Need Some Ideas of Fun, Gimmicky, Family Recipes/Techniques

[Mark Schnell]

Okay, I'm in a little bit of a funk. My family and I love the pork tenderloin, steaks, whole chickens, etc. that I make on the Weber. No problems there, I'm sure we all have our go to stuff we like to make.

But how about some ideas for some fun, gimmicky type recipes and/or techniques the whole family can be a part of? You know, stuff that kids can help make or even help grill. I'm thinking of the equivalent of hobo dinners where you put everything in a foil packet and throw it on a fire. I'm talking about the kind of stuff you wouldn't do very often but it makes some great memories.

What 'ya got?

[MacEggs]

You ever made a fatty? Or is it fattie? Doesn't matter. They're delicious! Let your imagination run wild! 

[1buckie]

Mark, if the family likes potatoes, a simple, fun thing to do is foiled tater packets.....chunked taters, bits of onion, bits of sweet bell pepper, mushrooms, gr. onion, anything else you can come up with that maybe kids would like too......

Chunk everything up & have each person pick what they'd like &  tack a small mark on it with a felt pen to keep track.....
Includes & involves everyone, sort of like they get to cook.....

Add some butter, flavoring seasonings, olive oil, etc. to keep things juiced up & tasty......

This is something I do a lot, but can also be a special event if presented that way.....

Bacon wrapped meatballs of any kind is a participation sport, also, as is bacon wrapped corn !!!

[Idahawk]

I did these a few days back





Potato fans
I adapted cooks country version for the grill instead of the oven .

[pbe gummi bear]

Moinks, ABT's, or fatties. Spiral cut sausages. Kettle pizza is a lot of fun too. Everyone can toss their dough, decorate their own pizza and its pretty easy to cook. If you are looking to spend time with the family then assembling the food could be half the fun!

[Mark Schnell]

Great replies, everybody. Keep 'em comin'.

Gummi, I suppose you're right about the assembling being half the fun. I'm thinking that it needs to be more than half the fun if I'm going to be realistic. I have a two year old son and an eight year daughter. My daughter could handle herself around the grill okay with supervision. My son is a WILDman. I don't want to trust him with a hundred yards of fire yet. 

[Eastex]

Halved peaches, dotted with butter and Red Hot candies sprinkled on top. Cooked in foil or a casserole dish, it kinda depends in the kids tolerance of red hots although that could be adjusted

[mike.stavlund]

Bless you, Idahawk!  I am a big fan of potatoes, and I think I'm about to become a big fan of potato fans. 

[kaz]

Spiral cut hot dogs, bacon wrapped hot dogs, BBQ pit boy's potato bombs, bacon wrapped turtles (google it), zombie meatloaf from BBQ brethren. 

[mike.stavlund]

I took a crack at potato fans last night, and they were pretty good!  I need some more practice though.  Thanks for the great idea!

[HankB]

Halved peaches, dotted with butter and Red Hot candies sprinkled on top. Cooked in foil or a casserole dish, it kinda depends in the kids tolerance of red hots although that could be adjusted

You can do that with cored apples or pears as well.

Add my vote for moinks. Wrap bacon around meat balls and put them on the grill until the bacon is done. I like to skewer a few up to make them easier to handle.



ABTs could be a little tricky if the kids are making them. Handle a jalapeno and touch your face or rub your eye and it is all of a sudden Not Fun.

Fatties are great! I love them. But not a lot of effort goes into them. However if you get some little buns, then the kids would have fun assembling their own sandwiches from them.







Pizza could be another option. Let the kids build their own from a set of toppings prepared in advance.

Back to peaches... That's one of my favorite fillings for those little pies you make with pie irons. You could do that on a Weber as well. I need to find my pie iron I think.