Veggie on the grill...

Summertime and the living is easy....
Sorry could help myself.  Summer has arrived, in all it glory and heat.  The last thing you want to do is stand over a hot stove and heat up the house.  The electric company gets enough of our money as it is.  So heat up the grill, or better yet let some else do it.  Here are a couple of recipes from my mom's collection for those of you that are not total carnivores....

 Grilled Marinated Mixed Vegetables

Ingredients:


Marinade:
2 Tbsp   olive oil
2 Tbsp   Fresh Parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp   Fresh Oregano, chopped
2 Tbsp   Fresh Basil, chopped
1 Tbsp   Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp      Kosher salt
1/2 tsp    Black pepper
6 cloves  Garlic, minced

Now the veggies:
1    Red onion
18  Asparagus spears (about ¾ lb)
12  Cremini mushroom caps
1    (1 lb) eggplant, cut crosswise into 16 (¼ inch thick) slices
1    Red Bell pepper, cut into 6 wedges
1    Yellow Bell pepper, cut into 6 wedges
Cooking Spray

 Directions:
    Combine marinade ingredients into extra large ziplock bag.  Cut red onion into 6 wedges leaving root end intact to hold onion together.  Add onion, asparagus and next 4 ingredients to marinade bag.  Seal and marinade in refrigerator 2 hours turning bag occasionally.
   Prepare grill for cooking.
   Remove vegetables from bag and place on grill rack sprayed with cooking spray.  Grill 6 minutes on each side or until tender.

Yields 6 servings.


Grilled Vegetables with Ranch Dressing

 Ingredients:
2        Red Bell Peppers, seeded
2        Yellow Bell Peppers, seeded
1        (1 lb) eggplant cut in half lengthwise
16      Asparagus spears (1 lb)
1        Med. Zucchini or Squash, halved
8        plum tomatoes
2 Tbsp   olive oil
1/2 tsp   Black Pepper
1/4 tsp   salt
Cooking spray
Ranch Dressing (recipe below)

Directions:
   Prepare Grill.  Coat grill rack with cooking spray.
   Brush vegetables with oil and sprinkle with pepper and salt.  Grill peppers for 5 minutes.  Turn peppers.  Add eggplant grill for 5 minutes.  Turn eggplant and peppers.  Add asparagus, grill for 5 minutes. Turn vegetables. Add zucchini or squash, grill for 5 minutes.  Turn vegetables. Add tomatoes, and grill for 5 minutes.  Keep an eye on the vegetables to keep from over cooking.  Remove them from heat when they are tender.
   Cut peppers into quarters.  Cut Eggplant, zucchini, and squash into 8 pieces.  Serve with ranch dressing.

Makes 8 servings.

Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

3/4  cup  Buttermilk
1/4 cup  Sour Cream
1/2 tsp  Dry Mustard
1/2 tsp  Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp  Dried Basil
1/4 tsp  Salt
1/4 tsp  Dried Dill
1/4 tsp  Black Pepper
1 clove  Garlic, minced

Directions:
   Place all ingredients in a bowl.  Whisk together throughly.  Cover and Chill.

Yields 1 cup of dressing.