Gather 'round the grill: It's time for some sizzle

Get fired up! Memorial Day weekend is fast approaching, and with it barbecue season is upon us.

If the idea of longer, warmer days has you reaching for the tongs, you’re certainly not alone. Whether it’s a graduation party, a Memorial Day celebration, or simply to while away the hours with your gang, get outside  and get your grilling game on.

From versatile chicken to meats, tender seafood, veggies, and even fruit, it’s never been more fun to incorporate new flavors into grilled cuisine. Find some inspiration with these recipes.

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Skirt Steak with Roasted Corn Salad

• 1-1/2 pounds skirt steak, cut into 4-inch pieces
• 1/3  cup Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed

In a large bowl, combine chipotle pepper sauce, cumin and garlic; add skirt steaks. Toss to mix well; cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat grill to high. Grill skirt steak about 5 minutes, or until of desired doneness, turning once. To serve, plate steak with corn salad.

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Corn Salad

• 4 ears corn on the cob, shucked
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

To prepare corn salad: Preheat grill to medium. Grill corn about 5 to 10 minutes, turning frequently, until tender-crisp. When cool enough to handle, cut corn from cob. In medium bowl, combine corn, tomatoes, red onion, avocado, basil, lime juice, olive oil, chipotle pepper sauce to taste, and salt; toss to mix well.

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Chicken Skewers with Mango and Pineapple

• 3/4  cup ranch dressing
• 1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeded and finely chopped
• 2  teaspoons adobo sauce (from can above)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound chicken tenders, each cut into 3 equal pieces
• 1/2 pineapple, rind and core removed, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 large mango, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 small red onion, quartered and separated into layers
• Oil for grilling (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
• 1 lime, quartered

In medium bowl, combine dressing, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, honey, lime juice and salt for marinade. Stir well.

Assemble 4 skewers from ingredients in following order: onion, chicken, mango, chicken, pineapple, chicken, onion. Repeat twice more to complete skewer.

Lay skewers in shallow pan. Pour 1/4 cup marinade into small dish; set aside. Brush remaining marinade over skewers, coating all sides evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate about an hour.

Set the grill to medium-high heat. When grill is quite hot, remove skewers from marinade (discard excess); brush lightly with oil. Lay oiled skewers on hot grates and grill until marked on all four sides and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes total.

Arrange skewers on serving platter, drizzle with reserved 1/4 cup marinade, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

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Spiced Sweet Potatoes

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds), scrubbed well
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Cover potatoes with cold salted water in a large pot, then bring to a boil. Simmer until slightly resistant when pierced with a sharp small knife, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain well. When cool, slice potatoes lengthwise.

Mix together salt, spices and apple cider vinegar; add oil in a slow stream. Brush this mixture on sweet potatoes.

Grill potatoes on a lightly oiled grill rack over medium heat, until grill marks appear and potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Serve potatoes warm.