Hello friends, and welcome to the July/August 2022 edition of RecipeLion Magazine! We’re happy to say it’s time to break out the grill and get things fired up. Everything tastes better grilled, right? Season your meal with some sunshine and it’s guaranteed to be good!

The great thing about barbecuing is that it’s almost as easy to make a meal for a crowd as it is for one or two people. So whether you invite your neighbors over or you want a quiet night, summer meals are all about relaxing with a cold drink and taking your time with lunch and dinner. 

You’ll have plenty to choose from, too, with this issue of RecipeLion Magazine! There are more than 35 recipes in this edition, so you can take full advantage of those warm summer evenings when it seems like the day might go on forever. Grilled meats and veggies, kebabs, burgers, and even grilled desserts are on the menu. And don’t miss the summer drink recipes. An icy cold drink is just what these hot days call for. 

It’s time to dust off the grill, check the charcoal, and pull out those barbecue tools, because these recipes are ready as soon as you are!

Here’s what’s coming up in this issue. 

Grilled Meats, Kebabs, and Burgers

I love an old-fashioned grilled burger as much as anyone, but when you feel like stepping things up a notch, there are more than a dozen recipes here that go well beyond the burgers and dogs you usually find at a cookout. 

• 30-Minute Grilled Jalapeño Popper Pork Chops: Jalapeño poppers are meant to be spicy. They pack a lot of heat but, at the same time, are absolutely decadent and rich. Now, imagine that combination of fresh, spicy chiles and creamy cheese in the form of a lip-smackingly good sauce topped on some perfectly grilled pork chops!
• Grilled Tuna Steaks with Grape and Caper Salsa: Grilled tuna steaks are typically enjoyed with a dash of lemon juice, but for this recipe, you get to enjoy tuna with two other ingredients that can brighten up that subtle zest: capers and grapes! This combination is refreshing and elegant, without overpowering the exquisite taste of grilled tuna.
• Spicy Lime Grilled Tequila Chicken: This marinade is really exciting as it combines the vibrant and irresistible flavors of lime, tequila, and a handful of fresh herbs that can be easily found in your pantry or home garden.
• Soy Sauce Burgers with Coleslaw: This recipe blends together the fine taste of Asian sauces coupled with spicy slaw on the side. It’s rich but equally refreshing, and it’s a really fun way to make your burger nights extra special!

Grilled Veggies

Fresh garden vegetables are so juicy and delightful on the grill. Something about that open flame brings so many flavors to the forefront, not to mention that smokiness blends so well with many vegetables.

• Grilled Summer Squash and Red Onion with Feta: This mouth-watering side dish uses grilled summer squash and red onion with feta and lemon to create a warm summer side dish that’s fresh and satisfying!
• Grilled Corn & Blue Cheese: What makes this pairing blend so perfectly is that the sweetness of the corn provides a pleasant contrast to the sharp, tangy, slightly nutty, and milky flavors of crumbled blue cheese.
• Grilled Bacon and Brussels Sprout Kabobs: I know Brussels sprouts aren’t the first veggies that come to mind when you think about grilling greens, but trust me when I say that this cooking method is a game-changer. Grilling them actually brings out their naturally sweet and nutty flavors, made even more delicious with that hint of smokiness. 

Grilled and Chilled Sweets

Dessert on the grill? Absolutely. It’s not as strange as it sounds. Don’t worry, though. These don’t all go on the grill. There are some classic summer recipes here that will help cool you down even on the hottest days.

• Grilled Watermelon and Pineapple Skewers: Fresh watermelon and pineapple chunks are the stars of the show in this delightful dessert. Both fruits have their own distinct sweetness and juiciness, with watermelon being a bit milder while pineapples have a slightly more intense flavor.
• Sweet Grilled Pineapple: Inch-thick pineapple slices are immersed in extra-virgin olive oil and honey, which gives them a more distinct, savory sweetness that mellows down the pineapple’s natural tang. The grilling process itself brings out even more of the pineapple’s sweet qualities, making these slices extra delicious and tender.
• Peachy Keen Peach Cobbler: Peach cobblers are pretty popular, and this Peachy Keen Peach Cobbler certainly holds up to fame. Exquisite, decadent, tender, and irresistible.
• Fresh Orange Freeze Pops: Fresh oranges are delicious on their own. But if you’re looking for a frozen treat to beat the summer heat, make your own fresh orange freeze pops. All you need is oranges, pears, a blender, and popsicle molds. 

Icy Cold Drinks

We couldn’t very well put together a magazine full of barbecue recipes without including several thirst-quenching, summer drinks. What’s nice here is that you can grab many of the ingredients from your garden or at a local farmers’ market. 

• Watermelon Lemonade: This naturally-sweetened watermelon lemonade recipe has two secret ingredients: the sweetest watermelon on the block, and a culinary favorite, Meyer lemons.
• Herbal Dill Lemonade: Fresh homemade lemonade just sings of summer. In the U.S., we most often serve it plain, or with a fruit garnish such as strawberries or raspberries. But in many other cultures, they make lemonade even more refreshing by adding herbs such as dill, mint, rosemary, or a combination.
• Rhubarb Tea: When someone says “rhubarb,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Pie? Well, OK, it is also called pie plant—but rhubarb can be so much more. The flavor of rhubarb as a tea is a refreshing change from the usual fruit teas. It’s especially good when you make it fresh yourself.

Happy cooking—and happy eating!

Kim Mateus

Editor & Publisher

P.S. Please enjoy this issue of RecipeLion Magazine, and let me know what you think about it by commenting below with your feedback! Your input is valuable to us and can help us make improvements.