Give Dad the gift of food with some grill-licious meals

BY NATALIE MIKLES World Scene Writer
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
6/16/10 at 5:24 AM

Give Dad the day off from grilling duties. Here are some recipes easy enough for even grill novices to master.

And if he would rather spend his Father's Day on the patio with you than inside, give him a cold drink and an easy chair, and let him kick back on Sunday.

Using a grill to make dinner, you can create a lunch or dinner that doesn't take long to make. Serve it with homemade ice cream sandwiches, cookies or a bowl of fresh strawberries and blueberries with whipped cream and you have the making of a delicious Father's Day.

Using prebaked pizza crust, this pizza takes just about 15 minutes to make.

BUFFALO CHICKEN PIZZA

Makes 8 servings

2 (12-inch) pre-baked pizza crust shells

1 cup pizza sauce or barbecue sauce

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery stalks

3 cups cooked, diced chicken

1/2 cup any flavor Franks's Red Hot sauce (or your favorite wing sauce)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

2/3 cup gorgonzola or blue cheese, crumbled

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place pizza shells on baking pans. Spread shells with pizza sauce and sprinkle with celery.

2. Toss chicken with wing sauce. Arrange on top of pizzas and top with cheeses.

3. To grill, place directly on grill rack. Grill over medium heat until cheese melts and pizza crust is crispy. Or, bake pizzas 15 minutes until crust is crispy and cheese melts. Cut into wedges or squares to serve.

A Tulsa World reader shared this recipe for marinated flank steak. Served with grilled vegetables and baked potatoes, it's an affordable meal Dad will love. Be sure to marinate the night before for a tender steak.

MARINATED FLANK STEAK

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds flank steak

1. In a blender, combine the soy sauce, honey, vinegar, ginger, garlic powder and vegetable oil.

2. Lay steak in a shallow glass or ceramic dish. Pierce both sides of the steak with a sharp fork. Pour marinade over steak, then turn and coat the other side. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.

3. Preheat grill for high heat. Place grate on highest level and brush lightly with oil. Place steaks on the grill and discard marinade. Grill steak for 10 minutes, turning once, or to desired doneness.

In this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens, skewered and grilled shrimp are served with a spicy marmalade sauce.

SPICY GRILLED SHRIMP

Makes 4 servings

1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen, peeled and de-veined extra-large shrimp

1/4 cup orange marmalade

1/4 cup honey

2 to 3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups hot cooked rice

1. Thaw shrimp, if frozen. If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 1 hour. Rinse shrimp; pat dry. For sauce, in a small saucepan stir together marmalade, honey and 1/2 teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning; set aside.

2. Place shrimp in a self-sealing plastic bag set in a shallow bowl. For marinade, in a small bowl combine oil and remaining Cajun seasoning. Pour marinade over shrimp. Seal bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour, turning bag occasionally.

3. Drain shrimp, discarding marinade. Thread shrimp onto skewers. For a charcoal grill, place skewers on the greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 7 to 9 minutes, or until shrimp are opaque, turning once halfway through grilling. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place skewers on greased grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.)

4. Stir marmalade sauce over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until melted. Serve shrimp on skewers with sauce drizzled over. Serve with hot cooked rice.

Associated Images:

Buffalo Chicken Pizza Courtesy