In honor of the unofficial beginning of the grill season, I’ve compiled a list of amazing grill-inspired recipes.  Whether you’re looking for healthy steak rub, a sauce to spice up any grilled meat, the perfect portable cookie or a signature drink to serve the masses, there’s something for everyone in this Hip Hostess grill-inspired recipe roundup.

Coffee & Chili Steak Rub

Chimmichuri Steak Sauce

Guinness Cheese Burgers 

Basil & Garlic Rubbed Grilled Chicken

Hamburger Cupcakes

Grill Theme Cake

Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Rose Sangria

Traditional Sangria with a Hip Twist

In these healthy “pizzas” large portobello mushroom caps stand in for pizza dough.  Serve several with a side of steamed greens for a healthy and filling vegetarian (and gluten-free) meal.  They’re also a great appetizer for any Italian theme menu.

Portobello Mushroom “Pizzas”

6 large Portobello mushroom caps

¾ shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

15oz can pizza sauce

1 tsp. dried oregano

1.            Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line rimmed baking sheet with tin foil and set aside.  Carefully remove any dirt from mushroom cap using a damp paper towel.  Remove gills from inside mushroom by gently scraping with a spoon, leaving sides of mushroom intact.  Place cleaned mushrooms on baking sheet.

2.            Fill each mushroom with ¼ cup pizza sauce and top with 2 Tbs. cheese.  Bake 15 minutes in preheated oven, or until mushrooms are softened and cheese is melted and golden brown in spots.  Sprinkle each mushroom “pizza” with a pinch of dried oregano.

6 servings

Nutritional Info per serving: 85 calories; 2.8g fat (1.8g saturated fat); 7.5 mg. cholesterol; 475mg sodium; 10g carbs; 2.3g fiber; 6.6g protein.

This cake ideas is inspired by a Martha Stewart recipe I used the recipe for the cake decorating instructions and frosting.  The reviews for the cake on Martha’s site  said the cake wasn’t very tasty so I used the “best ever banana cake” recipe for the actual cake and adapted it by using whole wheat pastry flour and less sugar.

Monkey (Banana) Cake Recipe

For the banana cake:

1 ½ cups very ripe banana mashed

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 ¼ cups sugar

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 ½ cups buttermilk

For the frosting:

3 ½ sticks butter, softened

¾ tsp. vanilla extract

3 ¾ cups confections’ sugar, sifted

yellow food coloring

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa

black shoestring licorice

chocolate covered espresso beans

1.  To make the banana cake: Preheat oven to 275°.  Grease and flour an oven-proof metal bowl.  Mix mashed banana with lemon juice and set aside.  Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.  Cream ¾ cup butter and 1 ¼ cups sugar in mixer until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time; add 2 tsp. vanilla and beat until combined.  Mix in flour mixture, a cup at a time, alternating with buttermilk.  Stir in banana mixture.

Pour batter into prepared pan (metal bowl) and bake in preheated oven for 1 ½ – 2 hours, or until toothpick or cake tester inserted into center comes out clean (cooking time will vary depending on the size of your bowl).  Cool on wire rack.  When cool, invert onto a plate and trim flat side of cake to make it even (Note:  trim even if the cake looks even on top – this is important for frosting and piping around the bottom of the cake).

3.  To make the vanilla buttercream frosting:  Combine ½ stick butter, ¼ tsp. vanilla and ¾ cup confections’ sugar.  Mix with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed, until pale and fluffy (about 2 minutes).  Stir in 2 drops of food coloring to make pale yellow frosting.  Transfer to a pastry bag (or ziplock bag with small tip snipped from the bottom corner of the bag).

4.  To make the chocolate buttercream frosting:  Beat 3 sticks butter in mixing bowl on medium-high speed.  Add cocoa and beat on slow speed until fully combined.  Add remaining confections’ sugar, 1 cup at a time, to the cocoa mixture.  Add ½ tsp. vanilla and mix on high speed until fully incorporated (about 20 seconds).  Transfer ¼ of frosting to a pastry bag (or ziplock bag with small tip snipped from the bottom corner of the bag).

5.  To decorate the cake:  Place cake on cake stand with flat side down (dome facing up).  Place 3 strips of waxed or parchment paper on the cake stand under the cake, to keep the stand clean while frosting (remove strips when done frosting by pulling them out from the sides).  Slice cake horizontally in the middle and fill with chocolate frosting.  Place top back on cake and frost entire outside of cake with chocolate frosting, using an off set spatula.  Remove waxed paper strips and pipe small dots along the bottom edge of the cake.  To make the mouth, pipe an oval with the vanilla frosting, filling the center with additional vanilla frosting and spreading with an off set spatula.  Place two chocolate covered espresso beans above the vanilla oval; use two small pieces of black licorice to make the nose (placing them parallel) and one longer piece of licorice for the mouth.  Refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving.

I made a mini smash cake (using a smaller metal bowl and mini muffin tin), but it was much harder to frost and came out looking a little angry.  

Give brownie sundaes a seasonal twist by topping them with peppermint stick ice cream and chopped peppermint bark.  Use your favorite brownies or make a batch of molten chocolate brownies (my favorite – see the index for the recipe) to use for these delicious sundaes.  It’s a casual and homey dessert that is sure to tickle everyone’s tastebuds this time of year.

I adore pumpkins – especially pumpkin pie.  Since I am gluten-free, I had to find a substitute for my traditional fall favorite.  I tried several crustless recipes and finally came up with one that is rich, delicious, and holds it shape so you really feel like you’re eating a slice of pumpkin pie.  It really makes a difference in the taste if you cook your own pumpkin but it’s still a great pie with canned.  Just be sure to use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filing.  I’ve made this pie with butternut squash and it’s amazing – tastes really similar to pumpkin and the color is even better (a touch brighter).  I like to roast the pumpkin or squash in a 425 degree oven, cut in half and cut side down on a cookie sheet lined with foil and nonstick cooking spray, for about 45 minutes, or until it’s soft.  I usually put the pumpkin through a food mill or mesh sieve, but pureeing it should be sufficient.

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

15 oz. pumpkin puree

14 oz. sweetened condensed milk (fat free, low-fat or regular)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

¾ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. vanilla extract

¼ tsp. ground allspice

1.            Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray 9” pie plate with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2.            Whisk pumpkin, condensed milk, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and vanilla in large bowl.  Whisk in eggs until well combined.  Pour into prepared pie plate.  Bake in preheated oven until filling is set in center, about 50 minutes.  Cool slightly before serving or let stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours.  (Pie can be 1 day in advance and refrigerated.) Serve with dallop of spiced whipped cream.

My niece is quite the pastry chef.  She bakes beautiful cakes and comes up with fun cupcake ideas.  These turkey cupcakes are inspired by her creations from Thanksgivings past.

Turkey Cupcakes

12 Chocolate cupcakes
1 batch chocolate frosting
1 bag candy corn
12 chocolate melting wafers
1 vanilla frosting in tube
1 piece shoe-string black licorice, cut into tiny pieces

To Assemble Turkey Cupcakes:  Top chocolate cupcakes with frosting, spreading a thick layer around the top of each cupcake.  Stick 5 pieces of candy corn in a row along one edge of the cupcake.  Make two dots with vanilla frosting toward the bottom of each chocolate wafer (leave a little 1/4″ space at bottom) and place a piece of licorice in center to make eyes.  Stand chocolate face toward the front (opposite end from the candy corn tail) of the cupcake, leaving room to lay one candy corn flat for the “nose.”

I created this recipe for Vegetarian Times (1 Food 5 Ways: Beets).  I played around with replacing some of the fat in a traditional brownie recipe with pureed beets, which keep brownies tender and rich. I’ve made this recipe for self-proclaimed “beet haters” and children, who scarf them down without a second thought about the veggie content.  Generally, I’m not into the whole “sneaky chef” thing – I prefer to veggies to be consumed willingly – but adding veggies to baked goods can be met with some resistance, so it’s best to a keep it a secret until after they’ve been eaten.

Fresh cooked or canned beets both work well in this recipe.  Be sure to thoroughly drain the beet puree, otherwise the red color will bleed.

Red Velvet Brownies

2 large cooked beets or 1 14-oz. can beets, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tbs. instant espresso powder

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Purée beets in food processor until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. You should have 1 cup. Set aside.

3. Whisk together butter and sugar in bowl until smooth. Add vanilla, then whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in beets.

4. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and espresso powder in separate bowl. Fold flour mixture into beet mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.

5. Bake 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean. Cool, then cut into 16 squares.

Makes 16 brownies

Per brownie: Calories: 161, Protein: 2g, Total fat: 8g, Saturated fat: 5g, Carbs: 21g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 17mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 16g

Photo Source: Vegetarian Times

Reviews from Vegetarian Times readers:

By Priscilla on Mar 14, 2011:

I made these for my friends who are gluten-free, so I used Pamela’s Baking Mix instead of flour. Delicious!

By Anne on May 10, 2011:

I have made these brownies several times and all of my friends want the recipe. Don’t change a thing and they turn out perfectly! I will definitely try the gluten free mix next time.

By Rachel on May 14, 2011:

I made these brownies with spelt flour. They came out with a fudgy texture, not that of brownies. Although they were nice, they weren’t what I expected.

By Anonymous on Jun 03, 2011:

I did not have any espresso powder and used regular sized chocolate chips, these came out denser than expected but the flavor was great.

By Deb on Jun 09, 2011:

Even though the beets were a pain to puree in a blender because I do not have a food processor, it was worth it! So moist and yummy. I also did not have the espresso powder but the brownies still tasted very much like chocolate heaven. I will make again for sure.

By Frantasm on Aug 31, 2011:

I used whole wheat flour. All I can say is THESE ROCK!!!!! The brownies are more like molten lava cake bites when warm. I grated canned beets with a grater with tiny graters then mashed by hand. So yummy. Even my picky wife liked them. Thanks!

By Zornitsa on Sep 14, 2011:

I’ve substitute the flour with low-fat soy flour, the butter with applesauce + 1 tbsp oil, and the cocoa powder with carob powder. I also omit the sugar and substitute with 1/2 tsp liquid stevia. One of the best brownies i’ve ever tried!

Imagine the best olive mix you’ve ever bought.  The marinated olives you can make at home are infinitely better.  Combine a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your house (garlic, wine, bay leaf, oregano, etc.), bake them with your favorite mix of olives, and serve them with crusty bread for a simple tapas-style appetizer.  The smell of these olives cooking will elicit moans from anyone in the vicinity of your kitchen.

Mediterranean Baked Olives

1 cup Kalamata olives

1 cup green olives, such as Picholine

1 bay leaf

3 cloves garlic, 1 sliced and 2 minced

1 tsp. oregano

1 Tbs. parsley

1 ½ Tbs. olive oil

½ cup dry white wine

1 ½ Tbs. olive oil

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1.            Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Combine olives, bay leaf, sliced garlic and wine in baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Bake in single layer, covered, for 45 minutes or until olives are fragrant and swollen.

2.            Meanwhile, combine minced garlic, parsley, oregano and olive oil in mortar and pestel until it resembles a thick paste.   When olives are done baking, pierce each olive with a knife or fork, and add parsley mixture, along with olive oil and crushed red pepper, tossing to combine.  Serve immediately or cool and store at room temperature for up to a week.

Serves 6-8

If you have the time, this is a wonderful weekend dish for entertaining.  It takes several hours, and there aren’t any short cuts you can take to cook the meat, but the majority of the time is hands-off and the results are well worth the effort.  Short ribs are economical for entertaining (in NYC I paid $35 for 4 lbs.) and, when cooked well, are rich in flavorful and extraordinarily tender.

I like to make the meat with enough time to refrigerate the sauce so I can skim the excess fat before reheating, but it’s not an essential step if you’re short on time.

Serve this over any type of mashed potatoes.  I made a mix of mashed apples and potatoes (cooked in apple cider) for a seasonal twist and the flavors married well.  I also served it with a side of shaved fennel and green apple salad and the crispness of the salad was a nice contrast to the rich meat and potatoes.  The only thing missing from the meal was a punch of color; the meat, potatoes and fennel were a bit bland to look at.  Chopped parsley as a garnish added a bit of color, but it wasn’t as visually appealing as I would have liked.  Mashed sweet potatoes or roasted beets would have added some color to the dish so I may try one of those additions to the meal next time.

This recipe is based on the basic recipe for braised short ribs in Simple to Spectacular by Jean-Georges and Mark Bittman.

Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine

2 Tbs. canola or olive oil

3 Tbs. butter

4 lbs. short ribs

Salt and pepper

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

4 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 bottle sturdy red wine, such as Zinfandel

4 branches thyme

4 stems parsley

1 bay leaf

½ cup chopped parsley, for garnish

1.  Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Add tablespoon of oil and butter to cast iron pot or covered roasting dish and melt over high heat.  Add ribs and brown well on all sides, seasoning meat with salt and pepper as it cooks (about 20 minutes total).  Work in batches if necessary [I browned the meat in 2 batches in a large cast iron pot].  Remove meat from, pour out fat and wipe pan clean.

2.  Add remaining tablespoon oil and another tablespoon butter to pan and melt over medium-high heat.  Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring until the onions are soft (about 8 minutes).  Add red wine, thyme, parsley stems and bay leaf and bring to boil.  Add ribs, cover, and cook in oven until meat is very tender and falling from bone, about 3 hours.  Turn the meat once or twice an hour.

3.  Transfer ribs to a platter.  Strain liquid from vegetables in a medium bowl, pressing hard on vegetables to extract all of the liquid.  Refrigerate liquid separate from ribs and, once chilled, skim fat from sauce (there will be a tick layer that is easy to remove with a spoon, leaving a silky sauce below).

4.  To reheat:  Add sauce to pan and bring to boil.  Stir in remaining tablespoon butter and whisk until slightly thickened.  Add ribs and ¼ cup chopped parsley.  Heat ribs through, add salt and pepper to taste, and additional red wine if necessary (about ¼ cup at a time), and serve garnished with remaining chopped parsley.

Serves 4

This soup is the ultimate comfort food: It’s warm and creamy but completely dairy-free and healthy.  I like to make it for lunch on the weekend with grilled cheese or crostini topped with goat cheese, thyme and honey.  It’s equally great for entertaining.  I’ve served it as the first course for fancy 5-course dinner party wth rave reviews.  Butternut squash soup is one of my all-time favorite recipes that I make over and over again.

Butternut Squash Soup

3 lbs. Butternut squash (about 1 large)

1 med. onion, chopped

8 cloves garlic (5 if they are large), minced

3.5 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. fresh-ground black pepper

Optional: add Nutmeg (1/2 tsp.), cinnamon (1 tsp.) and cloves (1/4 tsp.)

Plain yogurt or low fat sour cream for garnish (optional garnish)

Chives or fresh thyme, minced (optional garnish)

1.  Preheat oven to 400˚F.  Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds and bake, cut side down, on pan covered with tinfoil and nonstick spray for 40-50 minutes (until completely soft).

2.  Meanwhile, in a large pot sauté onion and garlic in 1/2 cup broth (if you are using nutmeg, etc., add it here).

3.  Scrape squash flesh from peel and add to onion mixture; add broth at same time.  Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer, with the lid on, for 20 minutes.

4.  Put soup into blender (1/3 at a time) and puree.  Serve in bowl with dollop of plain yogurt swirled in and minced chives or thyme sprinkled on top.