Summertime and the living is easy — especially when you fire up the grill and essentially let it do the heavy lifting.  A few key marinades with some international flavors and your grill game instantly is “upped.”

Grilled corn is nothing new. Here, we’ve used some of the same marinade as a sauce. A simple eight-piece cut up chicken on the bone makes quick work and a flavorful meal that pleases dark and white meat lovers alike. Feel free to adjust the spice level to your taste.

Peri-Peri Portuguese Barbecue Chicken and Corn

Serves 6

1 chicken but into eight pieces (can be purchased in the meat section as such)

6 ears corn, shucked

6 pieces aluminum foil to wrap the corn

For the barbecue marinade:

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce

4 tablespoons soy sauce

5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon dried onion powder (not salt)

Sriracha to taste

2 tablespoons yellow ballpark-style mustard

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 2 limes

Place marinade ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and whisk to combine.

Place chicken in a plastic resealable container, reserving ½-cup marinade for the corn, add marinade.  Place in the refrigerator overnight or a minimum of four hours.  Reserve the corn marinade in a separate container until ready to use.

To assemble and cook:

Place corn on foil and brush with marinade. Seal packet. Preheat grill to high and lower to medium low.  Remove chicken from marinade and grill over medium low grill, until cooked through, 20-40 minutes depending on size of piece.  Temperature should measure 165F internally or when cut be completely cooked through and show no traces of pink juice or flesh.  Remove to serving platter as they are done. Cook corn last 10 minutes, turning packets frequently.  Serve with plenty of napkins and enjoy!

Bang bang shrimp had its moment.  A revival in a healthier form — a grilled version couldn’t be any simpler — healthier shrimp and veggies on skewers take moments to prepare and the dip is what steals the show.

Bang Bang BBQ Skewers

Serves 4

For the skewers:

1 pound jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 zucchini, trimmed and cut into 2” pieces

1 red onion, peeled and cut into 2” chunks

1 pint grape tomatoes

Wooden skewers, presoaked in water for 30 minutes or metal

Extra virgin olive oil spray

For the bang bang serving sauce:

1 cup mayo (low fat works great)

4 tablespoons lower or no sugar ketchup

2 teaspoons tabasco or other hot sauce

1 teaspoon chili powder

Assemble the skewers and cook:

Thread vegetables and shrimp onto skewers, careful to leave a small gap in between pieces and not over crowd. Preheat grill to high heat and lower to medium heat.  Spray each skewer and cook for 2 minutes per side until the shrimp are cooked through and opaque.  Remove and drizzle with sauce immediately, passing more to serve.

To assemble the sauce:

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk thoroughly.

Get your mojo on with this super fresh and clean tasting marinade. A surprise guest to the grill is tofu but once you try it you will be amazed how it holds up for a meatless meal. Feel free to substitute pork tenderloin pieces or any other protein. TIP: use gloves when handling the hot pepper.

Mojo tofu and vegetables

Serves 4

For the tofu and vegetables:

1 block of extra firm tofu, drained, sliced into four equal pieces

4 portobello mushroom caps

2 red peppers, cored and cut into quarters

1 red onion, peeled and cut into 2-inch thick slices

For the marinade:

¾ cup honey

½ cup orange juice

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 bunch cilantro, chopped fine

4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

½ jalapeno, chopped fine

Mix marinade in a bowl.  Place tofu on a sheetpan lined with several layers of paper towel.  Cover with a few more layers and gently press out excess water. Drizzle marinade over pieces and allow to sit for 30 minutes, reserving extra marinade to brush during grilling.

To grill:

Brush grill with a small amount of vegetable oil. Preheat to high and lower to medium.  Place vegetables and tofu on grates, brushing with marinade.  Grill vegetables until they’re brown, turning often and applying for marinade. Turn tofu once, after about 4 minutes, brushing with more marinade after turning.  If the tofu sticks, allow for more time to “self release.”  Serve with any leftover marinade.