Last year I fixed skewers for Mothers Day lunch. I had a rice dish and a dish of roasted veggies and can't remember what else. I think along with salads I fixed deviled eggs.

Roasted veggies are a great side with skewers. Actually what is fun is to do grilled veggie skewers, red and green peppers, pineapple, cherry tomatoes, sweet onion wedges

A nice potato side is small red, white and yukon gold new potatoes cut in half and tossed in some olive oil, just enough for a light coating, sprinkle with salt , pepper and some fresh chopped rosemary. In the oven at 400 for about 45 minutes, stirring once or twice. Easy dish for a crowd.

Here are a few T&T sides that can be made/prepped ahead, too! Just double them to serve a crowd!

White Corn Salad

2c frozen shoepeg white corn
3/4c chopped roma tomato
1/2 c chopped cucumber
2T chopped green bell pepper
3T white wine vinegar
1-1/2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced

Combine vegetables in bowl, toss. Combine remaining ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously. Pour over corn mixture and toss well.
Serves 4

From Cooking Light magazine, date unknown

Grilled Vidalia Onions From: Cooking Secrets of the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) 6 vidalia onions 3 tsp salt 1\-1/2 tsp pepper 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped 6 T butter 6 T balsamic vinegar Preheat charcoal or gas grill. Cut twelve 12 inch squares of aluminum foil. Peel onions and trim the root end. Be careful to leave the core in place to hold each onion together as it cooks. Make 3 or 4 cuts across the top of each onion, cutting about 2/3 of the way down to create wedges. Set each onion in the center of a double\-layered foil square, root end down. Sprinkle onions with salt, pepper and herbs, and top each with a tablespoon of butter. Pull foil up over each onion creating a pouch, leaving the top of the onion exposed. Pour 1 tablespoon ov vinegar into each onion. Place onions on top shelf of gas grill or around edge of charcoal grill over medium heat. Cook until onions are tender, about an hour. Place each onion in individual bowl. The onions will spread open like a flower, pour accumulated juices over each onion and serve. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This one is from Marilyn, I make this regularly for get\-togethers. Party Potatoes 6 medium potatoes 1 medium onion, finely minced 2c sour cream 1/2lb grated cheddar Salt & pepper to taste 1/4c milk 1tsp snipped chives 1/2c coarse bread crumbe 2T melted butter Boil potatoes in water with skin on until tender, cool and peel. Grate potatoes coarse. Mix potatoes with sour cream, cheese, salt, pepper and chives, place into buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs over top, drizzle with butter. Bake 1 hour at 350F

And for dessert...This is to die for!

Grilled Pineapple with Rum Dulce de Leche
Recipe courtesy Gourmet Magazine

2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup dark rum
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 ripe pineapple, preferably golden
Vanilla ice cream, as needed

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Pour condensed milk into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and cover with foil. Put pie plate in a roasting pan and add enough hot water to pan to reach halfway up side of pie plate. Bake milk in middle of oven until thick and golden, about 1 1/2 hours. Carefully remove pie plate from pan and cool completely.

Add rum and vanilla to milk, whisk until smooth, and season with salt. (The dulce de leche may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.)

Prepare a grill or grill pan. Cut the pineapple lengthwise through leaves, keeping leaves attached, into 4 wedges. Grill the pineapple wedges, cut-side down, until just charred, about 2 minutes on each cut side.
Divide the wedges among plates, put a scoop of ice cream next to each, and drizzle with the dulce de leche.

Linda

I like Tomato,Onion and Basil salad in a vinegarette....Vine Ripe only!!

This is very popular in my family and its pretty too. Good to make ahead and just add in the last few ingredients at the last minute - serve at room temp.

ORZO WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

1 small eggplant, peeled, 3/4" dice
1 red pepper, 1" dice
1 yellow pepper, 1" dice
1 red onion, peeled, 1" dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 lb Orzo, cooked

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 scallions, minced
1/4 cup toasted Pignoli nuts
3/4 lb Feta cheese, 1/2" dice
15 basil leaves, chiffonade

Mix first 7 ingredients together and place in one layer in large roasting pan.
Roast @ 425 degrees for 40 minutes, turning once.

Mix warm orzo with warm cooked vegetables and all of their juices.
Add lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss together and let cool to room temperature.

Add scallions, nuts, Feta and basil and serve.

Serves 6

Ginger Scented Couscous is great with skewered meats and a yogurt raita:

Prepare your couscous according to instructions, except use chicken stock & thin slices of ginger instead of water. You will fish out the ginger later on, so if you cut the root on the diagonal so the slices are fairly large, it will make things easier.

When the couscous is done, fluff it up very well, breaking up any clumps.

Now saute some onions, celery & carrots, diced small in your preference, butter or olive oil, until tender but not smushy. If you like spicy, you can add a minced serrano or jalapeno as well. Add some frozen peas/corn because they're pretty. The amounts depend on how much couscous you cooked, of course. What you're looking for is an end result that will look something like fried rice...veggies sprinkled all through, but it still remains a starch dish. Season the veggies with salt & pepper.

Remove the ginger slices from the couscous, and toss with the vegetables & some minced herbs of your choice, choosing the herbs to complement the rest of the dinner.

For the raita, peel & seed a cuke, and slice it very thinly on a mandolin. Sprinkle with salt and let drain in a colander for 10 minutes or so. Then pick up hand fulls of cuke slices and squeeze very hard to remove as much water as possible.

Mix the cuke slices with plain yogurt mixed with minced mint & cilantro...oh, about a tablespoon of each per cup of yogurt...as for the ratio of cuke to yogurt, probably a packed 1/2 cup of already drained slices per cup of yogurt? It really is to taste. What you want is a very thick sauce.

A dollop of the raita served alongside the couscous, with grilled meats on top, garnished with a mint or cilantro sprig makes for a very nice presentation. The best thing about this couscous, is that it can be served hot or room temp. If I am serving it room temp, I like to toss in some seeded, diced tomatoes just before serving.

Thanks for all the ideas!