The Fourth of July holiday is one holiday that we usually stay at home. There is just too much of everything. Too much traffic too many people on the beach, too much drinking and driving. Just too much.

However, staying at home doesn’t mean that you can’t celebrate the holiday.

I decorate the patio, fly the flag and pull out the grill. Of course, it doesn’t take much for me to pull out the grill. I love to grill. Summer or winter, rain or shine, I grill. When I grill, unless I’m in a rush, I use my charcoal grill. I love the smell and the taste and oddly enough, I am less likely to burn the food on the charcoal grill. The gas grill and I just are not friends.

Last week we looked at main dishes for the holiday and this week, we are doing veggies. Some of the recipes are for the grill and some are not. However, even if it is a grill recipe, you can use the oven if you don’t want to stay out in the 90+ degree heat.

The first recipe is a twist on deviled eggs. It’s not a cookout unless there are deviled eggs. But, they don’t have to standard deviled eggs. Play with them a little and come up with your own variations.

The second recipe is Mediterranean grilled veggies. Use whatever you have on hand, not just the ones listed in the recipe. I like to marinate the vegetables for a few hours before putting them on the grill or on skewers.

The third recipe is a no-cook dish. I love this one whenever I am in the mood for tomatoes and onions. You can of course, add zucchini and other veggies if you want more variety.

The fourth recipe is great for vegetarians or for people like me who just love mushrooms. Use any mushroom you have as long as it’s a meaty mushroom. Oyster mushrooms and the other delicate varieties don’t grill very well. I like baby bellas.

The last recipe is just corn on the cob with some spice and tossed on the grill. You can of course do this in the oven. If you want to boil the corn, as we usually do, you can still add the spices at the end.

Easy Deviled Eggs & Ham

3 Hard-Cooked Eggs

3 Slices Shaved Smoked Ham, finely chopped

1 Kosher Dill Mini Pickle, finely chopped

1 Tbsp. Mayo