Instructions: Start now (see note below) and try things out for approximate cooking times.

Keep notes as to how long things take on the grill or microwave and whether both you and your husband like them.

Check to see if your new grill came with a cookbook. It will have good ideas if it does.

For desserts go for exotic fruit salads or ice cream. You can also cook certain kinds of small cakes in the microwave.

Check out your library for grilling cookbooks and microwave cookbooks. It is amazing what you can do in the library. Better to check a book out before you buy than after.

Chicken - marinate in salad dressing, lime juice or leave plain. Cook covered until half or three quarters done in the microwave. Finish on the grill. This reduces fat popping and the tendency of chicken to burn before it gets done. You still get that great grilled flavor.

Ribs - cut into pieces that will fit in your largest covered bowl (or cover with plastic wrap). Put ribs in bowl, pour ginger ale to cover over ribs. Put in microwave on high for 10 minutes, reduce power to medium and continue to cook for 45 minutes to an hour or until tender but not falling off the bone. Grill until browned, basting with barbecue sauce if desired (I dont).

This gives them a nice tangy but not spicy taste.

Hamburger - somewhere I have a great recipe for grilled Salisbury Steak - if I can locate it, Ill send it later. [] Meanwhile, there are always patties, grilled, and placed onto purchased buns with the usual hamburger accoutrements. []

Vegetables - marinate in whatever you like or leave plain. I have marinated vegetables in oil and vinegar, Italian, French, and a number of other dressings and things. Marinate overnight or at least 4 hours. Use a grilling rack or pan

(disposable pan that has holes in the bottom). Cook until tender. We like summer squash (patty pan, zucchini, yellow crookneck, etc.) sliced, bell peppers sliced, onion slices, mushrooms, tomatoes, whole green beans, etc.

Carrots, broccoli and cauliflower have not been too successful - they tend to burn before they get done.

Potatoes - scrub well, cut in half, insert onion slice between halves and double wrap in heavy duty foil. Place close to flame, turn frequently. Cook until potato feels soft - this could be 40 minutes to 2 hours.

Potato slices - scrub well and cut into slices no more than 1/4" thick.

Pat
dry, sprinkle with olive oil and lots of rosemary, fresh or dried. Grill in grilling pan until potatoes are tender. Serve with sea salt.

Rice and pasta can both be cooked in the microwave. I have found that, other than baking, potatoes do not cook well in the microwave.

Rice - Measure twice the amount of water as rice (2 cups water, 1 cup rice), small amount of salt approximately 1 tsp for 1 cup rice, 1 1/2 tsps for 2 cups rice, and a pat of butter. Bring water, salt and butter to a boil in large microwavable container. Add rice - do not stir. Cover and cook on high for 5 minutes, then reduce power to about 75% and cook additional 10 minutes. Remove lid or plastic wrap carefully to avoid steam burns. Fluff with fork. Lots of seasonings and finely diced vegetables can be added to rice to give it a different flavor and/or texture.

[] note: I (Spike) purchased a microwave rice cooker, which has been a boon for me. It cooks two cups (uncooked) rice in water to cover by about an inch, in
15 minutes. One can even put in a bouillon cube and/or thinly sliced green onions. Fluff it with a fork after it is cooked. It comes out perfect every time. It cost about $5.00. []

Pasta - Requires LARGE container. Measure pasta and bring 3 times the amount of water as pasta to a boil. Add salt. Add pasta. Microwave on high. Check carefully for tenderness after minimum required cooking time. Drain well, rinse and prepare as usual.

Plan on serving lots of salad - use several different kinds of lettuce and anything else that people might like in their salads. You can always serve a big bowl of various greens with add-ins in small bowls - tomatoes, grated carrot, shredded purple or green cabbage, sliced cucumber, sliced or quartered radish, avocado chunks, alfalfa or other sprouts (onion sprouts have a spicy taste but are nice in moderation), marinated artichoke hearts, green or black olives, grated cheese, croutons. Offer 2 or 3 different salad dressings. Ask your in-laws [] guests [] what kinds of salad dressings they like; ask for specific brands. It will make them feel loved.

[] note: This item is from Mary, who provided it to Real Food 4 Real People in response to another reader who is remodeling her kitchen and has only a microwave and a grill on which to cook for her family. Apparently, grilling is new to the person who requested instructions. []

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