It's no secret. I frequently use store-bought frozen bread dough in my recipes.

Why not? It gives the impression that I've spent a lot of time in the kitchen -- creating dishes that look labor-intensive but really aren't. Besides, "fresh" bread dough tastes and smells terrific.

So three years ago, when I spotted the story in Sunset magazine about grilled breads that used flattened disks of prepared bread dough, I fired up the barbecue and gave the concept a culinary whirl.

The results were received with unanimous approval. Mountains of rustic grilled bread, hot off the grill and flavored with a variety of simple toppings, were gobbled as fast as I could produce them. The yard filled with the scent of freshly baked bread combined with fresh herbs and a little garlic. It wasn't long before family and guests were fashioning signature pizza-style breads with their own toppings.

Grilled bread has since become a part of our family's summer gastronomic tradition.

It's easy. One-pound loaves of defrosted dough are cut into 4 pieces and each piece is rolled into a 5-inch circle. The circles are brushed with olive oil and inverted onto large squares of aluminum foil. The tops then are brushed with olive oil, and the rounds pushed into 8-inch disks. Finely minced fresh rosemary or thyme can be added and pressed into the dough, if desired. The disks are inverted onto a medium grill and cooked about 4 minutes or until golden brown.

Turn the bread onto a baking sheet, with the cooked side up, and add the desired toppings. Return the bread to the grill and cook with the lid closed about 4 minutes. Barbecues seem to cook differently, so cooking times can vary greatly.

Most importantly, use medium heat. A simple test: If you can keep your hand just above grill level for 4 to 5 seconds, it's an indication that the heat is medium. (If it's too hot, the bread will scorch before it cooks properly.)

The variety of toppings you can use to produce pizza-style grilled breads seems endless. Fillings can be as simple as a layer of store-bought pesto sauce, some grated mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced tomatoes (alternating red and yellow tomatoes looks pretty) and minced fresh thyme or basil. Or sprinkle on a little grated mozzarella, crumbled goat cheese and Parmesan cheese; arrange thin slivers of sun-dried (oil-packed) tomatoes and minced thyme on top.

Toppings are limited to ingredients that can cook to the desired degree of doneness in about 4 minutes. Vegetables, such as asparagus, broccoli, zucchini and mushrooms are best cooked tender-crisp and drained well before using. These breads are a great way to use leftover vegetables, but make sure they are not overcooked to begin with. Meat, poultry or sausage must be fully cooked before it is placed on the bread.

Thinly sliced (or finely diced or minced) and used sparingly, onions, bell peppers, green onions, garlic and sliced tomatoes work well raw; drizzle with a little olive oil to give them a rich flavor.

Or, rather than using these warm rounds with a pizza-style topping, serve them as a simple warm bread by spreading them with a flavored butter. Firecracker Red Bell Pepper Butter, made processing roasted red bell peppers with butter, brown sugar and cayenne pepper, makes a tangy spread.

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Here is Sunset Magazine's master recipe for making grilled bread. A few suggestions for topping combinations follow, as well as a recipe for Firecracker Butter.

Grilled Bread

Makes 4 servings

1 (1-pound) loaf thawed frozen bread dough, white or wheat

olive oil

4 pieces of aluminum foil, about 10-by-12-inches

Heat barbecue. Heat to medium. Adjust rack to a position 4 to 6 inches above heat.

Divide bread dough into 4 pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out 1 piece of dough into a 5- to 6-inch circle. Brush with olive oil and place, oiled-side-down, on a 10-by-12-inch piece of aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Push out dough, using clean hands, into a 7- to 8-inch circle. Repeat with remaining dough.

Invert onto grill and peel off the aluminum foil. Place remaining rounds of dough, leaving 1 to 2 inches between the rounds. Cook until golden brown on one side, 2 to 4 minutes. With a wide spatula, transfer bread rounds to baking sheets, browned side up. Cover with topping(s) of choice; return to grill. Cover barbecue with lid and cook until toppings are hot and bottom of bread is crisp and flecked with brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill.

Per serving: 391 calories; 19g fat; 4g saturated fat; 47g carbohydrates; 7g protein; 1,255mg sodium; 22mg calcium; 2.7mg iron.

Toppings

* Tomato, Basil Pesto and Mozzarella Topping: Cook 1 side of bread dough (following recipe above). Invert and spread scant 1 teaspoon pesto sauce over cooked side of bread. Top

with about 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and 4 to 5 very thinly sliced fresh tomatoes. Alternate slices of red and yellow tomatoes, if desired. Sprinkle with a little finely minced fresh thyme or shredded fresh basil. Return to grill and cook about 4 minutes.

Per serving: 453 calories; 22g fat; 6g saturated fat; 56g carbohydrates; 10g protein; 1,314mg sodium; 91mg calcium; 3.3mg iron.

* Fresh Asparagus, Roasted Bell Pepper and Green Onion Topping: Cook 1 side of bread dough (see recipe above). Invert )) and sprinkle on about 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with 4 or 5 cooked asparagus tips, several strips of roasted red bell pepper and thinly sliced green onions. Drizzle olive oil on asparagus and season with a -- of salt. Sprinkle on a little minced fresh thyme. Return to grill and cook for about 4 minutes.

Per serving: 405 calories; 20g fat; 5g saturated fat; 51g carbohydrates; 7g protein; 1,389mg sodium; 24mg calcium; 3mg iron.

* Mozzarella, Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomato Topping: Cook 1 side of bread dough (see recipe above). Invert and sprinkle on about 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella, 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese and 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese. Cut 2 or 3 sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed) into thin slivers and place on top of cheese. Sprinkle with fresh thyme. Return to grill and cook for about 4 minutes. If desired, garnish with fresh society garlic petals.

Per serving: 528 calories; 25g fat; 8g saturated fat; 65g carbohydrates; 16g protein; 1,908mg sodium; 186mg calcium; 5.3mg iron.

Here are adaptations of some of the toppings served up at California Pizza Kitchens:

* Barbecued Chicken, Gouda Cheese and Red Onion: Cook 1 side of bread dough (see recipe above). Invert and sprinkle with 1/3 cup shredded Gouda cheese, 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion and slivers of barbecued chicken. Return to grill and cook for about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh cilantro.

Per serving: 498 calories; 24g fat; 7g saturated fat; 51g carbohydrates; 20g protein; 1,362mg sodium; 93mg calcium; 3mg iron.

* Basil Pesto, Black Olives, Shrimp and Fresh Tomatoes: Cook 1 side of bread dough (see recipe above). Invert and spread with about 1 1/2 teaspoons pesto sauce. Top with shelled and cooked shrimp, black olives (kalamata preferred), pitted and cut into slivers and 1/4 cup diced fresh tomatoes. Return to grill and cook about 4 minutes.

Per serving: 483.2 calories; 23g fat; 5g saturated fat; 52g carbohydrates; 20g protein; 1,582mg sodium; 76mg calcium; 5.3mg iron.

* Peking Duck, Mushroom, Green Onion and Wonton Fettuccine: Buy a take-out Chinese roast duck or Peking duck. Several Chinese restaurants and Asian take-out delis sell cooked ducks to go. Cut duck into thin slivers (you'll need about 1/4 to 1/3 cup. Cut wonton skins into 1/2 -inch wide strips. Deep-fry in hot vegetable oil until brown and crisp; drain on paper towels. Combine 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce with 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar. Saute 2 shiitake mushrooms (sliced) in olive oil until cooked. Cook 1 side of bread dough. Invert and brush with some of the hoisin mixture. Top with duck, mushrooms and slivers of green onions. Return to grill and cook about 4 minutes. Top with a few fried wonton strips and serve.

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If you prefer to simply top your warm grilled bread with a tangy flavored butter, here's a dandy choice -- Firecracker Butter.

Firecracker Butter

1 7-ounce jar roasted red bell peppers, well-drained

2 sticks butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

dash of hot pepper sauce

Place roasted peppers in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and process until well-blended. Spread a little on warm grilled bread. This mixture can also be used to top roast or grilled chicken and fish.

Per ounce: 73 calories; 8g fat; 5g saturated fat; 1g carbohydrates; no protein; .2mg sodium; 3mg calcium; no iron.