Contributed by Info Guru Paul Seaburn

It’s that time of the year again – time to chase the spiders out of the grill on a daily basis, fire it up and barbecue.

“Barbecue” comes from a Caribbean word meaning “sacred fire pit” and I try to appease the gods ruling mine by attempting to barbecue as many different things as I can. You’d be surprised at how good just about anything tastes on the grill. Start with your preferred beef, chicken or brats, then try some of my favorite things to barbecue.

10. Grilled Pizza

For a pizza that delivers, roll out ready-made pizza dough, coat with olive oil and lay directly on the outdoor grill. When it’s baked on the bottom, flip it over and pop on the toppings: tomatoes, cheese, pepperoni, barbecue sauce, whatever heats your coals. The bottom bakes while the cheese melts and you’ve got an American version of an Italian favorite. Add a little wood for a pizzeria smokiness.

9. What-A-Watermelon

For a juicy fruity side dish, slice some watermelon into wedges, drizzle on some lime, honey, salt and pepper and grill each side. Grilling doesn’t get rid of the seeds – they’re still there for the spitting contest.

8. Hawaii Fine-O

Peel and slice a fresh pineapple and grill the slices for a great fruit salad or a tasty topping for a Hawaiian burger. It’s even better on grilled ham slices.

7. Say Cheese

For a real grilled cheese sandwich, butter one side of two thick slices of white bread. Lay them on the grill butter-side down and top each with slices of cheddar or your favorite gourmet cheese. Top them with tomato slices, cooked bacon or even some avocado slices and grill. When the bread is toasted and the cheese melted, press them together and enjoy.

6. Orange Orange Roughy

If you love grilled fish but hate cleaning up when it sticks to the grill, slice oranges a quarter-inch thick and spread in a layer on a hot grill. Lay a whole orange roughy or your favorite fish like salmon – skin on – on top of the oranges. Cook until the flesh flakes – times will vary based on the thickness of the fish.

5. Corny Bites

Grilled corn can be a great bite-size snack for kids waiting for their burgers. Cut them into one-inch slices, coat with olive oil and cook on a hot grill – 2 minutes per side.

4. Sing For Meatloaf

If your family is tired of burgers, use that ground beef (or turkey) in your regular meatloaf recipe and grill it. Form the loaf on a sheet of foil, top it with barbecue sauce and cook until done. Add some baked potatoes and grilled corn and it’s Mom’s favorite dinner Dad-style.

3. Sizzle That Squash

If you’re a backyard gardener you probably have plenty of home-grown squash. Try slicing yellow, summer or zucchini squash into one-inch slices, coat with olive oil and grill – either directly on the grill or on a skewer. As a side or a burger topping, they just might get a picky eater to try squash.

2. Yes, We Have Grilled Bananas

Here’s a hot grilled dessert for a cool night. Leave the skins on some ripe bananas and place them on a hot grill. Turn them often with tongs until the skin turns black and a little juice comes out. Peel and place in a bowl with some melted butter or better yet, a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

1. Bello Burger

Portobello mushrooms aren’t just for vegetarians anymore. Choose thick ones, scrape the insides, cut off the stems and marinate for ten minutes in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Grill and serve like burgers or slice them up and use as burger toppings with grilled onion slices.