My daughter Kelli lives in an older home that doesn’t have an air conditioner, so during the summer she refuses to prepare anything that requires use of an oven, or even long simmering on the stove. Keeping the house cool is a real priority, and she utilizes her slow cooker, gas grill, microwave oven, automatic bread baker, and George Foreman grill.

I’ve discovered that some breads can be cooked right along with the main course on the gas grill, and since my grandchildren love bread of any kind, they get good hot bread with no heating up of the kitchen.

Canned biscuits are not exactly gourmet, but kids love them, and even I like them once in a while. When I'm in a hurry, I find that the canned biscuits are easiest, but cornbread mix is also quick and easy. You’ll need a heavy cast iron pan, which will cook on one side of the grill while dinner is cooking on the other. By heating the grill, then turning one side of burners off, the grill acts like an oven; there is no direct heat on the bread, so the bottom doesn’t burn.

Canned Biscuits on the Grill

Preheat the grill to high, then turn one side of the grill off. The side that is turned off is the side that you will cook the biscuits on. You may adjust the heat to cook the meat, chicken, or vegetables on the lighted side of the grill while the biscuits bake.

Spray a large cast iron skillet with non-stick spray and set the biscuits inside; if you like soft biscuits, put them close together; if you like crisp biscuits, spread them out in the skillet. Lift the lid of the grill and set the skillet on the side of the grill that is turned off. Bake the biscuits 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cornbread from a mix

Preheat the grill to high, then turn one side of the grill off. The side that is turned off is the side that you will cook the cornbread on. You may adjust the heat to cook the meat, chicken, or vegetables on the lighted side of the grill while the cornbread bakes.

Pour 2 tablespoons bacon fat or vegetable oil into the bottom of a 9-10” heavy cast iron skillet. Place it on the grill to heat (side that is turned off) while you mix the cornbread; make sure the lid is closed on the grill.

Mix two packages of your favorite kind of cornbread mix (approximately 6 ounces each) according to package directions. Take the bowl of batter out to the grill, open the lid, and pour the batter into the hot pan, scraping the bowl to get all the batter in the pan. Shut the lid to the grill and let the cornbread cook until lightly browned on top, 15-20 minutes, depending on the temperature of the other side of the grill.