Family BBQ Recipes That Can't Be Beat!

Ask Chef Drew

by Chef Drew

When the air fills with the aroma of grilling vegetables and baby back ribs, you'll know summertime is finally here!

This is a great summer menu that gets the whole family involved and where everyone has something to do…even the littlest kids can help squish the lemons, marinate the ribs and mix the potato salad!

Top your meal off with a tall glass of homemade lemonade, some fancy cake served with fresh fruit, and your choice of sherbet.

This meal is a happy summer memory maker! Grilling out gives everyone in the family a chance to pitch in, and enjoy the delicious results together.

Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients: 21 Slab Baby Back Ribs

Brine: 1 Cups Sugar 2/3 Cup Salt 1 Head Garlic, crushed 1 1/3 Cups Orange Juice 1 Bunch Parsley, chopped

Datyl BBQ Sauce

Directions: Dissolve sugar and salt in 2 quarts of water. Stir in garlic and orange juice.

Pour mixture into a zip lock bag and add the ribs. Refrigerate for 24 hours.

Remove meat from the brine, rinse off and pat dry.

Heat your grill or grill pan. Place ribs on moderately hot side of the grill. Cook until golden brown and turn over. Cook on underside until golden brown.

Move from the grill and place in shallow baking dish.

Brush liberally with Datyl BBQ Sauce.

Cover the pan with 4 layers of heavy duty plastic wrap.

Cook in a 225-degree oven for 2 - 3 hours. Ribs should be fork tender.

Remove the plastic wrap add additional BBQ sauce and return to over to allow the sauce to glaze the meat.

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Roasted Vegetable Platter

Ingredients: 1 Red Onion, sliced _-inch thick 1 Red Pepper, seeded, cut in squares 1 Yellow Pepper, seeded, cut in squares 2 Small Zucchini, cut in long planks 2 Baby Eggplant, cut in large coins 2 Portobello Mushrooms, stem off 1 Yam, cut into coins

1 Bag Baby Spinach

Olive Oil Salt and Pepper

16 oz. Container Pesto Good Balsamic Vinegar Asiago Cheese wedge, for garnish

Directions: Heat indoor grill pan over high heat.

Toss vegetables in large bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Grill vegetables until golden brown. Put baby spinach on a large platter. Remove vegetables and lay on top of spinach.

Spoon pesto across the top of the platter. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Drizzle with a nice olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Shave Asiago on top with a vegetable peeler.

Serve warm or room temperature.

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Potato Salad

Ingredients: 2 Lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes 1 Bottle Lite Italian Dressing 2 Tbl. Yellow Mustard 1 Cup Mayo 1 Cup Red Onion, chopped 1 Cup Celery chopped 2 Hard Boiled Eggs, chopped To Taste: Garlic Powder Onion Powder Salt and Pepper

Directions: Boil potatoes until al dente and drain.

While still hot mix in cold dressing.

Let potatoes cool in dressing in refrigerator until cold.

Drain potatoes of any excess dressing

Mix in all other ingredients to taste.

Keep refrigerated until you are ready to serve.

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Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients: 1 quart fresh strawberries, hulled 3 cups cold water 3/4 cup lemon juice 3/4 cup sugar 2 cups club soda

Directions: Puree strawberries in a blender, reserving some for garnishes. Add water, lemon juice and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add club soda. Serve over ice and garish with strawberries.

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Lemon Poppyseed Angelfood Cake with Fresh Berries & Sorbet

Makes 5 small cakes

Ingredients: 5 Tbl. Cake Flour 2 Tbl. Sugar 5 Egg Whites 1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar 1/4 Cup Sugar Pinch of Salt 1 Tbl. Poppyseeds 1 1/2 tsp. Lemon Zest

Served with: Fresh Seasonal Berries Fruit Sorbets

Directions: Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Sift flour with 2 tablespoons of sugar and set aside.

Whip the egg whites until they begin to froth. Add the cream of tartar and continue whipping until the reach a soft peak. Add the salt and 1/4 cup sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold flour and sugar mixture into the egg whites.

Next, fold in the poppyseeds and lemon zest.

If using ring molds, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet (you can also use small ramekins). Fill the molds 3/4 of the way up and bake for approximately 12 minutes. For Chef Drew Closs, nothing is more fun than cooking with kids! Inspired by children's carefree honesty and boundless enthusiasm, Drew is working to create a series of innovative cooking programs developed specifically with kids in mind. As Chefmakers' Corporate Chef and Program Director, he has over 15 years professional culinary experience at Walt Disney World, where he helped establish three of Disney's premier restaurants and created the "Grand Adventures in Cooking" children's program. If you have a cooking question for Chef Drew, email him at askchefdrew@familymagazinegroup.com.