Patch Picks: 5 Wyandotte Grilling Recipes

Most people consider Memorial Day to be the unofficial start of summer. To celebrate, the holiday weekend is usually full of outdoor barbecues. When it comes to cooking the food, some grillers have their own special blends and techniques.

Here are five grilling recipes recommended by Wyandotte residents:

Wendy Lacroix – Grilled Corn Salad 

Wendy Lacroix lives in the south end of Wyandotte with her husband, Ray. The couple lives with their dog, Jameson, a puppy they recently adopted from the Michigan Humane Society. A grilled corn salad recipe is what she passes along for this Memorial Day weekend.

Ingredients:

6 ears of fresh, shucked corn

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 large tomato, diced

1/2 of a small sweet onion, diced

1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons of fresh dill

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegarette dressing

1 seedless cucumber peeled and diced

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat the grill, using medium heat. Rub the corn with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill the corn for about 10 minutes, turning it approximately every two minutes, until the kernels turn brown.
2. Let the corn cool. Then cut the corn off the cob and add tomato, onion, feta, cucumber and dressing. Chill it for one hour, then add dill, toss and serve.  

Ed Shalda – Spiny Hot Dog

Ed Shalda is a Taylor police officer who recently moved to Wyandotte. His grilling recommendation for this weekend is a spiny hot dog.

Ingredients:

Whole beef hot dog

Maple bacon

Cheddar cheese

Cooking Instructions:

1. Make 4 cuts in the hot dog, each one approximately ½” deep.
2. Wrap both ends of the hot dog with maple bacon. Grill until the bacon is crispy, turning the hot dog several times.
3. Just prior to removing the hot dog from the grill, top it with cheddar cheese.

Kelli Snoes - Chili Chicken Kabobs

Kelli Snoes and her husband, Brian, moved Downriver from North Adams about 11 years ago. They eventually settled in Wyandotte and are currently raising two young sons. Kelli’s grilling suggestion is chili chicken kabobs.

Ingredients (4 servings):

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

Juice from one fresh lime

1 teaspoon of chili powder

1/2 teaspoon of paprika

1/2 of a large red onion, chopped into thick pieces

1 large red or green pepper cut into 1" pieces

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 ½” pieces.

Cooking Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar and lime juice. Season with chili powder, paprika, cayenne and pressed garlic.
2. Place chicken in the bowl with the sauce and stir to coat. If you are using wooden skewers, soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes while the chicken is marinating.
3. Preheat the grill to medium high. Thread the chicken onto the skewers, alternating with the chopped onion and pepper pieces, then discard the marinade.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill the skewers for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken juices run clear.

Brian Ramirez - Bacon Burgers (Serves 4-6)

Brian Ramirez is a Wyandotte-based personal chef who also teaches cooking classes. He has several years of culinary experience and is well-respected within his profession. On his blog, he recommends this bacon burger recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb of lean ground beef

1/4 pound of hickory smoked bacon, cooked & crumbled

1 teaspoon of low sodium beef bouillon powder

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon of cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

1/4-cup water

1 cup of bread, sliced into 1/4" cubes

Cooking Instructions:

1. Mix together bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, cornstarch, pepper and water in large bowl.
2. Toss in bread crumbs and add ground beef and bacon. Mix gently, then form into patties.
3. Grill directly over a medium fire for 4-5 minutes on each side of the patty.

Dale Ave-Lallemant- Grilled Bananas

As a for Wyandotte Patch, Dale Ave-Lallemant writes about grilling on his "Driveway Gourmet" blog. His grilled banana recipe proves that dessert can be made on the grill as well this Memorial Day weekend.

Ingredients:

6 bananas, cut in half

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

Lemon juice

Cooking Instructions:

1. Heat the grill to a medium-low heat and oil the grate. 
2. Mix the cinnamon and brown sugar together.
3. Coat the banana halves with lemon juice, then cover them with the brown sugar mixture.
4. Place them on the grill and let each side cook for about 2-4 minutes, starting with the peel side down. 
5. Once cooked, remove the peel and place them on a plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and toppings of your choice.

Next Week's Patch Picks: Five Wyandotte hair stylists.