So here we are….Labor Day Weekend. In the blink of an eye, the summer grilling season has given way to football tailgating season. Which means that the chill of fall is going to be in the air soon. And while it was 95 degrees in Madison yesterday, by Monday we’re going to have a high of 69. I love it, but it’s going to feel downright cold! Anyway, what are you grilling this weekend? I’m sure I’ll be firing it up but not quite sure what we will slap on it.

I do know I’m going to make a stew of chicken thighs, brats and hot peppers (and a few more tasty things) cooked in Guinness. It’s not quite in my head yet, but hey, the weather will be perfect for it.

We are also heading to Taste of Madison on Sunday, where my goal will once again be to try a few foods I’ve never tried before (within reason of course).

Have a happy and safe holiday weekend, everyone….and get those grills fire up and those beers on ice (just please drink responsibly).

I’m not a big seafood guy, so this is my version of “shrimp and grits”–it’s grilled vegetables over cheese grits. It’s simple, satisfying and a great light meal for the summer months.

All you need are some grits, a good sharp cheddar cheese, and some veggies to throw on the grill. I had received an awesome box of produce from our CSA (community supported agriculture) from Driftless Organics–and in it were zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, onions and banana peppers among other things. So I used all of those as well as a red bell pepper I bought at the farmer’s market.

Here is what to do……cook grits according to package directions for four servings, and add 1 cup of shredded cheddar at the end of the cooking process. Stir until cheese melts and set aside.

Meanwhile, cut vegetables (enough for 4 servings) into large chunks, spray with olive oil or cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill for 4-5 minutes, or until cooked through and slightly charred with nice grill marks. Divide grits among bowls, top with some veggies, and then throw a few cherry tomatoes on top (we also got these from Driftless…you can grill these too but it’s not necessary), and then splash with hot sauce.

That’s it. This is an easy and really tasty dish. Of course, the sharper the cheese, the better. And the hotter the hot sauce, the better. Enjoy!

So yesterday my wife and I bought a new grill–mainly because the one we had was on its last leg, had wasp nests growing inside of it, and was blown over by the Great Blizzard of 2011 a few months ago. I had assembled it again and got it to work, but only marginally…it would not even get hot enough so that my hand touching the lid wouldn’t make me jump five feet in the air.

So we went to Menard’s here in Madison and bought another Char-Broil grill, the same brand we had before that served us well, and because it was only 98 bucks! Only problem…I asked the nice lady in that department how easy it is to put together..she said it was only in 2-3 pieces. Um, no. It was in like a million pieces, complete with instructions most humans cannot comprehend. Now, it was around 2pm and I had no interest in doing this on Memorial Day, not this late when it might take 8 hours for me to complete. But my wife, bless her heart, decided to help me. She also calmed me down a few times when I wanted to throw said million pieces out the window. But hey, piece by piece it came together, and four hours later we were grilling!

It was a pain, but we accomplished it and the food tasted that much better because of it. But hey, if you buy a grill like this, be warned…..and give yourself plenty of time to put it together. Onward!

I’m looking out of my office window right now and it’s a bright sunny day, and close to 70 degrees. I think we’re expecting some rain this weekend, but my mind is still on Memorial Day and the fact that it’s cookout season. That means you can officially bust out your grill. And with that in mind, here are some recipes I’ve posted before on Mikey’s Kitchen that you can try this weekend……

Fresh Summer Grilling

Quick and Easy Grilling

Peanut Butter & Banana Burger

Steak and Potatoes 1

Steak and Potatoes 2

There you go. You have no excuses….get out there and fire up the grill! And have a safe and awesome holiday weekend.

It’s getting closer to grilling season. In some parts of the country, it’s already here. Or hell, some of you will grill when snow is on the ground, and there isn’t a whole lot wrong with that. Anyway, here is a set of recipes I posted on Grub for Guys a couple years ago. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Grilled Chicken with Pineapple Jalapeno Salsa
There is nothing like barbecue chicken in the summer, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend time waiting for bone-in, skin-on chicken to take forever to grill while the fat drips into the fire and burns your chicken. Me, I will take my chances with a boneless chicken breast, but dressed up for maximum flavor. Here is a simply marinated chicken with a bright, flavorful and spicy salsa to top it with.

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
¼ cup olive oil
2 limes, divided
Kosher salt & black pepper
1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into very small chunks
½ cup peeled, seeded cucumber, also cut into small chunks
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, stem removed, seeded and chopped very fine

Directions
Combine olive oil, juice of one lime, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Add chicken and marinate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. In a small bowl, combine pineapple, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeno, juice of one lime and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high. Remove chicken from bag and grill for about four minutes per side, or until no longer pink and slightly charred on the outside. Serve chicken topped with salsa. Serves 4.

Tequila Lime Pork Tacos
Ingredients
4 boneless pork loin chops
¼ cup tequila
2 limes, divided
2 Tbsp. packaged taco-seasoning mix
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ cup cilantro, divided
Kosher salt & pepper
12 small corn tortillas
1 mango
½ cup shredded manchego cheese
½ cup shredded cabbage or cole slaw mix
Guacamole (store bought, or mash one peeled avocado with some salt, chopped cilantro, and lime juice to taste)

Directions
In a large re-sealable plastic bag, combine tequila, juice of one lime, seasoning mix, olive oil, ¼ cup cilantro and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add pork, and marinate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Peel and chop the mango and put the chunks in a small bowl. Put cheese in a small bowl, followed by cabbage in another bowl and guacamole after that. Also have some chopped cilantro and small lime wedges at the table. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high and grill a few corn tortillas at a time for about 30 seconds per side or until a couple of small char marks are made and tortillas are warm but still pliable. Set aside and then add pork to grill. Cook for about 3-4 minutes per side and then let rest on a cutting board for about 5 minutes. Cut pork into small chunks and put in a bowl. For serving, place some pork on a corn tortilla, top with mango, cheese, cabbage, guacamole, and some cilantro and a squeeze of lime if you like. Makes 12 tacos, which you can divide according to how many hungry people you’re serving. This recipe goes great with a Corona or two (ore more).

Wasabi Cole Slaw
This is a kickass side dish that will open your sinuses. It goes well with any grilled meat, or on top of burgers, hot dogs or sandwiches.

Ingredients
½ head green cabbage, finely shredded (or 1 bag cole slaw mix)
½ cup regular or light mayo
½ cup wasabi mayo
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
½ Tbsp. fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
½ Tbsp. honey
Kosher salt & ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Combine all ingredients except cabbage in a large bowl until well blended. Add cabbage and toss to coat. Serve immediately or let blend flavors in fridge for an hour or two. Serves 6-8.