Fire up that grill to savor summer’s waning days over Labor Day weekend

Of course, appetizers while you wait for the grill to heat are practically a requirement, after all. Instead of the typical rich, creamy dips, try a lighter approach, like some cracker canapes. That set the stage for what’s to come.

Grilled Watermelon, Feta and Balsamic Crackers
• 4 watermelon wedges (1/2-inch thick slices, 4 inches wide at base)
• 16 multi-grain crackers of your choice
• 1/4 cup finely crumbled feta cheese

Top each cracker with watermelon wedge and sprinkle with feta. Drizzle with balsamic reduction. Garnish with fresh mint.

Tip: Add finely chopped Kalamata olives for a tangy twist.

Chicken and Pineapple Skewers
• 8 skewers
• 1 pineapple
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 3/4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch pieces

Soak wooden skewers for 15 minutes prior to grilling.

Heat grill to medium-high heat.

Remove rind from pineapple and dice into 1-inch pieces.

In small bowl, combine oil, salt and pepper. Add chicken and pineapple; toss to coat.
Alternating chicken and pineapple, pierce onto skewers.

Grill skewers 8 minutes each side, or until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Serve with lemon-cucumber salsa; makes 4 servings.

Lemon-Cucumber Salsa
• 1 lemon, supremed
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon wildflower honey
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

In medium bowl, combine lemon, cucumber, onion, honey and pepper.

Tip: Supreme citrus fruit by cutting off top and bottom of fruit then cut away peel and pith, leaving no white on outside of fruit. Slice each segment into wedges by cutting toward center of fruit along membrane.

Asian Style Ribs
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground anise or fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 racks St. Louis-Style spareribs, membrane removed
• 1 handful hickory or apple wood chips for smoking, soaked in water and drained (optional)
• 2 cups hoisin barbecue sauce

About 30 minutes before grilling, make the dry rub. Combine the first six ingredients in small bowl; mix well. Generously coat both sides of ribs with rub. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Heat charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking at 275 F. Add drained wood chips, if using.

Place the ribs, meaty side up, over a drip pan and cook for 2 hours. Add about 12 coals to a charcoal grill every 45 minutes or so to maintain the heat.

Remove ribs from grill. Double-wrap each rack in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Return wrapped ribs to the grill and cook for 2 hours more over indirect heat, until very tender.

Remove ribs from grill and unwrap. Place ribs over direct heat on grill and brush with hoisin barbecue sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce is set. Turn ribs and repeat with more sauce. Serve ribs with remaining hoisin barbecue sauce.