Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner, which means it’s prime grilling season! At Eastland Trails we have a poolside grilling area, or residents are free to enjoy grilling on their private patios or balconies. Regardless of if you have your own deck, patio, or backyard grilling area or if you prefer grill pans in your nicely air-conditioned kitchen, summer food is always best if it has a nice char and beautiful grill marks. Spice up your next grilling session with some of these unexpected options!

Twist on a Classic

When you think of grilling, especially for a holiday like Memorial Day, the first foods that normally come to mind are hamburgers and hotdogs. This year why not put a unique spin on traditional cookout food? Think of different types of toppings for your burgers, like this bacon pineapple burger with candied jalapenos, or splurge on some nicer cheese like a smoked gouda or fresh mozzarella. For hotdogs, try out a build-your-own-dog bar! Have a few different meat options (or grilled carrots for your veggie friends!), and tons of different toppings to choose from.

Toss Some Dough

Who doesn’t love a thin crust, wood fired pizza? That nice, charred dough with the warm toppings and gooey cheese is the perfect meal any day of the year, so why not use your grill and get the same feel this summer? Make your own pizza dough, ask a local pizza shop for a disk or two, or buy some premade dough from the local supermarket. Or you could go out of the box like this recipe and use naan! When grilling pizza you’ll want to think and plan ahead, decide if you want to cook your toppings before they go on the pizza or if they’ll do better cooked with the dough. The sky’s the limit, and you really can’t go wrong!

Make it Sweet

Don’t forget dessert when you’re firing up the grill! Obviously, some fruits will work better than others for a grill preparation. Firmer fruits, stone fruit, and larger, firmer fruits are perfect, just make sure to keep the cuts larger so they don’t fall through the grates. The direct, high heat of the grill does wonders to the natural sugars in fruit and add a beautiful char and caramelization without you needing to do much else. While you don’t really need more than the fruit and a grill, with just a few more ingredients you can take it up even another level, like this grilled peaches recipe with ricotta, honey, and crispy prosciutto.

Don’t Forget the Sides!

Sure, you could always just go with corn on the cob or baked potato, but even here in the Midwest (where we absolutely love our starches) that can start to get old by the end of the summer. Spice up your side dish game this grilling season! Turn that corn on the cob into a grilled corn salad or a play on elotes, or grill the veggies to add another dimension to the dish like this grilled kale and red pepper Tuscan pasta salad. Grill up a nice steak and some veggies, and while the steaks are resting mix everything together.

Do you have any grilled dishes you’re proud of? Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to show it off!