Grilled Corn with Avocado and Cotija Cheese

One of my favorite parts of summer is fresh corn. Nothing compares to the sweet flavor and crisp texture. This recipe is super easy, and can be used in a lot of ways. I made it as a side dish along with some grilled shrimp and chicken, and took it down to the beach for a picnic. It can also be used inside tacos, or as a dip for tortilla chips.

Ingredients:

2 ears fresh corn
2 avocados
1/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 serrano pepper
1 lime

1. Peel down the husks of the corn leaving them attached, and remove the silk off the cob. Put the husks back up around the corn cobs. Place the cobs in a bowl of water so that they are fully submerged. Let soak for 30 minutes. (This prevents them from lighting on fire on the grill)

2. Light a charcoal grill, or light a gas grill to medium high heat. Once your grill is ready and the corn is done soaking, place the corn directly onto the grill. Turn occasionally with tongs, cooking for 20 minutes. The corn will roast inside the husks, and should have char-marks on some of the kernels.

3. Meanwhile, place the serrano pepper directly on the grill as well. Cook until the pepper is blistered and blackened, about 10 minutes. Remove the corn and pepper from the grill, and set aside to cool.

4. Cut the kernels off the cob and place in a large bowl. Peel the skin off the pepper, and finely mince, then add to the bowl with the corn.

5. Dice the avocado and add to the corn mixture. Mix in the cheese, cilantro, and juice of 1 lime. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. That's it! Enjoy!

Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Marinara

Italian food embodies what I love most - fresh ingredients, rustic simplicity, and great flavor. This meatball recipe is a healthy spin on the classic, made with lean ground turkey, and broiled in the oven instead of fried. These are anything but boring health food... they're loaded with onion, garlic, shredded carrots, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. You finish them off in a super simple homemade marinara sauce, then serve them as an appetizer or on top of your favorite pasta. Garnish them with some fresh basil or parsley, and of course, a sprinkle of parmesan never hurt anything. Don't forget the red vino : ) enjoy! 

Ingredients: 

1 lb. ground turkey 

2 medium onions

6 cloves garlic

1 large carrot 

1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish 

*Use parmigiano reggiano if you can, and freshly grating it is a must. It really does make a huge difference 

1 slice of whole wheat bread, crust cut off, and pulsed into crumbs, or 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley 

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes in puree 

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 small bunch basil leaves, 1/2 torn for the sauce, 1/2 sliced for garnish 

salt, pepper, sugar, and red pepper flakes 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Prep all your veggies: Finely dice up 2 medium onions. Place 1/2 cup of the onions into a large bowl for the meatballs. Leave the rest aside for the sauce.

Mince up all the garlic cloves. Add 1 tablespoon into the bowl with the onions. Leave the rest aside for the sauce.

Peel and shred the carrot. Add 1/2 cup to the bowl. If there is any left over, keep for the sauce.

Add the ground turkey into the bowl. Add 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, the breadcrumbs, the egg, the parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and freshly cracked pepper. Using a fork, gently mix everything together until it's just combined. Do not overwork the meat or it will become tough.

Form the meat into balls, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until slightly golden brown. 

 Meanwhile, begin the sauce. Add some olive oil into a pan over medium heat. Once hot, Add the remaining chopped onion and any leftover shredded carrot. Season with some salt and a big pinch of red pepper flakes. Sauté until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more. Using your hands, break up the whole peeled tomatoes, and add into the sauce along with the tomato puree and tomato paste. Season with a teaspoon of sugar and throw in some torn basil leaves. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning, and adjust if necessary. 

Now add the meatballs into the sauce. Cover with a lid, and allow to finish cooking in the sauce for about 10 minutes. 

If serving with pasta, you'll want to get your noodles cooking at this point. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and season generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. 

Spoon the sauce over your cooked pasta, top with a few meatballs, and garnish with a sprinkling of parmesan and fresh basil or parsley. Buon appetito! 

Tomato and Basil Bruschetta

It doesn't get much more simple than this... fresh chopped tomatoes tossed with garlic, basil, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil, then topped on rustic bread. The key to this recipe is using a crusty and thick rustic bread, like Italian ciabatta or French pain rustique, that is filled with air pockets. The little pockets within the fluffy bread allow the balsamic vinegar and olive oil, which become infused with tomato and basil flavor, to seep through. The outside of the bread remains crisp while the inside becomes moist. And of course on top you have a mound of fresh, sweet, and garlicky tomatoes.

Ingredients:
1 loaf ciabatta or pain rustique (crusty on the outside and fluffy on the inside with air pockets)
1 cup chopped tomatoes, seeds and insides removed.
3 garlic cloves, minced
10 basil leaves, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and fresh cracked pepper

In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the bread. Allow to marinade at room temperature for a few hours. Mix occasionally. *This can be made a day in advance, just place the mixture in a covered bowl in the refrigerator.


When about ready to serve, cut the loaf of bread in slices, about 1/2 inch thick. Toast the bread on a grill pan or grill for about 30 seconds per side, or toast in the oven on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 7 - 10 minutes. Spoon on the tomatoes and balsamic marinade, and it's ready to eat!

Summer Backyard Barbecue

I love having friends over, making cocktails, and eating some great food out in the backyard. These recipes are perfect for a BBQ with friends because they're super delicious, and everything can be done in advance (besides the fun part of the actual grilling). Nothing is worse than being stuck in the kitchen prepping food while all your friends are outside socializing. The first recipe is a fresh corn, black bean, and avocado dip. Trust me, you're going to want to make this, and eat it, all the time... it's summer in a bowl. The second recipe is grilled mahi mahi fish tacos. The fish is placed in a grilled corn tortilla, covered in a spicy chipotle cream sauce, then topped with cabbage and homemade mango salsa. They're the best fish tacos you'll ever eat. Seriously. 

Dip Ingredients:

3 ears fresh corn on the cob 

1 red onion

2 tomatoes

2 jalepeno peppers

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 haas avocados

1/4 cup olive oil

2 limes

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt 

Begin the dip. Remove the husk and silk from the corn and place in a pot of boiling water. Boil for 3 minutes then remove and let cool. Now chop all the veggies. Dice up the red onion. Remove the seeds and the insides from the tomato, then dice. Remove the seeds and the white ribs inside the jalepenos, then mince up very small. 

Add all the veggies, plus the drained and rinsed black beans, into a large serving bowl. 

Now chop the corn off the cob and add to the bowl. 

Make the dressing: pour 1/4 cup olive oil into a small bowl. Add the zest of 2 limes, then the juice from the limes into the oil. Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk up, then pour over the veggies and stir. Do not add the avocado until you are ready to serve the dip. You can make the dip in advance and place in the fridge... the longer it sits in the dressing, the better the flavors will get. Once you are ready to serve it, add in chunks of avocado and toss everything together. 

Fish Taco Ingredients:

Mahi mahi 

3/4 cup Greek yogurt 

1/4 cup mayo 

4 - 8 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped into a paste or pureed in a food processor 

1 tablespoon sauce from the chipotle pepper can 

1 lemon 

Shredded cabbage 

1 red onion

1 bunch cilantro 

2 mangos 

1 lime 

Olive oil 

Corn tortillas 

Begin by making the chipotle sauce and the mango salsa. Both can be made ahead and placed in the fridge until you are ready to serve the tacos.

For the chipotle sauce: Place the Greek yogurt and mayonnaise in a bowl. Add the chopped chipotles and the chipotle sauce into the bowl. Squeeze in the juice of 1/2 a lemon and sprinkle in some salt. Mix everything together and taste. Add more chipotles to taste, depending on how spicy you like it. I like it really spicy : ) but everyone is different, the most important thing is to taste as you go! 

For the mango salsa: Dice up the red onion and the mangos, and add to a bowl. Mix in chopped cilantro, the juice of 1 lime, and a tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. 

Prepare a charcoal grill or light a gas grill to medium high heat. Pat down the fish with a paper towel, then rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the fish on the hot grill for about 4 minutes on each side, then remove to a cutting board, and cover with foil. Place a stack of tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 1 minute. Now place the warmed tortillas directly on the grill for about 20 seconds on each side so they get a slight char. Don't skip the step of placing the tortillas on the grill! It adds such a wonderful flavor and texture! 

 Chop up the fish into nice chunks and arrange on a serving plate. Place the cabbage in a bowl and mix in the mango salsa. 

Now it's time to serve the tacos! Make an assembly line for your guests starting with the tortillas, then the fish, then the chipotle sauce, and finally the cabbage/mango salsa. 

Enjoy!