YOU’LL NEED:
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons olive oil

THEN…
Combine all of the above ingredients and mix well. Add a teaspoon of salt and a little pepper, then cover and chill at least three hours or overnight. The next day, soak six bamboo skewers in water for at least half an hour. Preheat the grill. Then thread the chicken and any vegetables you’d like – thickly sliced zucchini, for example, or cherry tomatoes – onto the skewers. Salt lightly. Grill about 8 minutes per side, until the chicken is golden and cooked through. Serve with pita bread, hummus and a nice big salad.

More tasty ideas…

• Top Sirloin Kabobs and Avocado Sauce, an intriguing take ye olde shish kabob, this one sports a Middle Eastern style sauce that combines avocado, cucumber, mint and sour cream. From BHG.com.
• Grilled Sirloin Steak with Toppings Bar, including a sweet-tart onion relish, a garlicky parsley-infused green sauce and a tomato chutney. From MarthaStewart.com.
• And EJ’s Special Ribs with Emeril’s BBQ Sauce. Also from Martha.

YOU’LL NEED:
1 12-14″ plastic plant saucer, the cheap kind you stick under a potted plant

Newspapers to cover your work surface plus one extra sheet

A bucket that will likely get trashed

A cheap ruler, paint stirring stick or trowel for mixing

Water

Quikrete mortar mix

Mosaic tiles, glass marbles, and other embellishments

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Make a few holes in the bottom of the plant tray for drainage. The mortar dries amazingly quickly, and you won’t have time to design anything once the stuff is mixed in, so draw the outline of the tray on a piece of newspaper and arrange your mosaics and other elements on the paper.

2. Following the directions on the mortar bag, pour water into the bucket and start adding the mortar a cup at a time while stirring. Keep your face well away from the bucket – or wear protective gear – so you don’t inhale the dust. The mortar is ready when it’s the consistency of cake frosting.

3. Pour the mortar into your mold and shake it gently to distribute it evenly. If necessary, stir the mortar to eliminate the bubbles – the Home & Garden Network experts suggest donning protective gloves and actually kneading the mixture to eliminate bubbles, but we never found bubbles to be much of a problem. In any case, work quickly and make sure you get the top as smooth as possible.

4. Working from the outside in, start embedding your mosaics. The surface should be wet, with enough give so that the bits of tile are securely embedded, but they don’t sink beneath the surface. Do the border first, because that area will dry first. If you are using a lot of little mosaic pieces, marbles and pebbles, you may find yourself racing against the clock to get everything embedded in time. (Start with the border, then do the center, so if the stepping stone dries out before you finish, at least you’ve got something.)

5. Let the stepping stone dry for a few hours or, better yet, overnight. If you think you might need to move it before it’s fully dry, slide a cookie sheet or stiff cardboard underneath it for support. Once it’s dry, carefully pop it out of the mold.

1. Plan for imperfect conditions.
Planning to use the park picnic tables? Pack a big tablecloth to cover the grimy (or ant-y) surface, and pretty things up. Aiming for the lawn? Pack blankets and throw a tarp in the trunk. If the grass is wet, say the folks at Epicurious.com, place the tarp down first, then blankets on top. Add a few waterproof cushions (like the kind for outdoor furniture) for extra comfort.

2. Make a splash with your drinks.
We’re loving the spectacular Strawberry Lemonade Spritzers – diced, sweetened strawberries, lemonade and club soda – suggested on Epicurious’ picnic planner. Perfect for kids as well as adults.

3. Keep cold food cold, and picnickers hydrated.
Instead of packing bags of ice, which get drippy and waste water, freeze water bottles and tuck them in your cooler. They’ll keep the potato salad cold, and later, they’ll keep thirsty folks happy.

4. Aim for fork freedom.
You’ll significantly cut down on the utensils you’re shlepping if you go for a finger food menu. Use chicken thighs and drumsticks for oven-fried picnic chicken. Or pack a basket of roast beef and avocado, or tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella sandwiches.

5. Plan your utensils.
Serving wine? You’ll need a corkscrew. Grilling? Pack an oven mitt, as well as charcoal, matches, firestarter and tongs. (Better yet, don’t grill. That’s a LOT of equipment.) Bring paper towels and big trash bags too.

1. Mix a few drops of green food coloring into a handful of flaked coconut, then sprinkle the “grass” over the still moist frosting.

2. The mower is actually a dark chocolate Hershey’s Nuggets body, with brown M&M’s as wheels, and a red M&M for the engine. Use your leftover frosting to “glue” the embellishments in place. Then stick the mower body to the top of the cupcake.

3. Finally, use a black licorice lace to form the mower’s handle, sticking the ends into the cupcake to secure it. Voila!

Too cute. Looking for more cupcake ideas?

• Baseball Cupcakes and other Father’s Day desserts, also from Family Fun
• Another take on the baseball cupcake, BrightIdeas.com
• Father’s Day Tee-Time Cupcakes, Martha Stewart
• And a Hot Dog on the Grill Cupcake, Celebrations.com

There are picnics at the park with a game of “crispy” (which is what Courtney’s charming daughter calls Frisbee), plus “swings, slides and lots of loving.” Marci’s family is combining Father’s Day with a trip to celebrate her in-laws’ 60th wedding anniversary – “It’s been a long time since my hubby was able to spend time with his Dad on Fathers day,” she says. Kelly Ann’s church does a big dinner for all the dads, then they’re hitting the movie theater. (And may we recommend “Up”? LOVED that movie!) Go-karting, baseball games, “grilling and chillin’” – the list goes on and on. Check it out, then add your own suggestions.

Police: Union City dad fires gun during argument with daughter over prom night

UNION CITY — A father upset with his teenage daughter for being out late on prom night was arrested Monday after he fired a gun during the argument and nearly hit his wife, who jumped in the way to protect their daughter, police said.

Full story

Maybe I’ll get some answers tomorrow: Join us for a live chat at noon Friday with sports reporter Carl Steward.

In a column that will appear in Friday’s Contra Costa Times and Oakland Tribune, Steward writes about Mark Hyman, author of “Until It Hurts: America’s Obsession With Youth Sports And How It Harms Our Kids.” Check out the story and then join us at noon.

Meanwhile, I’ve gotta go check my kid’s baseball schedule.

Being way past my infant-toting days, I felt smug. I also feared the theater would be louder than a circumcision factory.

But being a guy (with a two-pinter, and these may have been British pints), I did what guys do best. I tuned out the babies. “Religulous” was provocative, but I probably could have tuned out the bawling, gurgling and farting even if a silent movie had been playing.

Women lack this talent. I know because I asked, “Do you find the babies distracting?” The response: “I want to hold one. I want to have another.” Yeah, right.

I did turn away from the screen. Once. When my pizza arrived.

Baby Brigade at the Cerrito Speakeasy in El Cerrito is Tuesday nights. The Parkway Speakeasy in Oakland is baby-free.

Am I right? Is this tuning out a guy thing? And what tuning-out successes are you most proud of?