A gas grill is truly indispensable for anyone who wants to cook at home more often. It is an easy-to-clean, easy-to-control tool that opens up a world of dinner and entertaining possibilities, especially during the warm summer months. I have a bit of a “dinner formula” during the grilling season that is loosely comprised of three parts: something grilled, something steamed in the microwave or roasted in the oven, and something cooked on the stove.

Grilled Flank Steak + Steamed Broccoli with Garlic + Creamy Parmesan Orzo = Dinner

Sesame Chicken Noodle Casserole + Stir Fried Sugar Snap Peas + Grilled Pineapple = Dinner & Dessert fit for company

You get the idea.

When I plan my meals for the week, I try to remember the hectic rush hour feeling. I don’t enjoy the stress of watching multiple pots and pans on the stove. If you only have one oven, cooking two components of a meal can sometimes feel like organizing international trade agreements with the various cooking times, oven temperatures, and rack placement.

This zingy Chicken with Lemon and Oregano needs nothing more than a crunchy Greek salad as an accompaniment. Add the Spicy Hummus with Grilled Pita and you’re ready to open the wine and invite some friends to join you for an impromptu dinner party.

Is your crowd more traditional? Pick up simple steaks that need nothing more than salt and pepper (ask your butcher what’s best for the grill if you are unsure) and add this slightly fancier veggie side of Grilled Asparagus with Barbecue Butter.

Thinking heart-healthy? Try Grilled Fish Kebabs with Cherry Tomatoes alongside a brown rice salad with crunchy cucumbers and garden fresh herbs.

You can even make dessert on the grill! Be sure to clean the grates well before you grill fruit, and then try Rum Spiked Grilled Pineapple with Toasted Coconut. Okay, so it’s not a chocolate layer cake, but it’s a little something sweet that is sure to satisfy the dessert lover at your table.

Read more by Robin Horrigan

Robin Horrigan writes the column Cooking from the Carpool Lane. She lives on Boston’s south shore and is a stay at home Mom to Ryan, seven, and Maegan, three. Her fascination with cooking sprouted from watching Julia Child cook on a little black and white TV; Robin helped her Mom in the kitchen until she was old enough to ask Santa for her very own copy of The Joy of Cooking. She experiments with all kinds of cooking and baking, from quick weeknight dinners and easy cookies to long simmering weekend stews and complicated, fancy desserts. Ryan thinks if his Mom will ever be famous, it will be “for her awesome cookies.” Her friends say it will be for the cocktails. Either way, if she’s not doing volunteer work or shopping for shoes, you’ll probably find her in the kitchen.

Photo from Martha Stewart