Cool tools for your cookout

 
  Westcoast Lifestyle's Natural Cedar Grilling Planks ($15 for a set of four; westcoastlifestyles.com) infuse fish, meat, and vegetables with a smoky-sweet flavor. Just soak the board, place it on the grill, and set food on top. Cover and let smoke for about 15 minutes. Bonus: no stuck-tothe-grill mess.

 
  Elizabeth Karmel's Taming the Flame ($25; amazon.com) is helpful for novices and full-fledged grill masters alike. The book covers everything, from the basics (e.g., how to light a fire) to gourmet recipes (think smoked trout with apple relish).

Undercooked meat is a top cause of summer food poisoning. To the rescue: The Original Super-Fast Thermapen ($85; thermoworks.com), which reads internal food temperatures in just three seconds.

 
 

Bottled marinades are a simple way to add zing to your food, but they're often loaded with sodium. Not so with Mrs. Dash 10-Minute Marinade ($3; in grocery stores), which contains none of the salty stuff.