Summer's back, which means it's time to haul out your grill and fire up some hotdogs and hamburgers. But hold that thought. Your poor grill deserves a little excitement after being cooped up all winter, so give that tired ballpark food a rest. Instead, try one of these alternative grilling recipes. Your friends, family, and grill will thank you.

Beer-Can Chicken

A Deep South delicacy, beer-can chicken is a rite of grilling passage: a crispy bird perched on an aluminum Budweiser throne is too funky - and raunchy - a presentation to pass up. But this dish isn't just redneck theatrics. Beer-can chicken meat is famously juicy and tender, because as the bird cooks, the beer adds extra moisture from the inside out.

To make, remove the innards from a whole 4 lb. chicken, fresh or thawed, and rinse the carcass well. Season the bird as simply as possible: an all-over rub of olive oil, salt, and pepper should do the trick. If you absolutely must, add some grill seasoning, too.

Now the most important step in the whole recipe:crack open a can of beer, and drink half of it. Don't cheat. (And make sure you've washed your hands first!) Then, placing the half-empty can on a steady surface, grab a chicken leg in each hand and plunk the gaping bird-hole over the beer can.

Transfer the chicken-beer hybrid to the center of your grill, balancing the bird on its legs and the can, like a tripod. Doing so takes some finesse; hence the smaller bird instead of Godzilla-sized chicken. (You could always get one of those Beer-Can Chicken Roasters, but that takes away some of the fun and adventure.)

Cover the grill and cook your bird over medium-high, indirect heat for about 75 minutes, or until a thermometer reads 165ºF in the breast, 180ºF in the thigh. Remove from the grill, rest a few minutes, and devour.

Then get another beer. That part's absolutely crucial.

Cornhusk Catfish

Grilled fish is classic, but it takes some know-how; fish a la flame isn't as easy as slapping a fillet atop a beer-can. Plus, Rochester's cheapest catches - like tilapia and catfish - are delicate and flake easily when cooked. Should you plant them directly on the grill, the cooked flesh will just fall through the grate. You'll need something to protect your fish, like, say, cornhusks. Yeah, that's right: cornhusks.

This recipe comes courtesy of the Catfish Institute (yes, there is a Catfish Institute). Peel four ears of corn, breaking the corncobs off the base. Make sure you leave the husks attached to the base; don't rip off or tear away the layers.

Slice the corn kernels off two ears, reserving the other two for another recipe (if you like, toss them on the grill too). Combine the kernels with four chopped scallions, ¼ cup diced red pepper, 1½ tbsp capers, and 1 clove chopped garlic.

Wash the husks well, making sure to remove all the silk. Also, check the firmness: you want cornhusks that are flexible enough to wrap around food, but not so soft that they lack structure and support.

Take a husk and gently pull back a few leaves. Inside, place a 6 oz. catfish filet. Top the fish with a quarter of the corn mixture, as well as 1 tbsp butter, a sprig of fresh thyme, and salt and pepper. Tie the husk together with kitchen twine and repeat for the other three husks.

Grill the bundles over direct heat for 5 minutes, then move to indirect heat for 6-7 minutes. To serve, just fold the top husk back to show off that tender, flaky fish inside.

Veggie Kabobs

Here's a vegetarian secret: almost all - no, all - vegetables taste better with grill marks. Mushrooms, squash, tomatoes, eggplant, bell pepper, you name it. Veggies are also deceptively easy to grill: cut them into pieces approximately 1" thick, season with salt, pepper and olive oil, and slap them on the grill for 2-3 minutes. Done.

But for a really snazzy presentation, try veggie kabobs. In a large glass bowl, mix the juice of two lemons with ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup minced onions, 1 clove minced garlic, and 1 tbsp dried oregano (fresh herbs burn too easily). Cut a zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, and green pepper into 2" chunks. Add those to the lemon marinade, plus a wedged red onion, ¼ lb button mushrooms, and 10-12 cherry tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, but not too much longer; you don't want soggy kabobs.

Thread the veggies on skewers and grill until tender and lightly blackened (about 5 minutes), brushing the leftover marinade on top as they cook. Remove from the grill and eat as is.

Fruit for Dessert

Like vegetables, fruits work well on the grill; the dry heat caramelizes the natural sugars, making them syrupy but not over-sweet. For a healthy, creative dessert, just brush apples, plums, pears, peaches, pineapples, or mangos very lightly with oil and toss directly on the grill (or wrap in foil first, if you haven't cleaned your grates lately).

Keep a close eye: fruits take, at most, 3-4 minutes to cook, and, because of their high sugar content, they burn easily. Try to get under-ripe fruits if possible, since those will withstand the heat better.

For a real treat, slice a tiny slit into a banana, just enough to open the skin. Drizzle in the juice of half a lime, 1 tsp honey, ¼ tsp rum, and a dash of cinnamon. Fold the skin back over the banana, and grill it over direct heat, 7-10 minutes. Inside, the banana flesh will melt into a yummy, custard-like goop, which you can spoon out and devour.

Or try this: soak pineapple slices in ¾ cup rum, ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg. Grill for 5 minutes on each side (careful: once the alcohol-soaked fruit touches the grill, it will flame up). Remove and top with vanilla ice cream.