My garden's plethora of parsley is the tail wagging tonight's dinnerDog-feed. In past years I've never grown flat Italian parsley--it's inexpensive and always well-stocked in grocery stores. Today I'm reprimanding myself for taking this ubiquitous herb for granted. It's the fastest and easiest herb I've ever grown and has a wonderfully intense flavor (is this really parsley?)

The first recipe that comes to mind for using parsley is tabouli. I'm of the tabouli school of thought that prefers tabouli be comprised primarily of parsley, with flecks of bulgur (cracked wheat); not mostly bulgur with flecks of parsley. The bulgur, though traditionally used in a classic tabouli, for me, is negotiable.

Good thing, because I'm out of bulgur and could stock a grocery shelf with quinoa. I have a cucumber and tomato that needs to be used so will include that in my salad. I'm out of lemon so will use red wine vinegar for the acidity; fresh mint is a tabouli "must", and certainly one of my favorite flavors in this salad.

This salad is great stuffed into a pita pocket with crumbled feta cheese. I've also enjoyed pine nuts or toasted pumpkin seeds in past "tabouli" recipes. Just don't overload the grains and allow lovely parsley to take center stage.

Beef for the Grill: Marinated Beef Kebobs Flat Iron Steak with Chimichurri Sauce Perfectly Grilled Steak Grilled Steak with Gorgonzola Butter Go-Blue Cheese Burgers Composed Thai Grilled Beef Salad

Pork on the Grill Applewood Smoked Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Sauce Smoked, Pulled Pork Barbecue Sliders with Hot Slaw Barbecue Spare Ribs Brined, Grilled Pork Chops

Chicken and Turkey on the Grill No-Burn Barbecue Chicken Grilled Chicken Fajita Bar Grilled Barbecue Chicken Pizza Turkey Burgers with Cracked Wheat and Spinach Grilled Turkey Breast Brined, Grilled Chicken Breasts with Blackberry Sauce Grilled Balsamic Chicken Breasts over Baby Greens

Fish on the Grill Grilled Wild Salmon with Caper-Tarragon Sauce Fish Tacos Grilled Halibut, Red Onion and Orange Salad

Vegetables on the Grill Portobella Mushroom Burgers Grilled Vegetable Platter with Dill-Almond Pesto

Quinoa Tabouli Recipe Yield: apx. 3 1/2 cups Cost: apx. $6.50 Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup dry quinoa* 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion or scallion 1 small tomato, seeded and cut into 1/4 -inch dice (1 cup) 1 cucumber, peeled seeded and cut into 1/4 -inch dice (1 cup) 1 large bunch Italian parsley, remove leaves from stems, wash and finely chop (1 cup) 1 small bunch fresh mint, washed and finely chopped (1/2 cup)

*I used red quinoa, but any type is fine

Directions

1. Cook quinoa in salted water according to package instructions. 2. Whisk together vinegar and olive oil. Stir in cooked quinoa, onion, tomato, cucumber, parsley and mint. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Served chilled or at room temperature. (May be made up to 24 hours in advance.)