Shish Kabobs

Do you have children? They love to eat grilled food, too. A fun and healthy alternative to burgers and hot dogs for them is to make shish kabobs. Shish kabobs are easy to make and healthy for children and adults. 

Shish kabobs remind me of those scenes in old movies when they roast the meat over the spit. Unlike the scary unmentionable meat being turned over by cowboys, we put our favorite meats and vegetables on a stick and add some flavor.

Kabobs cook just like that unmentionable meat in the old days. Kabobs can be cooked on wooden skewers and can be eaten without utensils, making them popular with all children who eat them and to the mothers who have to clean them. Metal skewers can be too hot to touch, if you have little ones, use wooden skewers. They are much cheaper and can be discarded later.

When working with wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before putting them on the grill. A skewer that is not saturated with water will burn on the grill and can cause flare ups.

Now that the safety issues are out of the way, let's begin to have fun creating these yummy tasting shish kabobs. There are allot of combination that you can make with your favorite foods. Choose from lamb, beef, chicken, shrimp, fish and pork. For vegetable choices, be sure to use the vegetables that are can stand up the heat without getting soft and falling apart. Some of the most common choices are tomatoes, peppers and onions.

Cut the meat and vegetables into one inch cubes. It's easier to cook, if all the food on the skewer is of smaller size. Round vegetables such as tomatoes do not need to be cut into squares. Just make sure that the tomato is the same size as the rest of the food. Select items for the kabobs, with similar cooking times on the same skewer. For example, it does not take long for a shrimp or scallops cook on a hot grill, but chicken or beef, will take longer to cook. Zucchini will take longer to cook than the a cherry tomato. Zucchini also takes the heat better. If you want your tomatoes on a skewer, consider adding one to each end of the kabob a few minutes before the meat is done cooking. 

To reduce the cooking time for chicken, boil boneless chicken breasts for about twenty minutes before cutting into cubes. By parboiling you are helping to prevent cross contamination. It is also a good idea to include a single type of meat on skewers. When it comes time to put your shish kabobs together combine the chicken with a variety of vegetables.

When using raw meat, prepare the kebabs the night before and chill them with or without marinade. If you marinade, be sure to drain any excess away before grilling. Let the skewers come to room temperature before placing them on the grill to aid in faster, more even cooking.

I love shish kabobs. They can be used as an appetizer or a main dish on a bed of rice for the children. As a snack or main attraction, they are delicious. By mixing the meat and vegetables, you can enjoy the shish kabobs at any time without getting tired of the same foods. Shish kabobs are easy to make, are gluten free and healthy.