Wrap up veggies or potatoes in foil and make alongside your favorite grilled meat or find a new way to make corn on the cob and even grill up dessert. You'll also find terrific grilling hints and food safety tips for picnics and cookouts.


Grilled Vegetable Medley
This Grilled Vegetable Medley is our favorite way to fix summer vegetables. Cleanup is a breeze, because it cooks in foil. It goes from garden to table in under an hour. It makes a wonderful accompaniment to grilled steak or chicken.
—Lori Daniels, Beverly, West Virginia


Grilled Asparagus
Our Test Kitchen staff came up with the recipe for these savory spears. Grilled Asparagus will be a sure-fire success at your next barbecue.
—Simple & Delicious Test Kitchen


Grilled Potato Skins
Everyone just loves these delicious appetizers. Grilled Potato Skins are nice to serve outside when you invite friends over for a grilled meal.
—Mitzi Sentiff, Alexandria, Virginia


Grilled Corn with Chive Butter
When our son was young, corn was the only vegetable he'd eat. My husband and I soon got bored with the simple salt and butter topping, so I stirred in some lemon juice and chives to liven up Grilled Corn with Chive Butter.
—Sue Kirsch, Eden Prairie, Minnesota


Grilled Cherry Tomatoes
Seasoned with herbs and butter, Grilled Cherry Tomatoes make a colorful and tasty side dish. Just tuck the foil packet beside any meat you happen to be grilling.
—Lucy Meyring, Walden, Colorado


Cinnamon Flat Rolls
I shared this Cinnamon Flat Rolls recipe when 4-H leaders requested an activity for younger members. The kids had a ball rolling out the dough and enjoying the sweet chewy results.
—Ethel Farnsworth, Yuma, Arizona


Bacon-Corn Stuffed Peppers
Filled with corn, salsa, green onions, mozzarella cheese and bacon, these grilled Bacon-Corn Stuffed Peppers are sure to liven up your next cookout. They have a wonderful taste and give a fun twist to the usual corn on the cob.
—Mitzi Sentiff, Alexandria, Virginia


Grilling Tips

  • When grilling asparagus, use a grill rack to prevent thin spears from falling into the coals.
    —Cheryl S., Lafayette, Indiana
  • My husband and I love baked potatoes prepared on the grill, but they're time-consuming. So first I microwave them for about 10 minutes, then I wrap them in foil and bake for about 30 minutes on the grill.
    —LaDonna R., Ponca City, Oklahoma
  • Summer is prime time for memorable picnics and cookouts with friends and family. But the last thing you want to bring home from these fun-filled outings is food poisoning, so follow these precautions:

    • When packing the cooler or picnic basket, wrap raw meat, poultry and fish separately from cooked foods in airtight plastic containers or resealable plastic bags.
    • It's a good idea to have two sets of cutting boards, grilling utensils and platters—one for uncooked foods and one for cooked items.
    • Pack a meat thermometer to ensure that you're grilling meat and poultry to the proper temperature.
    • Prevent the spread of bacteria by washing fruits and vegetables before putting in the basket or cooler.
    • Pack clean foil, plastic wrap and resealable plastic bags to store leftovers.
    • If you won't have access to soap and water at the picnic, bring along moist towelettes, antibacterial soap that doesn't require water or a spray bottle with soapy water.
    • Hot foods should be eaten within 2 hours of being made.
    • Remove foods from the cooler just before cooking or serving.
    • Food should not stand out longer than 2 hours. (On days above 85°, 1 hour is the maximum.) Promptly store hot and cold leftovers in an ice-filled cooler. If no ice remains in the cooler when you get home, play it safe and discard the food.

      • —Simple & Delicious Test Kitchen