Planning a social for a high priests group is tricky.
Not only are older LDS men generally not impressed with pretty cakes or fancy hors d'oeuvres, but many are dealing with health issues and restrictions like low-sodium, sugar-free diets.
But they do enjoy good food, so a safe choice includes grilled food.
It's heart-healthy, and there's usually a barbecue champ in every Mormon ward who'll help with the actual cooking.
Here are some tips and recipes from Barbeque Bob's website.
General tips
If you are cooking chicken with a barbecue sauce, be careful that it doesn't contain much sugar. Sugar burns at a relatively low temperature, so putting sweet barbecue sauce on fatty chicken skin is sure to cause charred chicken. Even if you take the skin off, the bitter flavor will still be there.
If you want to use barbecue sauce, brush it on a few minutes before you take the chicken off the grill. By doing this, you can have the flavor from the sauce, but you won't risk burning the meat.
Chicken should be cooked slowly. The faster you cook it, the drier it tends to be. Using low heat for a long time will help it stay moist, and using a dry rub will give it a lot of flavor.
Honey Barbecue Chicken
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
12 tablespoons barbecue sauce
6 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chives
Boil the chicken in hot water for a few minutes before you place it on the grill. This will help make sure the insides are cooked before you finish it on the barbecue for the great grilled flavor.
Arrange the chicken breasts on the grill over medium heat. Generously baste with barbecue sauce and honey, and sprinkle with the spices. Turn once while cooking and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side.
Marinated Chicken Breasts
(Marinating meat helps it stay moist while cooking. This flavorful chicken is both quick and tasty.)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup spicy mustard
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon tarragon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Combine all of the ingredients except the chicken. Mix well. Roll chicken in the marinade and thoroughly coat all sides. Refrigerate in a re-sealable bag or covered glass dish for 15 minutes.
Grill over low-medium heat for 15 minutes. Turn once during cooking.
A barbecue favorite for a crowd
How about a Hawaiian luau? The Hawaiians barbecue a little differently, but you can plan a great luau and wow your guests. You can serve Hawaiian Grilled Chicken along with coconut fried rice or Hawaiian bread. Decorate with tiki torches around the dining area, and drape grass skirting around the bottoms of tables and attach to deck rails. Present your guests with leis. Play a Hawaiian guitar CD in the background, and you're set for a great evening.
Hawaiian Grilled Chicken
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of ginger, minced
lemon juice
Crushed chili pepper
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
Combine the marinade ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until sugar dissolves. Cool and use to marinate the chicken overnight. Grill chicken over medium heat until thoroughly cooked. Serve with grilled fresh pineapple slices.
Now for dessert
Once you have pulled off the meat and side dishes, you need to make sure to cook off any residue on the grill rack. Use a wire brush if you need to.
The simplest desserts to do on the grill are pieces of fruit. If you cut them in uniform cubes, you can cook them on skewers and then serve them hot with vanilla ice cream or melted chocolate or caramel for dipping. Pineapple, peaches, and bananas all taste great this way.
e-mail: haddoc@desnews.com