sure way to ruin a barbecue.

Check your cans!

Grilled Chicken with White Sauce

If you've never tried grilled chicken with white sauce, then you've got to whip up a batch of White BBQ sauce. It's a neat zippy sauce that really gives chicken an interesting twist.

Be sure to make plenty of sauce. It's good for dipping once the chicken is done too. When we made this last week in the mountains, we had to make up a second batch before we finished our chicken.

White BBQ Sauce is very popular in Alabama and probably originated there, but it's also a hot recipe in North Carolina where we raise loads of chickens and grill year round.

Texas Toast on the Barbecue Grill

One really easy food we cook on the grill is Texas Toast. Texas Toast is sold in the freezer section at the grocery store. It yummy baked as indicated on the package, but we like it even better with a smoky grilled taste.

If you need extra help or tips on making Texas Toast on the grill, see my article at Barbecue Master. I post all our favorite family grill recipes there at Garden & Hearth.

Texas Toast goes great with steak, chicken or seafood. It only takes a couple of minutes, so it can go on the grill while the meat rests and the flavors settle.

Free - Country Bob's Barbecue Sauce

If you love barbecue sauce, then try out a free bottle of Country Bob's. Just click here and fill out a simple form. They don't actually pack up and mail out the barbeque sauce. Can't say I blame them. That would get expensive. They send a coupon, so you can get a free bottle of Country Bob's at the grocery store.

Bluegrass at Southwest Virginia Community College

I headed up to the mountains this weekend and stumbled on a bluegrass shindig at Southwest Virginia Community College. It was a two day party with Rhonda Vincent headlining on Friday night and IIIrd Tyme Out on Saturday night. A number of local bluegrass bands also performed.

The crowd was very low key. I think that's the first time I've been to a bluegrass concert and didn't see folks up clogging or flat footing.

They had some good eats - hamburgers, hot dogs, curly fries.

For any bluegrassers out there, the Tazewell County Old Time & Bluegrass Fiddlers' Convention will be July 13-15, 2007 at the Tazewell County Fairgrounds. Camping is first-come-first serve with primitive and RV. The festival brochure is posted online with all the details.

Kabobs - Tasty but Not That Easy

Well, we got those barbecue kabobs cooked up. Pretty good eating. I think I may buy one of those kabob things to turn on the grill. You stick the kabobs in, and then you just turn the thing over all at once. It's pretty hard to turn kabobs with a spatula, and those suckers get hot. Feel my pain.

I tried some Lipton Onion Soup potatoes on the grill (they are similar to the tin foil potatoes I linked in the last post but not as good). I used the basic recipe for the oven. They were fair, but I doubt I'd make them again. The biggie is that they come out looking kind of brownish and gross with the soup mix there on the grill. They don't get that nice crust like they get in the oven.

I'm always trying new things on the grill. The recipes that make the cut go up on my site Yes You Can Grill. The ones that don't, well, we just eat them.

Chicken Kabobs on the Barbecue Grill

I had some chicken going begging here, so I decided to make some chicken kabobs on the grill. Since the boys don't like much of anything with or on their meat, that kind of limited what I could thread on the kabobs. They figured the green peppers were big enough to pull off and put in my plate. I promised them that the grilled green peppers would not jump over on the chicken and change the taste.

The chicken kabobs turned out good. I just used a basic homemade style Italian dressing to soak them a couple of hours before tossing them on the grill.

One thing I'd say about kabobs is that it sure would take a lot of them to fill a body (especially boy bodies) up. You can't jam them too tight or they don't cook even. With the food spread out over the kabobs, there's really not much on each kabob.

I think I know why folks usually serve kabobs with rice or potatoes. You've got to fill up on something. We, fortunately, made some grilled tin foil potatoes. We also tried grilled olive oil bread, but that Bunny BBQ bread is too soft to throw on a fire. It was tasty, but it looked like heck. I'm going to try that again but with a European bread with more substance.

OK. I did it. I'm the Squidoo Grill Girl.

A lot of my friends have been raving about Squidoo. I didn't know if I wanted to jump in.

But, hey now, it said I could get rolling in 4.5 minutes. Someone must have been smoking something and not meat when they came up with that figure.

In any case, I'm Squidoo Grill Girl.

It took me about half a day to get the basics up. I'm still doing some tweaking.

If you're familiar with Squidoo, you can build your own web pages (as many as you like). They provide templates. You write materials, paste up links, add photos and videos.

They've got some pretty neat stuff over there. Check them out. You can build your own page, but I'll warn you that it does take some time.

Ribs on the Weber Smokey Mountain Bullet

Yum. These were some darn good ribs. We've been smoking up a lot of ribs and butts, since we got our Smokey Mountain Bullet. That's one of the best purchases we've made in years.

This was our Memorial Day Celebration. Uncle Eric visited. He's in the Army and has been to Iraq twice. He's scheduled to go back again. With only 3 1/2 years until retirement, we are all holding our breath.

The guys did the ribs this time. I was making Onion Parmesan potatoes in the house. We kind of switch off on inside/outside. Works out pretty good.

Most Popular Grilled Foods - Weber Report 2007

Here we are cooking the most popular grill food for 2007. In fact, hamburgers have topped the list for the past four years according to Weber GrillWatch (conducted by Greenfield).

The top foods according to the yearly study (this is the 18th year), the top grilled foods are:

1. hamburgers - 64%

2. steak - 46%

3. chicken - 40%

4. hot dogs - 34%

5. ribs - 14%

See the Weber report for more interesting grilling trends.

If you want to make some really great burgers, then here's my best burger recipe with tips.

FREE Beer Butt Chicken Holder

It's hard to beat Beer Butt Chicken on the grill. It comes out so moist and full of flavor.

If you don't have a beer (perish the thought) or if you generally use bottles (not at all good to put up a chicken on the grill), then Perdue can fix you up.

Buy a Perdue Oven Stuffer chicken. Inside the package (make sure it's marked with the offer), you'll find a code number. Visit the ChickCAN page and fill out the form, including your special number. They'll send you a metal chicken cooking rack which works the same way as the beer can.

Enjoy the freebie!

Free Sportsman Magazine - magazine subscription

I know some of my readers are true outdoorsmen (and women), so here's a great freebie for everyone who loves the wild life.

Go to Sportsman and fill out a simple form, and you'll start getting a free quarterly magazine. The articles are lively. They also include some recipes.

North Carolina Settles Barbecue Food Fight

Some elementary kids wrote letters to Congressmen in North Carolina requesting that the Lexington Barbecue festival be the "official" BBQ festival of NC. Well, that set some tongues to wagging and articles flying. Barbeque is pretty serious business in NC where everyone minds his, her and everyone elses business (but not in a bad way).

The issue with the que festival request was that there are two styles of BBQ in North Carolina. We've got the tomato based barbecue fans and the vinegar sauce fans. And, minds don't much meet between these two groups.

State leaders did reach a compromise. Politicians are good about those things (sometimes). The Lexington Barbecue Festival will be the "official" Food Festival of North Carolina. See -no mention of barbecue there. But, you head over to the October festival, and I can tell you what you'll be eating. Yep. Barbecue - Lexington style (vinegar). Yum!

And while I was grilling . . .

While I was busy thinking about outdoor cooking, my mom was hard at work making Raggedy Andy and Ann for a family friend.

Mom has made rag dolls as far back as I can remember. My set is in lavendar.

I made one Raggedy Ann, but it took FOREVER. I don't have that much patience. So, I stick with grilling and smoking. It does take time to make great food, but it's not as tedious as trying to get poly-fill in the arms of little doll babies.

Polar Bear Grilling - Pork Loins

Yes! It's cold. And, yes, I am grilling.

Grab a jacket and join the Polar Bear Barbeque Club. It's really not that bad, and the food sure tastes great.

Tonight I'm grilling a pork loin on my small travel Weber. The big Weber is next door, and well . . . you know.

The last time I got a pork loin, my son wanted to know if it was the pig's leg. Guess I need to get him outside and learning more about barbecue. A visit to a farm might be in order too.

If I ever make BBQ pigs leg, I will take pictures and let everyone know.

Mexican on the Grill

Yum. Nachos on the grill are delicious. They only take a couple of minutes to heat. Then, you're ready to eat.

For directions on making Grilled Cheese Nachos, visit Barbeque Master at Garden and Hearth.

I also have a Pica de Gallo recipe that is fabulous with the chips or to serve with any Mexican meal.

Keep checking back. I've been grilling up some great Mexican and Mexican inspired dishes and will continue to post up recipes and directions.

Celebrating the New Picnic Shelter

The church picnic shelter was dedicated at the annual homecoming service. It was extra special, since one of our "kids" who grew up in the church came back to preach. Danny did a great job, and it was really terrific to see a local back and sharing memories of the "good old days."

We, of course, had a huge pot luck dinner. Methodists are big on those. The tables were loaded with delicious dishes - some old favorites and a few new treats. It's always hard to decide what to dip up. It's all good, so it's impossible to go wrong.

This is my sister and her husband and little Hannah. The baby, Abigail, must be under the table or something. She's a real rounder, and I won't confess to who she must take after.

If you're looking for good pot luck dishes, then I put my best recipes up at Garden and Hearth. Check Southern Cooking for some of the delicious dishes that you see on the table. That's my dirty rice in the green pot.

Eagle Scout Shelter Finished and Dedicated

WOW! The shelter went up fast. We're all ready to cook out or have picnics now.

This was an Eagle Scout project that my son started with his grandfather (my dad) who died in a traffic accident over the summer. Locke Steele, a close friend of the family, stepped in to make sure this project was completed. He was there every inch of the way, and he spent a lot of time teaching local young men the basics of building. He was my Little Baseball coach when I was a kid. His contributions to the community could never be measured.

We're now looking at adding picnic tables and perhaps a grill. It will be really nice to have a shelter at the church. I really didn't know how my son was going to get such a big project done when my dad passed. I thank Locke as well as all the men and women in town who pitched in and helped out. I'd also like to thank my brother, Matthew, who drove in from Ohio twice to help and to do the landscaping. He brought some of the teen boys who work for him who were also super helpful.

Best Job in the World - Full Time Tailgater

I caught up with Joe yesterday by phone. He had to park the RV before he could chit-chat. He was just as funny as I expected. Anyone who can sell the idea of working professionally in parking lots eating barbecue has to have a good funny bone.

But, hey, it worked. I've gotta give him credit. Very few people get a job doing exactly what they enjoy most.

If you want to read about Joe Cahn and his life as the Commissioner of Tailgating, then see my article at Garden & Hearth.

HPBA Offers Great Tips for Tailgating

HPBA (Hearth, Patio, & Barbecue Association) has teamed up with the commissioner of Tailgating Joe Cahn to provde a host of information to make your tailgating experiences more fun.

The organization conducts surveys, and the 2006 tailgate poll ranked the "wonderful grill smells" as the biggest draw for tailgaters.

If you look to the bottom left of the HPBA web page and click, you'll find:

· Tailgate 101 – Rookie, Intermediate and Veteran Set-up must haves
· Tailgate and Grill-Great Tips – Straight from the Commish
· New Tailgate Poll Results – What Americans think and say about tailgating
· Grilling Clean-Up – Clean-Up as easy as 1,2,3
· Delicious Grilling Recipes – Tailgate-approved recipes

What are you waiting for? You know you want to tailgate like a pro.

Lexington NC Barbecue Festival - October 21, 2006

If you're anywhere near Lexington, NC or if you can road trip it, then don't miss the Lexington Barbecue Festival. It's been featured as one of the 10 best BBQ festivals in the south.

This one is not a contest. It's a hometown day with lots of food, crafts, and games for the kids. Be sure to look for the sand pig sculptures. Those are always neat.

For insider information, see my article on the festival at Yes You Can Grill. One tip I'll toss out is to arrive early. This festival gets bigger every year, and the crowds are huge starting about lunch time.

The official page is also chock full of information on this great southern fun fest.

Budweiser Joins the Barbecue Sauce Bandwagon

Great barbeque cooks have been using all kinds of ingredients in marinades and sauces for years - including beer.

Now Budweiser has come out with a line of sauces for outdoor cooking. In addition to a traditional sauce and a beechwood smoked version, they also have a basting sauce with a mustard base and a sauce just for hot wings.

These sauces are sold in the online Budshop and will soon be available at grocery stores.

If you can't get your hands on a bottle of the sauces just yet, break out some Budweiser and try out my Beer Boiled Shrimp recipe.

These Guys Build Fast - We'll be Eating Outdoors Soon

I couldn't believe how fast this project went up. Locke is one heck of a builder and coordinates all the help so well. We had a whole pack of guys out getting the roof on. They wrapped up around lunch time.

We hope to add picnic tables and maybe a grill soon.

The shelter is being dedicated at the end of the month. My dad who died in a truck accident this summer will be honored. He helped get the project started. Thankfully, Locke and a lot of young men in town pitched in and made sure that the shelter was built.

Boy Scout Eagle Project - Picnic Shelter

We love to grill out at our church, but there are days when it rains or when the sun is really intense.

Long ago, we did have a shelter. It was down in the woods and a pretty good hike. Over the years, the shelter fell down. Some of us got older too.

So, my son decided to make a picnic shelter for the church for his Eagle Scout project. Locke (who also happened to be my Little League Coach when I was a kid) is a builder, and he was kind enough to help, since I am not a builder.

Here is the shelter starting to go up.