Dad deserves something nice for Father’s Day this year as in every year. Long gone are the days of ties and Oxford shirts.

He needs something techy, edgy, and functional. And sometimes they need new versions of things they’ve had for years. Here are some leather gift ideas too.

Buy your dad: A paper shredder

We’re not saying your father is a white collar criminal. Actually, odds are that dear old dad already has a paper shredder.

He just needs a new one.

If your dad’s paper shredder is a dinky clip-on-the-trash-bin model from 10 years ago, buy him the Swingline Stack and Shred. It shreds credit cards, staples, paper-clipped documents and up to 100 pages at a time. Your dad will never have to worry about having his identity stolen.

Blast tested the Stack and Shred, and it is the best shredder we’ve ever used. It sucks up anything you throw at it and then asks for more. It’s especially great for dads that are accountants, lawyers, or insurance salesmen. ($215)

Buy your dad: A power drill

Cordless power drills are a staple in every dad’s arsenal. They build walls, assemble furniture, mount televisions to the wall, and fix nearly everything.

Trouble is, the same drill your dad bought in 1998 isn’t cutting it anymore. Ask your dad how long the battery stays charged in his drill…

The Milwaukee 2601-22 M18 Red Lithium 1/2 in. 18-volt Compact Hammer Drill is the solution. It’s up in the typical tool lovers price range, but it has a reliable battery with good life.

Two key words phrases: hammer drill and 18 volts. Don’t buy a 12-volt drill.

The M18 can deliver 550 pounds of torque with a variable speed trigger, making projects much easier. We tested. We approve. ($199)

Buy your dad: A Root Beer Brewing Kit

For some reason, dads just seem to love root beer, and this is kind of a cute gift that’s great for younger kids/dads.

ThinkGeek is offering the Root Beer Brewing Kit that will let you and your dad do just that.

The kit is cheap, includes everything except the sugar, and lets you make about two gallons of root beer in a few days. ($26.99)

Buy your dad: A gas grill

Oh God, does your dad need this…

A lot of dads — a LOT of dads — have stood by their old faithful grill since, oh, before you were born.

Remember one word: Weber.

The Weber Summit is the best gas grill on the market, but for $2,000, your father can buy his own damn grill.

The Weber Genesis series is an excellent higher-end choice for a dad who needs a new grill. We’ve tested the Genesis E-310 three-burner grill, and we approve. It cooks food perfectly and evenly. Pool your funds with mom and the siblings. It will benefit you as much as him, only he’ll enjoy it more. ($699)

Buy your dad: A flash drive

You’d be amazed by how many fathers need more USB flash drives.

Dads benefit from their storage capacity, small size, and utter ease of use. Do you remember the old days? Did anyone out there try to teach their dad to burn data to a CD-R?

We like the Verbatim: TUFF-‘N’-TINY drives for their small size and keychain cache. The 4GB version will hold all his photos, important documents, and the family’s Quicken backups. ($23.99)

Last but not least, buy your dad: An iPad

Your dad will never ask for it. Trust us, he wants one.

Blast’s editor teamed up with his brother and mother to buy dad an original iPad for Christmas. He hasn’t put it down since. The iPad can do everything that a computer can — and it’s newer.

If you have the extra dollars, go for the 3G iPad, but if you don’t think dad wants or needs another Verizon or AT&T contract, you can stay with WiFi. Another bit of advice: Most dads don’t have massive music collections, and they don’t download nearly as much video content as you do. The 16GB iPad 2 should be sufficient. ($499)

A Quincy police lieutenant suffered second-degree burns on Friday when his propane grill exploded, the Patriot Ledger reported.

Kevin Tobin was burned on his right leg, right arm, and left hand. He was treated and released from Massachusetts General Hospital.

His uncle, Quincy District Court chief magistrate Arthur Tobin told the Patriot Ledger that the lieutenant had just brought the grill out to his driveway when it exploded. Neighbors rushed over to help him.

A snow storm made this West Chesterfield, N.H. reader’s mini gas grill look like Darth Vader

It’s actually an uncanny resemblance. Thankfully, the snow did not make the grill look like Jesus, or we’d have a serious religious phenomenon on our hands in New Hampshire.

There’s something special about smoked ribs or beef brisket. It’s the taste of picnics and summertime and good times.

Unless you’re a vegetarian, of course.

The Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker is not your typical smoker. It’s upright, and looks more like a space ship or a time capsule than something that slowly cooks meat. But cook meat it does.

The dual level, 22.5-inch cooking surfaces give you plenty of room for several racks of ribs or just “a lot” of whatever animal you intend to smoke. The lid-mounted thermometer also lets you make sure you stay in the 200-300 degree smoke zone.

We liked the space saving design. When you already have a grill on the patio, you might not have room for a smoker, which is often the same width or wider. The upright design is also functional. Ribs are especially good. Rib meat comes right off the bones and remains flavorful despite what you might think happens when meat cooks for several hours above a fire.

What exactly is smoking? For nearly as long as people have been cooking meat and fish, they have been smoking it. Early on, before refrigeration, smoking meat provided a way to preserve it from spoilage, as absorbing smoke removes water and kills bacteria on the food. In modern culture, the smoky flavor provides a tasty BBQ delicacy. Smoking meat slowly, at low temperature also renders out the fat and breaks down tough connective tissue, making “rougher” cuts of meat easier to eat.

The Smoker Mountain Cooker is easy to use. Dump in your charcoal and choice of wood chips, and light a fire at the bottom. Don’t use lighter fluid. An egg carton or crumbled newspaper will do the job, but chemical fluid will hurt the pure taste of your food. Make sure the water pan is full — try it with apple juice!

Allow the smoker to warm up to about 250 before you add your meat, or you’ll have a difficult time keeping the smoker in the right temperature range. You’re going to leave it going for several hours, so wake up early if you’re having an afternoon cookout.

This is a vocation. For all you gas grill users, you just turn it off and maybe give it a brush-down when you’re done. Not with a smoker. Cleanup is a process. You have to let it cool down, remove the racks and brush them off. It’s actually better to soak them in dish soap in a large cast iron basin if you have one. The water pan will be a caked mess, especially with us throwing juices and beers into it for more flavor. You have to clean that each time you use the smoker. You also have to make sure the fire is out and the ashes are properly disposed of. But as long as you’re willing to put the man hours in, smoking will give you and you guests a delicious meal.

The Smokey Mountain is well-built and will last you as long as you take care of it properly. It’s $499 and is available at a variety of stores where grills and smokers are sold. It’s a great product, and the perfect BBQ companion. The smoked meats and fish are a great compliment to the super-hotness we often achieve with a traditional grill.

(ARA) – Literally soaked in flavor, marinated foods are undeniably delicious. But did you know that marinating also makes your grilled foods safer?

Anyone who loves the delectable flavor of hot-off-the-grill foods has probably heard that cancer-causing substances — such as heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs or HCAs) — form when the proteins in red meat, pork, poultry and fish react to the high heat of grilling and when fat drips off the meat and produces smoke.

But the researchers aren’t just pouring water on our coals; they’re coming up with solutions, too. Chemists at Kansas State University found that marinating meat for an hour in spice blends can reduce the formation of HCAs by 80 percent or more. They credit the antioxidant properties of spices with this change. Other researchers suggest that marinades may buffer the heat that causes the problematic chemical reaction, or that a combination of sugar, oil, and acidic ingredients decreases the carcinogenic compounds.

Not that you need a scientific reason to marinate. Savvy grillers know marinating improves flavor and the process isn’t labor-intensive. You can make your own signature marinades, or rely on the guaranteed results of quality mixes.

For safe and delicious grilling with marinades:

• Choose lean cuts of meat, which will drip less and produce less smoke. Trim excess fat.
• Prick the surfaces of meats with a fork before marinating to allow flavors to penetrate.
• Marinate foods in the refrigerator — not on the counter — in a glass, plastic, or stainless steel pan.
• Keep in mind that marinades that have been used for raw meat, poultry or seafood need to be cooked thoroughly before eating. So don’t baste with them during the last few minutes, don’t dip your finger in the pan to taste and don’t use the leftover marinade for sauce without cooking it first.
• Consider cooking meats in the microwave for a minute or so before placing them on the grill. Discard any juice that’s produced during microwaving. Use tongs or a spatula, rather than forks, to reduce drips when turning foods on the grill.
• Cook over medium (rather than high) heat to avoid charring foods. Let flames settle down before cooking over coals or wood, and turn the temperature down to medium on a gas grill. If you do char a portion of the food, cut off that section before serving.
• Flip those burgers. Again. They’ll cook faster (and produce fewer HCAs) if you turn them often.
• Consider other options, too, like soy burgers and soy hot dogs, portobello mushrooms and other vegetables. These foods don’t have the same potential to produce harmful substances that can result from unsafe cooking procedures — but they’re delicious when marinated nonetheless!

Here’s a simple, tasty recipe from Chef Kendall McFarland, research and development manager at Simply Organic:

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked pasta
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 package of Simply Organic Steak Marinade Mix

In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the olive oil and the Steak Marinade Mix. Serve as a warm or cold side dish.

Add olives, cheese or other vegetables if desired.

Staying with the same marinade for the complete meal, Chef Kendall also has this tasty recipe:

Tarragon Encrusted Salmon

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons softened butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 package Simply Organic Steak Marinade Mix
1 to 1 1/2 pounds salmon steak — minimum of 1-inch thick

Preheat grill. In a small bowl blend butter, lemon juice and Steak Marinade. Lay salmon on grill using a fish grill plate, skin side down. Spread a thin layer of butter mixture on steaks. Grill eight to 10 minutes or until salmon is just flaky.

Serve with sliced fresh tomatoes as a garnish.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

There is nothing more synonymous with summer than cookouts, barbecues and outdoor grilling. Call it what you will, but it is an American staple of summertime socialization and entertainment. From summer’s kickoff on Memorial Day Weekend to it’s sad farewell with Labor Day Weekend, families and friends meet and party around barbecues. Award-winning and best-selling cookbook author Julie Biuso’s new effort “Sizzle, sensational barbecue food,” is sure to become this summer’s guide to flavor and innovative barbecue.

Biuso,‚ ‚ a native from New Zealand, got‚ ”Sizzle” published in the U.S.‚ ‚ in April 2008 and‚ ‚ it was named the “best barbecue book in the history of the awards,” by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. From the very first paragraphs of the Introduction it is easy to see why. ‚ Readers are thrown into reminiscences of childhood Auckland picnics and the bold grilling flavors of New Zealand. This cookbook is filled with simple, yet creative, recipes to fit any grilling desires; from seafood and poultry to delicious fruit combinations for a well-rounded meal.

The book is broken down into various sections‚ beginning‚ with, what else, Beginnings. The appetizers and other small plates listed are the perfect way to start any meal. From Zucchini & corn fritters (p.15) to Bruschetta with chick pea pate & sugared tomatoes (p.26) each dish has a thorough and simple instruction guide and ingredient list. Additionally, beneath each recipe name there is a great tip regarding the dish, offering different options to the home cook based on flavor preference or giving a helpful hint on a cooking method.

One great example is the Seared scallops with chili pepper dressing (p.31). “Cutting a criss-cross patter on the scallops makes them open much like blooming flowers, letting them absorb more dressing as they cook, but this step is optional.” These little cheat sheet-type blurbs are a great teaching tool for home cooks to implement while grilling recipes from Sizzle, not to mention in all of their future cooking endeavors.

On to the Main Events dishes. Seared lamb with cumin rub (p.39) is a wonderful homage to Middle Eastern flavors and cooking techniques. Additionally, on the same page there is a recipe for a simple beet salad made refreshing thanks to lemon juice and finely grated lemon zest. There are numerous dishes utilizing the flavors from the Middle East, along with Italy and Southeast Asia. Sticky chicken satay (p.54) is a play on a Thai favorite and seasoned with fresh ginger, lemon juice, runny honey, coriander and black pepper. With a comprehensive ingredient list for each recipe there isn’t one meal a home cook could find intimidating. Burgers, steaks, various sandwiches, such as the Eggplant toasties (p.52), round out the Main Events section with enough variety in flavor and proteins to suit any palette.

There is a separate Seafood section with flavorful offerings including Coconut fish cakes (p.80) and Whole fish with cilantro (p.82). But what really caught my attention was the Sides section beginning on p.90. I have to say, sides definitely can make or break any great barbecue adventure, and the choices here are endless. Colin’s breakfast tomatoes (p.92) are a wonderful way to utilize your grill in a manner you would never have thought of. Simply grilling vine-ripened large tomato halves seasoned with superfine granulated sugar, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper along with fresh basil, thyme and some butter, makes for a tasty and unique side serving.

Sizzle boasts many more sections including Salads, Sauces & Salsas, and Sweet Endings. Making this cookbook the perfect go-to manual for simple but flavorful and exotic grilling options for this summer. Along with a Barbecue Know-How section in the back of the books and step-by-step instructions, Biuso’s latest is a delicious foray into New Zealand grilling.

It’s grilling season. In celebration of all things eating, I wrote two most fun articles in The Boston Globe — one about eating al fresco all over Boston and the other where I got to test out four different grills, eat a ton of food and see which grill cooked them the best.

Yeah, life is rough.

Following up on my grilling story, Weber shared a few ridiculously good-looking burger recipes, and I think you need to have a look.

Weber’s Hollywood Cheeseburgers with Mushrooms and Brie

Prep time: 10 minutes

Grilling time: 8 to 10 minutes

Burgers

1 ounce dried mushrooms, such as shiitake
1-1/2 pounds ground chuck (80% lean)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 ounces brie cheese, thinly sliced
8 slices sourdough bread, each 1/2 inch thick
5 lettuce leaves
Wholegrain mustard

To prepare the burgers: In a medium bowl, cover mushrooms with boiling water and allow them to soak until soft, about 45 minutes. Drain the mushrooms and squeeze out the excess water. Blot the mushrooms with paper towels, cut out the tough stems and discard. In a food processor, process the mushrooms until finely chopped and place them in a medium bowl. Add the remaining burger ingredients and gently mix with your hands. Shape into four patties, each about 3/4 inch thick.

Grill the patties over Direct High heat until medium, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once. During the last 30 seconds, top the burgers with the brie and grill the bread until lightly toasted. Serve the burgers hot on the toasted bread with the lettuce and mustard.

Makes four.

Weber’s Cheeseburger of Champions

Prep time: 10 minutes

Grilling time: 8 to 10 minutes

1 ½  pounds ground chuck (80% lean)

1  tablespoon ketchup

1  teaspoon dried basil

1/2  teaspoon dried thyme

1/2  teaspoon kosher salt

1/2  teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2  teaspoon Tabasco® sauce

1/4 teaspoon fres

hly ground black pepper

4 thin slices Monterey Jack Cheese

4 hamburger buns

4  lettuce leaves

4 tomato slices

In a medium bowl, using your hands, gently combine the ground chuck with the ketchup, basil, thyme, salt, Worcestershire, Tabasco, and pepper.  Gently shape into 4 patties, each about ¾ inch thick.

Grill the patties over Direct High heat until medium, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once.  During the last minute of grilling place a slice of cheese on each patty to melt, and grill the hamburger buns, cut side down, until toasted.  Assemble the cheeseburgers with lettuce, tomato, and ketchup and/or mustard, if desired.  Serve warm.

Makes 4 servings

©2005 Weber-Stephen Products Co. Recipe from Weber’s Real Grillingâ„¢ by Jamie Purviance. Used with permission