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Father's Day offers a great opportunity for Mom and the rest of the gang to enjoy a cookout that features what we sexists might call "manly" food: meat and potatoes and other stuff that's chewy and flavorful and rich and generally "indulgent."

This menu makes no claims to being lean, but we can guarantee that both Mr. And Mrs. Sprat, plus all their progeny, will lick the platter clean.

We begin with whatever strikes your fancy by way of appetizers. If you feel you need to take the edge off everyone's hunger while the steaks and veggies grill, try some deli-bought chicken wings in several flavors, plus some cut-up celery and carrot sticks and ranch dressing as a dunk. Or go with the ubiquitous nachos with a couple of interesting fresh salsas and some heated chile con queso.

Our main event, for six or more, features porterhouse steaks with a horseradish sauce. On the side, we offer grilled summer squash. Add corn on the cob if you like.

Be sure to fix a wedge salad (very manly, very easy). Additional carbs can be had in our red, white and blue potato salad, which you can also use for those July Fourth celebrations.

And for dessert? Why fresh berries, of course. Drizzled with an amazing caramel-chocolate sauce.

Since this will be a multi-generational meal, be sure to have soft drinks. Not sodas, if you can avoid them. Lemonade, for instance, and iced tea or some of the cranberry juice mixtures with plenty of ice. Sparkle them up with club soda, for a more festive feel.

Allow Dad and Mom to sip some beer or wine of their choice.

Manly meat

We begin with our main-course protein source, which you'll probably want to grill just before ringing the dinner bell. This is a very simple method, but we remind you that a steak is only as good as the beef you buy.

We add no salt to the meat before cooking. It can toughen the meat.

2 (1 1/4-inch thick) porterhouse steaks (about 4 pounds)

Coarsely ground black pepper (or use a steak seasoning mix)

1 cup sour cream (can be light, but not non-fat)

1/4 cup drained horseradish

4 scallions, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat charcoal grill to medium-high, gas grill to medium. Make sure steaks are at room temperature before cooking.

Stir together sour cream, horseradish, scallions, the 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Pat steaks dry and sprinkle both sides with some coarse pepper. Lightly oil grill rack. Grill uncovered over charcoal or covered if using a gas grill, turning once and moving steaks on racks to avoid having them stick. For rare, grill 9 to 12 minutes; a bit more for medium rare. If you have an instant-read thermometer, insert horizontally 2 inches into meat (don't touch bone) and grill to 120 degrees (for rare).

Remove steaks to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes before cutting into slices. Garnish at will. Pass the horseradish sauce.

Grilled summer squash(es)

Use green and yellow squash for a better visual effect. Cook these "marinated" vegetables before you do the steaks. A foil tent will keep them just fine until serving time.

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup plain yogurt (can be fat-free)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 small yellow squash, halved lengthwise

4 small zucchini squash, halved lengthwise

More olive oil, for brushing grill

A bit of sea salt, for sprinkling

In 13- x 9-inch baking dish, stir together lemon juice, yogurt, olive oil, rosemary, thyme, black pepper and garlic. Add halved yellow and zucchini squashes, cut sides down. Marinate 15 to 30 minutes at room temperature.

Heat grill to medium. Brush grill racks with some olive oil. Place marinated squashes on grill. Grill about 5 minutes on each side, turning once. Remove to a serving platter. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt. Tent with foil if you need to keep warm until serving time.

Patriotic potatoes

The red, white and blue effect is dependent on whether you can score some blue potatoes. We find them now and then. If you can't find blue potatoes, make up the total amount of potatoes with the fingerling and the red. Stick some little paper flags into the salad just before serving, for the patriotic effect. Or crumble some blue nacho chips over the salad before servings.

You can make this ahead and chill if you like. Remember, flavors are less vivid when cold.

2 1/4 cups fingerling potatoes (about 12 ounces), halved lengthwise

2 1/4 cups small red potatoes (about 12 ounces), quartered

2 1/4 cups small blue potatoes (about 12 ounces), quartered

1/3 cup chopped red onion

1 large garlic clove, minced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley

4 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

4 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

4 hard-boiled eggs, shelled, finely chopped

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon country-style (coarse) Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely black pepper

Rinse prepped fingerling and red potatoes and place in large pot. Cover with cold water and place on stove. Bring to a boil. Add a little salt and cook, uncovered, until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool somewhat. Place in large bowl.

Separately cook blue potatoes like the fingerling and red potatoes, except for only 10 minutes. Drain and cool somewhat, then add to bowl with other potatoes, along with red onion and garlic. Gently stir together along with parsley, dill, chives and hard-boiled eggs.

In a small bowl, stir together vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt and black pepper. Pour over potato mixture and toss gently to combine. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.

Bleu wedgie

Couldn't be simpler. Buy a large, compact head of iceberg lettuce, remove outer leaves, then cut into 6 wedges (just before serving).

Buy a pound of bacon and cook until crisp. Crumble.

Buy come cherry tomatoes and cut in half, allowing about 6 halves per serving. Buy a chunk of blue cheese and a bottle of chunky blue cheese dressing. Add a bit of hot pepper sauce to the dressing if you like.

To serve, place a lettuce wedge on each of 6 chilled salad plates. Arrange cherry tomato halves on each plate. Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese atop and around lettuce. Drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle crumbled bacon over salad and plate.

Chocolate unisex

Chocolate is a non-gender-specific food. Maybe not "manly," but certainly sexy.

This sauce is a little tricky, but do try it on dad's favorite berries -- on strawberries, of course, but also raspberries or blackberries. And if you want to add calories, pile your berry and chocolate indulgence onto a raft of pound cake. Or angel food.

Either way, dollop some lightly sweetened whipped cream over the sauce!

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup heavy cream

3 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)

Scant 1/4 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons unsalted butter

In a dry 1-quart heavy stainless steel saucepan, over medium to medium-high, cook sugar, without stirring, until it begins to melt, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork (to aerate it), until sugar is melted into a deep golden caramel, 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove from heat, then carefully pour in heavy cream (mixture will steam and bubble). Once bubbles subside, return pan to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until caramel is dissolved into cream.

Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate and salt and keep stirring until chocolate is melted. Add butter and stir just until melted. Cool sauce slightly before drizzling over berries (in individual bowl).

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