From the Garden to the Grill Vegetables are Sizzling Stars

Almost everyone has some type of grill. Whether it's gas or charcoal, on your patio, deck, or just outside the back door, chances are you've already fired it up this season.

Steaks, burgers, hot dogs, and brats are the usual fare of summer cookouts. But more and more people are enjoying the flavors of grilled vegetables.

When sliced peppers, whole cherry tomatoes, button mushrooms, and quartered onions are threaded on a skewer with chicken, it not only looks great, but the flavor combination works exceptionally well. Brushed with olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper, and oregano, these colorful skewers are a simple meal for a great party.

Grilled vegetables such as peppers, portabella mushrooms, and sliced tomatoes, can be layered on a ciabatta roll with garlic mayonnaise. Add a little fresh spinach and this sandwich will usually satisfy even the most dedicated of meat lovers!

As most gardeners know, when zucchini is in season,can be a challenge to anyone's recipe box.

Here's a recipe where I've paired sliced zucchini with potatoes.

Ingredients:

• Four small white potatoes
• 1 small zucchinni
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tblsp olive oil
• 1 tblsp dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Wash potatoes and zucchinni and cut into rounds, about  inch thick.
2. Toss potatoes with 1 tblsp of olive oil, salt and pepper and place in a perforated grill pan and grill on medium high heat.
3. Grill potatoes, turning once, for about 7 minutes.
4. Toss zucchinni rounds with 1 tblsp olive oil, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper.
5. Stir zucchinni mixture in with potatoes in the grill pan and grill for another 5 minutes, until the zucchinni is just fork tender.
6. Transfer potatoes and zucchinni to serving platter and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese. The cheese will melt from the heat of the vegetables into a salty goodness!

This dessert will give a happy ending to any cookout. Brush peach halves with melted butter and grill, cut side down for about 1 to 2 minutes, just long enough for grill marks to be made. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of honey.