12 button mushroom caps, 1 1/2 inch in diameter
12 slices of Swiss cheese
12 slices of cooked ham
12 pineapple chunks, fresh or canned
Olive oil
3/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt

How to Make It:

Cut the stems for the mushrooms.
Cut off the top of the caps so that the mushrooms are approximately 1/2 inch thick.
Lay the mushrooms flat side down.
Fold a slice of cheese to fit the mushroom and place it on top of the mushroom.
Fold a slice of ham to fit the mushroom and place it on top of the cheese.
Place a pineapple chunk on top of the ham.
Secure together with a toothpick.
Continue with all 12 mushrooms.
Brush the bottoms of each mushroom with the olive oil.
Mix the chili powder and salt together in a small bowl.
Sprinkle over the tops of the stackers.
Heat the grill to medium temperature.
Place the mushrooms on the grill standing up with only the mushroom touching the grate.
Grill 4 minutes being sure the cheese is beginning to melt and the mushrooms are slightly charred on the bottom.

Any type of meat and cheese will work with these snackers. They are a great beginning to the perfect meal.

24 oysters in the shell
24 fresh lemon slices
Seafood cocktail sauce

How to Make It:

Clean each oyster shell top and bottom well.
The grill needs to be very hot to cook these.
Place the oysters shell and all on the grill.
Close the lid.
Check every 3 minutes or so and when the shells begin to open remove them from the grill.
Carefully open the shell being sure to retain the juice and the oyster in the bottom shell.
Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the top each oyster.
Serve with the cocktail sauce.

Be carefully not to over cook these oysters. When the shell starts to open you want to remove them immediately. If cooked to long they will become rubbery.

2 lbs lean ground beef
2 onions, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBSP parsley, chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 flat metal skewers

How to Make It:

Place the ground beef in a food processor.
Add the onion, garlic and parsley.
Process until mixture becomes smooth.
Remove and place in a large mixing bowl.
Add the coriander, cumin, salt and pepper to the mixture.
With your hands mix all the ingredients together well.
Form the mixture into two meatloaves.
Run the skewers through the center of each loaf.
Heat the grill to medium high.
Place the loaves on the grill and cover.
Cook 20 minutes turning over half way through the cooking time.

If you like your ground beef a little rarer you can cook these for about 15 minutes. For more well done meat cook just a little longer.

1 TBSP black peppercorn
1 TBSP cumin
1 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP oregano
1 TBSP minced garlic
1/4 C lime juice
2 TBSP olive oil
6 firm peaches, peeled and chopped fine
1 C peach preserves
2/3 C peach juice
1/4 C sugar
2 TBSP cider vinegar
4 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped fine
1 TBSP cilantro, chopped fine
4 (4 lb) chicken breasts
Canola oil

How to Make It:

Crush the peppercorn seeds as fine as possible.
Add the cumin, chili powder, oregano, minced garlic, lime juice and olive oil and stir into a paste.
Coat the turkey completely with the paste.
Place the turkey into a large zip lock bag, remove as much air as possible, seal tight and refrigerate overnight.
In a saucepan over medium high heat mix together the peaches, preserves, peach juice, sugar and vinegar.
Bring to a rapid boil then reduce the heat to medium low.
Stirring often simmer the mixture for about 30 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Remove the mixture from the heat and allow cooling at least 10 minutes.
Place the cooled mixture into the food processor and process until very smooth.
Add the jalapeno peppers and cilantro and mix well.
Allow mixture to come to room temperature then refrigerate until ready to use.
Heat the grill on medium high.
Brush the chicken breasts completely with the canola oil.
Grill skin side up over indirect heat for 1 hour 15 minutes.
Remove and allow cooling before slicing and serving with the peach mixture.

If you like your chicken breasts to be a little crispy on the outside place it on direct heat for 10 minutes before removing from the grill.

2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 bone in 1 inch thick pork steaks
2 1/2 C fresh peaches, peeled and diced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped fine
2 green onions, remove green and slice thin
2 TBSP cilantro, chopped fine
2 TBSP lime juice

How to Make It:

In a small bowl stir the vinegar, jalapeno pepper, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper together well.
Place the mixture into a shallow container with a lid.
Add the pork steaks and cover.
Marinate in the refrigerator 4 hours.
Place the peaches, tomatoes, green onion and cilantro in a mixing bowl.
Add the lime juice and toss to cover.
Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Remove the steaks from the marinade and discard the marinade.
Allow the steaks to sit at room temperature about 20 minutes.
Heat grill to medium temperature.
Cook steaks 10 minutes, turning once, until juices run clear.
Remove steaks and cover with aluminum foil.
Allow steaks to stand in the foil 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes unwrap the steaks and cut into strips.
Remove the peach salsa from the refrigerator.
Serve the steak strips over the salsa.

The combination of the spicy marinade and the sweet taste of the peach salsa make this a great meal for any taste bud. Oranges, pineapple or even apricots will work with this salsa as long as they are sweet to act in combination of the spices.

1 TBSP chili powder
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp pepper
1 2 1/2 lb center cut ham steak about 1 1/2 inches thick
1 TBSP unsalted butter, melted

How to Make It:

In a small bowl blend together the chili powder, oregano, brown sugar, cayenne and pepper.
Brush both sides of the ham steak with the melted butter.
Sprinkle both sides with the chili powder mixture being sure to press into the meat.
Heat grill to medium temperature.
Grill 13 minutes turning once during cooking time.

Add some scrambled eggs and fried potatoes for the perfect Sunday morning brunch. Always be sure when grilling a ham steak that it’s a least 1 inch thick. This will insure that the outside becomes crispy without drying out the center of the meat.

12 oz of fresh, frozen or canned cooked crabmeat
3/4 C plain bread crumbs
1/2 C red bell pepper, chopped fine
4 green onions, chopped fine (white part only)
3 TBSP mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Vegetable oil

How to Make It:

Flake the crabmeat with a fork in a mixing bowl.
Be sure to remove any shell or cartilage.
Add the bread crumbs, red bell pepper and onions.
Toss to combine.
Stir in the mayonnaise, mustard, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper.
Shape the crab mixture into eight patties about 3/4 inch thick.
Cover the patties with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Lightly brush all sides of the crab patties with the vegetable oil.
Heat the grill to high.
Grill the crab patties 8 minutes turning once during grilling time.
Serve with a lemon wedge.

Be sure to refrigerate these before cooking. The cold will help to hold the patties together during cooking time. Use a large spatula to keep from breaking the patties while turning.

1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp lemongrass
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/4 C canola oil
4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless and cut into 1 in chunks
1/2 C soy sauce
2 TBSP lemon juice
2 TBSP rice vinegar
1 TBSP green onion, green cut away and minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

How to Make It:

Stir together the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, lemongrass, basil, thyme, salt, pepper and cayenne in a large mixing bowl.
Gradually add the canola oil and whisk as you add to be sure the spices do not clump together.
Place the cut up chicken pieces in the bowl with the spices.
Toss to cover completely.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate 1 hour.
Heat the grill to medium temperature.
Place the chicken chunks on a bamboo skewer.
Grill 6 minutes, turn over and grill an addition 5 minutes.
In a small bowl stir together the soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, green onion and red pepper flakes.
Use the sauce for dipping.

If the dipping sauce seems too thick for your liking add a couple tsp of water. Be sure to stir well so the water doesn’t rest on the top.

1 C balsamic vinegar
20 (1 oz each) scallops
Olive oil
Pepper to taste

How to Make It:

Place the vinegar in a saucepan over high heat.
Bring the vinegar to a boil then reduce the heat to low.
Simmer for approximately 3 minutes.
You will want to reduce the vinegar to about 3 TBSP and the vinegar will begin to glaze on the bottom of the pan.
Do not over cook or the vinegar will burn.
Remove and allow to cool to room temperature.
Place the scallops on skewers 4 to each skewer.
Brush the scallops with the olive oil and sprinkle with pepper to taste.
Heat the grill to high temperature.
Grill the scallops 4 minutes turning once.
Scallops are done when opaque in the center.
Remove from the grill and drizzle with the glaze.

These little treats make a great appetizer. Keep an eye on that glaze as it simmers. If cooked to long the vinegar will begin to burn. By tipping the saucepan you can see the glaze start to form as the vinegar simmers.

1 TBSP crushed peppercorn
1 tsp + 1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp light brown sugar
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp + 1 tsp onion powder
1/2 C ketchup
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 TBSP red wine vinegar
1 TBSP dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 C water
4 (3/4 lb) rib eye steaks (1 inch thick)
Olive oil

How to Make It:

Mix the peppercorns, 1 tsp chili powder, salt, light brown sugar, garlic powder and 1/4 tsp onion powder together well in a mixing bowl.
Let the steaks stand at room temperature 30 minutes prior to grilling.
Coat both sides of the steak with the peppercorn mixture being sure to press into the meat.
Brush both sides of the steaks with the olive oil.
Heat the grill to high temperature.
Grill the steaks 12 minutes for medium turning once during grilling time.
Allow steaks to rest 10 minutes before serving.
In a saucepan over low heat simmer together the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, wine vinegar, dark brown sugar, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp onion powder, pepper and water.
Allow to simmer 10 minutes being sure to stir often to insure the brown sugar dissolves completely.
Pour the sauce over the steaks before serving or use as a dip on the side.

Using kosher salt will insure that the salt cooks into the food instead of being washed away by the juices as would regular table salt. If you would like to use regular table salt reduce the amount by half.