Fresh Corn And Avacado Pico de Gallo

I have to admit I have a slight addiction to chips, salsa and pico de gallo. None of this stuff from the jar. I'm talking fresh! Nothing is better then the combination of peppers, tomato, onion and lime on a slightly salted chip! A perfect snack for a hot afternoon! I made this recipe for the 4th of July and it was a crowd pleaser. It's great served with chips, but I think it would also be great as a side to grilled chicken and fish! Enjoy!

What you need:

1 Poblano pepper

1 Sweet pepper (red, orange, yellow)

2 Cups grape tomatoes quartered

1 Cup corn

1/4 Cup finely chopped red onion

1/4 Cup cilantro

1/2 teaspoon shredded lime peel

2 Tablespoons lime juice

1 Teaspoon sea salt

1-2 Cloves garlic

Splash of hot sauce

1 Avocado, seeded and chopped (added just before serving)

How to make:

Place poblano and sweet pepper on a foil lined baking sheet and put into broiler. Turning occasionally, broil until skins get blistered and slightly blackened. Remove from broiler and allow pepper to cool. Once cool, remove blackened skins, stems and seeds. Chop peppers into small pieces.

In a bowl combine peppers and all ingredients except avocado. Mix until combined. Cover with foil and chill for 24 hours. Prior to serving dice avocado and mix into pico de gallo. Serve with chips and preferably a margarita!!

**Notes

I made a slightly larger batch then the recipe called for because I wanted to use a combination of different roasted peppers. I added more lime juice and a bit more seasoning to adjust to more ingredients.

I think pineapple or black beans would also be great added to this recipe!

Grilled Poppers

All I have to say is YUM! My cousin was in town over this past holiday weekend and shared with me his fabulous recipe for grilled poppers! These are so easy to make, and are the perfect appetizer or side for any BBQ! What a great way to take advantage of all those great peppers available at this time of year!

What you need:

Jalapeno peppers
Cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, cream cheese)
Bacon

How to make:

Clean jalapeno peppers and pat dry. Slit peppers length wise and remove seeds. Do not cut off top of pepper. Stuff peppers with your favorite cheese. Wrap bacon around entire pepper and use a toothpick to secure it. Grill on medium heat until bacon and pepper are cooked.

These are delicious as is or you can serve with your favorite dipping sauce! A great tasty and spicy addition to any meal!



****Thanks Chris for the recipe! This one is a keeper!!!!

Cooking Spaghetti Squash

I love fresh summer produce, and I do enjoy vegetarian dishes. I recently discovered a new way to cook spaghetti squash without having to put my oven on in the heat of the summer. You can simply boil it in a large pot of water for 15-20 minutes and it's done!! Much faster then roasting it in the oven.

Here's how to cook it:

Using a sharp knife, split the squash in half. (This is the hardest part because it can be difficult to cut. If you have a knife sharpener, this would be a great time to pull it out and use it before trying to split it.) Once split, remove the seeds. Place squash directly into a large pot of boiling water. The water will naturally drop temperature when the squash is placed in the pot. Wait until the water starts boiling again to begin your cook time. I used medium sized squash and it took about 15-20 minutes. Poke with a fork to test if it's done. If the fork is easily removed then it's cooked. Remove from water and scoop our the squash from the skin. Squash should easily fall apart into the spaghetti like consistency.

Serving ideas:

- Use as a side dish and top with butter and Parmesan cheese.
- Top with your favorite pasta sauce
- Make stuffed squash. Saute a variety of mixed vegetables in olive oil and garlic. Stir in spaghetti squash and add your favorite cheese and seasoning blend. Place mix back into skins of the squash. Drizzle balsamic and add a bit more cheese to the top and bake in the oven at 350. You can also place squash on foil on the grill, on medium heat, and cook until it is warm and cheese has melted.

Hope you enjoy this summer favorite!!!