Fire Up Your 4th of July

Independence Day is next weekend, and I can't wait. The 4th of July is always an exciting holiday, full of fun, fanfare, and fireworks! It also happens to be the number one day in the country for grilling. An amazing 75% of US citizens will either hold or attend a cookout over the holiday weekend. Furthermore, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council states that Americans eat 150 million hot dogs each July 4th. Wow, those are some impressive numbers! Here are a few tips to inspire you to fire up your grill this Fourth.

If you really want to impress you guests, try cooking your Chicken Under a Brick. Yep, you read that right. Wrap a brick in aluminum foil and place it on top the the chicken as it cooks. You'll get evenly cooked chicken, awesome grill marks, and you'll impress your guests while doing it. In fact, your guests are almost guaranteed to try this fun technique at their own grill-outs.

Another wonderful recipe comes straight from the kitchen of grill-master Bobby Flay - Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Lime and Cilantro. This super easy side is packed with flavor. A pinch of cayenne and a dash of lime adds plenty of zest to this dish. Serve it with chicken, pork, steak, or even hot dogs. You simply can't go wrong with this dish. Happy Grilling!

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Lime and Cilantro

Ingredients

• 3 sweet potatoes, unpeeled
• Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Parcook the potatoes: Place in a pot of water and boil until fork-tender; let cool. Slice each potato lengthwise into eighths.

Preheat a grill to medium or place a cast-iron grill pan over medium heat. Mix 1 tablespoon salt, the lime zest and cayenne in a small bowl.

Brush the potato wedges with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown on all sides (including the skin) and just cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter; immediately season with the salt mixture and sprinkle with cilantro.