Well, still here in California but flying home soon. I’m not looking forward to the cold weather and all the wind I’ve been told about, but surprisingly (to me), it’s been cold here too. And I didn’t travel prepared for that. So, even if it’s not quite balmy at home, at least I’ll have warmer clothes to wear.
Let’s hope that by May, when you read this, the weather is warm and we’re ready for another fun boating season. I know I will be. I can’t wait to get out on the water.
Let’s grill some desserts. Grilled fruit, like peaches, plums, apples, and pears, can be a great option, especially when brushed with a glaze after lightly grilling. You could grill slices of pound cake too and top with the fruit. Or make cake kebobs. But then your grill needs to be cleaned of oil and crumbs.
Instead, we’re going to wrap our dessert ingredients in foil, so there’s no mess to clean up. There’s a little more prep involved, but it’s worth the effort. The first recipe is for an apple crisp – by far my favorite dessert in the world. Top with a good French vanilla ice cream, and I’m in 7th heaven. The Banana Boats are fun – everyone can make their own combination of toppings – like a sundae bar! Then I added a super easy dessert made with brownies. I hope you have fun with these and any other dessert recipes you can find to grill. Remember, your grill can do more than hot dogs and hamburgers!
Grilled Apple Crisp
4 cups of peeled apples, sliced thinly
(Granny Smith, Cortland or Honeycrisp are good choices)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 tsp. baking powder
aluminum foil
Ice cream is optional – depending on your vessel, this may be hard to keep frozen
Preheat the grill to 350º. Tear off 4 sheets of aluminum foil.
Divide the apples between the squares of foil. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the apples. Next, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oatmeal and baking powder. Sprinkle evenly over the apple mixture. Wrap the foil packets up and seal them.
Place the packets on the grill and bake for about 20 minutes. Carefully open foil packets, top with whipped cream or ice cream if desired and enjoy. And invite me…as mentioned, my favorite dessert…
Grilled Banana Boats (adapted from a recipe found on neighborhoodfoodblog.com) (So, so good!)
Ripe bananas
Semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate or both
Handful of mini marshmallows
Other topping options:
Peanut butter
Cut up candy bars
Chopped nuts
Crumbled Honey Graham Crackers
Whipped Cream
aluminum foil & parchment paper
Gather your bananas. You can make just one or as many as your grill will fit.
Slice the bananas along the middle of the long side about 1/4 inch deep. Use your fingers to pull the peel back slightly so there’s some space between the peel and the banana.
Stuff the boats with your choice of toppings. A mix of milk and dark chocolate chips and mini marshmallows is a good start. Add any of the other optional toppings you desire. The gooier, the better.
Place each banana on a square (approximately 12 inches) of aluminum foil topped with a slightly smaller square of parchment paper. Wrap the bananas up from the bottom to the top, crimping the top so there’s a little space between the banana and the foil.
Place the banana packs on a hot grill. Cook for about 5-7 minutes. Remove with tongs so you don’t burn your fingers, open the wrap and enjoy. You can eat them directly out of their peel or scoop them into a bowl. Top with whipped cream if desired. My sister’s family doesn’t eat any dessert without whipped cream!
So-Easy Chocolate Cherry Brownies
1 package of fudge brownie mix
(eggs, oil or water that the brownie mix calls for)
1 can cherry pie filling
Chopped walnuts (if desired)
Whipped cream and/or ice cream
aluminum foil
Preheat the oven to 350º. Okay, so you need to make the brownies – do this at home. You could buy premade brownies, but I always find they have a strange taste. Anyway, mix the brownies up according to the package directions. Add some of the cherry pie filling – depending on the amount of mix, start with half the can, making sure you’re getting the cherries and not all the gel, some but not all. Add some nuts if desired. Bake as directed or underbake if you want them fudgy. Cool and cut into squares. Store in a container and bring to the boat.
Cut your foil into pieces large enough to wrap your brownie. Place a brownie in each piece, wrap up and heat on a warm grill. Unwrap, plate and top with whipped cream, ice cream or both!