Here are 3 ideas to take your summer grilling to the next level

I am a recipe junkie. No, I am not one of those who tear recipes out of magazines at the hair salon or doctor’s or dentist’s office, but I do find them in unusual places.

For instance, electric bills are a great place to find a new recipe, and usually they are ones that most family members or friends would eat.

I have friends that sell Tupperware and Pampered Chef. Those catalogs contain tasty recipes that are worth saving. Pampered Chef and Tupperware both publish paperback cookbooks that offer up new ideas and are inexpensive.

Grilling is one of my favorite ways to cook in the summer. As I have said several times, I do not like to use the oven in the summer. I do not care if the oven is gas or electric, the house gets hotter.

I enjoy the flavors of grilled foods whether they be vegetables, fruits, meats or even desserts.

One of my finds is a s’mores recipe that is done in personal-size cast-iron skillets on the grill. What a great idea. The grill doesn’t hurt the skillet, and you get the smoky flavor in the s’mores.

Pampered Chef gets the credit for this s’mores dip. This sweet treat is the perfect finale to a backyard barbecue or when the craving for chocolate and marshmallows strikes.

Yes, this s’mores recipe is less mess, less cleanup and faster to make. It takes about 5 minutes to make, and family members or guests can share the dip. S’mores are too rich to eat too many, so the dip is just the right amount.

Tupperware’s tuna steaks with mango salsa can be done on an indoor grill, microwave grill or outdoor grill. A Texas friend, who is a consultant, shared this recipe with me. This company offers a Micro-Pro Grill for the microwave. Also, a kitchen gadget and equipment junkie, I had to have one, but this recipe is so good and fresh, any method works.

For the salsa, mango, onion, jalapenos, cilantro, lime juice and red pepper come together for a light sauce that is good as a topping for fish, chicken or pork or as a dip with chips or crudités. This versatile salsa also would work on shrimp or fish tacos.

Grilled flatbread offers kicked up flavors of ordinary pizza crust. The flatbread dough can be done on a pizza stone on the grill. Toppings can include cheeses, meats, fruits or veggies as toppings. You are only limited by your creativity for toppings.

The flatbread and toppers can be done in a conventional oven.

S’mores dip

1 package (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate morsels

34 large marshmallows

Assorted dippers: graham crackers, cookies, pretzels, fruit pieces and the like

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. If using the grill, have fire on medium-high to high heat.

Divide the chocolate chips (1 cup for each skillet) between two small skillets. Bake or grill for 3–5 minutes. Remove from the oven or grill and stir to ensure chips are fully melted.

Arrange 15–20 marshmallows on top of the melted chocolate in each skillet. Bake or grill another 4–6 minutes or until marshmallows are evenly browned.

Serve immediately with dippers. Yield: 6 servings

Cook’s Tips:

To make on a campfire, place the skillets on top of a campfire grill or grate. The dip is ready to serve when the chocolate is fully melted and the marshmallows puff and become slightly brown.

Pampered Chef’s recipe uses two 5.5-inch cast iron skillets. -- Recipe from Pampered Chef

Ahi tuna steaks with mango salsa

2 Ahi tuna steaks

Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

1 cup mango, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/2 small white onion

1 tablespoon cilantro

1 tablespoon lime juice, fresh squeezed

1/2 jalapeno, deseeded

1/4 red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Cracked black pepper

Season tuna steaks with salt and pepper and place base of microwave grill. Place cover in grill position and microwave on high power 5 minutes. Flip over and microwave in grill position for another 3-5 minutes or desired doneness.

Place remaining ingredients in a food processor or chopper to dice. Serve over tuna steaks. – Recipe by Tupperware

Notes: These steaks can be done similarly in a stovetop or countertop grill or outdoor grill. Grill one side of tuna steak until when pressed with spoon the tuna springs back. Flip to other side and cook to desired doneness. Tuna is better if cooked until pinkish-red, but if you prefer it more done then cook until pink inside. To me tuna steaks and beef steaks are better medium to medium-rare.

Grilled flatbread with grapes, rosemary and brie

5-minute dough:

1 1/2 cups flour, plus additional as needed

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup 2-percent plain low-fat Greek yogurt

1/2 tablespoon olive oil to grease stone

Topper:

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups seedless red grapes, cut in half

Herb and glaze:

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided

2 tablespoons prepared balsamic glaze

Cheese:

8 ounces Brie cheese, cut in 1/4-inch slices

Preheat grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat (400-450 degrees)

For the topper heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 1-3 minutes. Add the topper; leave undisturbed for 4-6 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

For the dough, combine the dry ingredients in bowl and mix well. Stir in the yogurt and 1 tablespoon of herb of choice (rosemary) until combined. The mixture will look dry.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 4 minutes, sprinkling with additional flour as needed. Divide the dough in half and form 2 balls.

Roll 1 ball into a half-moon shape using a lightly floured rolling pin. Brush the grill or pizza stone with oil. Transfer onto half of stone, the repeat with remaining ball. Pierce the entire surface of the dough using a pastry tool.

Place the stone on the grid of grill. Grill, covered, for 9-13 minutes, or until the bottom of crust is golden brown, rotating the stone halfway through cooking. Remove the stone from the grill.

Flip the crust over. Arrange the cheese and topper over the crusts. Grill, covered, for 4-6 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown. Remove the stone from grill.

Drizzle with balsamic glaze and top with remaining herb (rosemary). Cut the flatbread in half lengthwise, then into fourths.

For convention oven: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Prepare the recipe as directed until after placing on stone. Bake the crusts on the lowest rack of the oven for 14-16 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Top as directed above. Bake for 6-9 minutes or until the crust is a deep golden brown. – Pampered Chef

Andrea Yeager can be reached at ayeager51@cableone.net/ and Cooks Exchange, 205 DeBuys Road, Biloxi, MS 39535-4567.