What's Cookin'?: Kabobs on the Grill

Some of us cannot get enough grilled food. (I personally dig a path in the snow to the patio before I clear my driveway.) So my trusty grill came in handy last weekend when I had no power in my house after that freak storm.

I decided on kabobs, which gave me a chance to use some items that would have otherwise gone bad in the frig. Kabobs (there are several spellings, depending on the region) are small pieces of meat – lamb, beef, pork or chicken – marinated and threaded onto skewers for grilling. I like to cut vegetables, like onions and peppers, and add them to the skewer not only for taste but for color. (Presentation is usually important, but in this case, I wasn’t concerned.)

Kabobs take a relatively short time to cook because the pieces are small. But remember: while beef can be eaten rare, the others absolutely must be cooked all the way through. So a careful eye on the grill is necessary.

We enjoyed our kabobs with a mixed green salad and corn on the cob, which I also grilled. I heated up a little leftover soup in a small pot on the side burner, and voila – dinner was served.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
Recipe is for chicken kabobs

• About 2-3 boneless chicken breasts, washed well and cut in large cubes (Marinate chicken pieces for about an hour, keep covered in the refrigerator)
• Broccoli florets
• 1 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch wedges
• 1 medium onion, cut into large pieces
• 1 red pepper, cored and cut into 2x2 chunks
• 8-10 wooden skewers, soaked in cool water for about 30 minutes

(see marinade recipe below)

HOW TO PREPARE

1. Preheat grill to medium heat.
2. Thread pieces of chicken, alternating vegetables onto wet skewers, leaving about 3 inches on one end to use as a "handle" when grilling. There is no set way to place meat and veggies on skewers, but leave a little room in between for quicker cooking.
3. Place directly on grill grates. If using a charcoal grill, place kabobs on a piece of aluminum foil on grates.
4. Cook for about 10 minutes on each side.

ANGELA'S CHICKEN KABOB MARINADE

• Equal amounts of olive oil and pomegranate blueberry balsamic vinegar
• Sprinkle of black pepper
• A few shakes of salt-free garlic herb spice
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• Mix well and pour over chicken pieces