by Jennifer Olson

Created on: November 06, 2009

At the risk of sounding sexist, most often women cook in the kitchen while men cook on the grill. As the cook of the family, it is not often that a meal is cooked for me unless we go out to eat. When a meal is cooked for me, it tastes better. Not because the cook is better, just because it was cooked for me. The benefit without the work is rewarding enough to enhance flavors.

For a very special Veteran's Day, the grill is the best choice to celebrate and serve a meal to those men and women that served in our Armed Forces. Our freedom is a gift from the sacrifices made by those who serve and who have served in the Military. Veteran's Day is a time to say thanks, also it is a time for us to review the sacrifices made for our freedom. Death is not the only sacrifice, to those that have served and fought in wars, the sacrifices were much more. They left their family to fight for our family. Some were fighting for you when their wives gave birth. Some were fighting for you when their parent passed away. Some were fighting for you when their daughter graduated high school. The memories that you have with your loved ones are provided by our Military who lost memories with their loved ones to replace these memories with war and struggle.

The smell of the grill sizzling and friends laughing is the perfect way to say Thanks. Grilling will keep one person out of the kitchen, allow everyone to visit outside while someone is grilling while you are providing great food.

A secret to tender meat from the grill is to set meat out with or without seasoning until it reaches room temperature prior to placing on the grill. To keep you from the kitchen, all vegetables can be cooked on the grill as well.

If you have not tried Sweet Baby Ray's sauce, you are missing out. This is the best barbecue sauce made.

Vegetables good on the the grill are, corn on the cob, baked potatoes and kabobs with many different fruit, vegetables and sausage. Make sure to wrap the vegetables in tin foil prior to placing on the grill, they should be placed on the high tray so they do not burn through the foil. Buttering the corn prior to wrapping in foil adds a great flavor to the corn once it is cooked. If you are in a hurry, cut the potatoes in half prior to wrapping in foil.

Give a hug to a Veteran any day, especially on Veteran's Day!

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