Alumawood Aluminum Patio Covers

One of the more unconventional patio party ideas is to include grilled fruit on the menu, but many people are unsure about grill temperatures for fruits and vegetables. Even if you consider yourself a master of the backyard barbecue, there’s a good chance you’ve only ever thrown meat on the grill, or perhaps the occasional ear of corn, and that’s really a shame. Grilled fruit, cooked at the right grill temperatures, can be a simple, elegant, and easy way to showcase the best that summer and fall has to offer. Here, we present some of our favorite healthy grilled recipes, to inspire you to fire up the grill and invite some friends to dine.

• The simplest way to prepare fruit is on its own. The best grill temperatures for fruit are usually medium to medium high, direct heat, and it’s easy to spear chunks of your favorite fruits onto a kebab and put them on the grill. Watch them carefully, because at those grill temperatures it takes less than ten minutes for fruit to cook. Some fruits, like apples, only take about four to six minutes. Put a little bit of butter on bananas, to give them a little bit of crispness, or sprinkle sugar on strawberries to make them smoky sweet.
• Pineapple is extremely versatile, and adds a tropical feeling to your party. Try cooking it by itself, or basted with a mixture of three-quarters cup tequila or rum, three-quarters cup brown sugar, and 11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract and grilled for 10 minutes, turning occasionally. If you’re feeling really adventurous, you can make Pineapple Satay with Coconut Caramel, which is easier than it sounds. Just peel and core 1 ripe pineapple, quartering it, and saving half for another recipe. Cut each of the two remaining quarters into lengthwise slices, and the slices into 16 thin wedges, and then skewer them lengthwise. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar with a half cup of water, bring to a boil, and swirl to dissolve sugar, cooking until it’s golden and honeylike. Remove it from the heat and slowly whisk in three-quarters cup of coconut milk, then use a pastry brush to coat the pineapple pieces with the mixture. Your grill temperatures should range between 450° to 550° for this recipe, and you’ll only need to grill until marks appear, then flip to mark the other side, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Put the pineapple pieces on a platter, sprinkle them with a half cup unsweetened, shredded, toasted coconut, and serve with the remaining caramel sauce.
• Experimenting with flavors like pepper and vanilla can create a uniquely delicious dessert. Try a Grilled Fruit Antipasto Plate, for something easy that tastes exotic. Prepare your grill by heating it and coating it with cooking spray, then whisk together a dressing of 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract , a quarter teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , one-eighth teaspoon salt , and one-eighth teaspoon hot sauce. Choose fruit like plums, peaches, nectarines, and pluots, about 3 pounds in all, and place them—halved and pitted—on the grill for 3 minutes on each side. Remove them from the grill and serve drizzled with dressing.

Learning the right grill temperatures for party recipes is one part of throwing an excellent backyard party, and having the right outdoor living space plans is another. Your outdoor space should be an extension of your home, and designing and planting a wonderful garden to liven up the landscape is just the beginning of creating your outdoor oasis. Visit Alumawood today, at www.Alumawood.net , to learn more about patio shade structures, beautifying your landscape and home, and how to spark your imagination.

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