Grilling for Mother's Day

Rick Browne, host of “Barbeque America,” presents these easy Mother's Day grilling recipes that even dad can do!

• Asparagus with Lemon Marinade
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. fresh asparagus
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of sea salt
Juice of 1 lemon
Non-stick cooking spray

Method:
Choose bright green spears with tightly closed tips.  Wash thoroughly and peel bottom end of stems with a hand peeler if they seem woody. Using sharp knife cut an X vertically from bottom about 1/3 of the way up stalk.
Whisk the butter, oil, honey, pepper, salt and lemon juice in a small bowl. Pour over vegetables, which are sitting in a flat Pyrex pan for 15 minutes, drain and reserve marinade.
Preheat the grill.  Coat the grill with cooking spray and place asparagus crosswise on the grill. Grill until spears are lightly browned and tender, about 4 minutes, turning once with tongs.
Transfer to a heated serving platter and drizzle remaining lemon marinade over the asparagus. Serve at once.

• CBs Bacon Corn Bread
Serves 6

Ingredients:
4 slices smoked bacon
1 1/2 cups stone-ground cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup corn kernels

Mandarin Orange-Lemon Butter
1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, softened
2 teaspoons finely grated mandarin orange zest
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Method:
Preheat barbecue to 400° degrees.  Mix mandarin orange and lemon zest into softened butter and set aside.
In a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, fry the bacon until crispy.  Remove the bacon, crumble it, and drain on paper towels.  Save 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease.
Mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.  When well mixed, add the melted butter, eggs, and buttermilk and stir lightly.  Add the crumbled bacon and whole corn kernels.
Swirl bacon grease around the bottom of the skillet and coat the sides using a small basting brush.  Pour the batter into the skillet and bake for approximately 20 minutes.  The top should be light brown with the edges darker.  Serve in wedges with a dab of the mandarin orange-lemon butter on each plate.

• BBQA Canadian Bacon and Beans
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 package of frozen puff pastry shells
6 slices of Canadian bacon, cooked
1 can Bushs Original Baked Beans
1 cup chopped pineapple, fresh preferred
Sprigs of fresh parsley
Paprika (optional for sprinkling)

Method:
Heat the pastry shells as directed, then remove them from the BBQ and let them cool.
Place one slice of Canadian bacon in each pastry shell and then fill each shell to the top with baked beans to which you’ve added the chopped pineapple.
Bake the shells on a pastry sheet on a barbecue grill on indirect heat for 20-25 minutes at 250°-300°-degrees or until the beans bubble.
Place the puff pastry lids back on shells and heat for 5 more minutes.
Remove from BBQ, garnish each shell with a sprig of fresh parsley, and a sprinkle of paprika, and serve with scrambled eggs, sausage, and cornbread or croissants.

• Southern Sunrise Soufflé
Serves 6

Ingredients:
6 large eggs
1/2 cup smoked white cheddar, shredded
2 teaspoons fresh tarragon
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups finely chopped spinach
1/8 teaspoon Louisiana Hot Sauce
Kosher salt
White pepper

Method:
Preheat one side of gas barbecue to 450° degrees F
Mix all ingredients together and divide evenly into 6 well-buttered 4 oz. ramekins.
Place ramekins on side of grill away from the heat and cook for 7-10 minutes until soufflés are puffed and lightly browned.
With a spatula place the hot ramekins on plates and serve immediately.