Monday, May 21, 2012

Marinated Grilled Veggie Skewers



These delicious marinated grilled veggie skewers would make a perfect addition to your Memorial Day cookout. I made this recipe several weeks ago when we had our Italian friends over for dinner and karaoke. We planned to cookout steaks and chicken so when I came across this recipe I thought it would be a perfect compliment. It is super easy and doesn't take a lot of time to prep which is great when trying to prepare several other dishes. The marinade can be made the day before and then simply add the veggies a couple hours before grilling.


These veggies made such a pretty presentation and were a big hit with everyone at the party. They are really healthy so you can save those calories for dessert!



I used the recipe as a guide, but didn't follow it exactly. You can use whatever vegetables you like. I did not add the crushed red pepper since I wasn't sure if my guests would like them spicy.


Marinated Grilled Vegetable Skewers Recipe

Ingredients:
Veggies:
1/2 C. thickly sliced zucchini
1/2 C. red bell pepper chunks
1/2 C. yellow bell pepper chunks
1/2 C. thickly sliced yellow squash
1/2 C. wedged red onion
16 fresh mushrooms
16 large cherry tomatoes
Wooden skewers


Marinade:
1/2 C. olive oil
1/3 C. soy sauce
1/3 C. lemon juice
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp. honey
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional-- only if you like heat)


Instructions:
1. Place all your veggies in a large mixing bowl or resealable plastic bag.
2. In a separate small bowl, combine the marinade ingredients.
3. Pour over veggies and marinate at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.
4. Soak skewers one hour in water.
5. Preheat the grill to medium heat.
6. Place your veggies on the skewers, dividing them evenly. Reserve the marinade.
7. Grill veggie skewers directly on oiled grill rack for about 15 minutes, till crisp-tender. Brush occasionally with reserved marinade.






Cold Marinated Veggie Variation: Don't have time or space to make your veggies on the grill? Turn your veggies into a cold salad, instead.
If you know you're tight on time, this is a good element of your dinner party menu for the grill to make ahead of time. In this case, you can take carrot slices, chopped Brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, and cauliflower and turn them into a cold salad by simply adding some chunks of provolone, mozzarella, salami, ham, and a little vinaigrette – fast, easy and very appealing!


Buon Appetito!

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