Grilled Corn & Grilled Bananas

People cook anything and everything on a grill these days. And for good reason. Grilling is simple, adds a rich, smoky flavor to food and doesn't heat up the kitchen.

Whether the idea of grilling fruits and vegetables is new to you or you're a grilling pro, you're sure to enjoy these recipes:

Grilled Corn with Basil & Parmesan
4 ears sweet corn (husked)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, softened
1/4 cup Parmesan (or Parmigiano-Reggiano) cheese, freshly grated
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil (or dried basil if necessary)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic

1. In a small bowl, combine butter, cheese, basil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Mix thoroughly.
2. Brush 1 tbsp. butter mixture on each ear of corn. Grill directly over medium heat 10-15 minutes, until corn is tender and browns in spots. Turn occasionally during grilling.
3. Serve while warm. Use extra butter mixture to brush on corn after grilling.

Spiced Banana Sundaes*
4 bananas, peeled (ripe but still firm)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
Chocolate Sauce (see below)
Vanilla ice cream

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cinnamon and ginger, stir.
2. Place bananas in skillet and brush butter mixture on to all sides. Carefully remove bananas from skillet on to plate. Transfer bananas to grill.
3. Grill bananas 2-3 minutes over medium direct heat until bananas warm and develop grill marks. Turn once during grilling.
4. Transfer bananas to work surface and cut into 1/2 inch chunks.
5. Scoop vanilla ice cream into bowl, top with bananas and chocolate sauce. Serve immediately.

Chocolate sauce:
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (or use chocolate chips)

1. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove pan from heat and immediately add chocolate. Stir until chocolate combines with cream and sauce is smooth and dark (or use prepared chocolate sauce from a jar!).
*Tip: Make sure you clean the grill VERY well before grilling bananas. Leftover meat flavors do not taste good on bananas!

These recipes were adapted from Weber's Real Grilling. It is a great resource. I received it as a Christmas gift last year from my dad. Initially, I doubted its usefulness. Maybe it had something to do with the cold December weather, or maybe it was because my husband already grills fantastic pork loin and also does a great job with steaks, burgers, chops, etc. . . . but I was wrong. I have used it a lot this summer, and probably will for many summers to come. (Pictures coming soon)