Are you like me, with kids that need to be fed?  Grilled food is a great alternative, and healthier than hot dogs and hamburgers, which is the usual grilled  fare for kids.  They are easy to make and appeal to young and old alike.

Remember the old movies where there was meat roasting on a spit over an open fire?  I’m not talking about the old Wild West movies where it was mystery meat that the cowboys were eating.  So, grab your favorite meats and veggies, and lets go make some flavorful shish kebobs.

Much like the mystery meat of the old days, shish kebobs are made by putting your meat and vegetables on a skewer, be it wood or metal. They are great finger food, or if you lean more towards the civilized way of eating you can eat them with a fork and knife.  Due to the fact that there is little clean up from these savory morsels, they are a favorite with everyone be it the children you are trying to feed or you who has to clean up after.  You will need to keep in mind that if you have little ones who will be enjoying your kebobs, you may want to opt for wooden skewers, as they won’t get so hot.  Wooden skewers are also economical and disposable, making clean up a snap.

Should you opt for wooden skewers, you will need to soak them in water for at least a half hour prior to using them on the grill.  A dry skewer can spell disaster for the cook, they cause flare ups and can catch on fire.

Ok, with the safety precautions covered, let’s move on to the fun part…making these scrumptious kebobs.  There are limitless combinations you can make using your favorite foods.  First you will need to choose a meat for your shish kebobs. The most common choices are lamb, beef, chicken, fish, shrimp, or pork. As far as your choice of vegetables, generally you want those that can stand up to the heat of the grill and not become mush or fall apart.  You might consider bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and onions.

For ease of cooking you will want to cut all the food that will go on your skewer to approximately the same size.  Cube your vegetables and meat into 1 inch cubes.  Round vegetables, like the cherry tomatoes, do not need to be cut into squares, just try to keep them relatively the same size as the rest of the ingredients.  Another point to keep in mind is that you want ingredients that will take approximately the same amount of time to cook to be on the same skewer.  An example would be that shrimp will not take long to cook on a hot grill, but chicken or pork will take considerably longer.  Zucchini will take longer to cook through than say a cherry tomato; the zucchini will also stand up to the high heat better.  If you really want tomatoes on your kebob, consider adding them to the skewer ends after your meat has been completely cooked.

A quick tip to reduce the time needed to cook chicken is to first boil the chicken for about 20 minutes prior to cutting it into cubes.  By parboiling you are not only cutting your cooking time down, but also helping to avoid cross contamination.  You may also want to consider only putting one type of meat per skewer, when it comes to chicken kebobs place the meat with several complimentary vegetables.

Beef Kebobs need to be prepared the night before and chilled, with or without marinade.  If you choose to marinate your shish kebobs, be sure to shake off the excess before you place them on the grill to avoid flare ups.  You will also want to let the skewers settle to room temperature prior to grilling them; this will assist in faster and more even cooking.

I am a huge fan of shish kebobs.  They are a quick and easy main dish served with rice or can be used as appetizers.  Whether you are using them as a snack or the main event, they are delicious.  By varying the meats and vegetables you can create an infinite number of creations and enjoy your skewers anytime without getting “same food” burn out.

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