Are you looking for a great summer salad??

Well, look right here... Having a great side salad is a perfect element to round out any meal. I think the bright colors of all the veggies are very enticing and would be given lots of compliments at your next BBQ. The dressing is simple – sweet with a kick – just how I like it.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey, a healthy drizzle
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, eyeball it
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
Salt and pepper
1 whole celery heart, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 (10-ounce box) frozen corn kernels
1 (15-ounce) can chick peas, drained
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 small to medium red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, honey, lemon juice, and vinegar then whisk in extra-virgin olive oil and season the dressing with salt and pepper. Add the celery, carrots, corn, chick peas, peppers, onions, and thyme. Toss to combine the salad and adjust salt and pepper, to taste.

Watch out Bobby Flay - I'm ready for a throw down!

I'm baaack -- I actually have a couple posts to make but I thought last nights' burger meal really hit the spot! I was watching a Burger Special on the Food Network a few weeks ago and I was inspired by Bobby Flay's Green Chili Burger. I like creative burgers, ones that go beyond your typical toppings.

Bobby's burger had all of the elements I love, spice & cheese, but I thought it needed a little something extra. I decided to stuff the burger with sauteed onions, mushrooms and jalapenos... it really was fantastic! If you aren't a beef person, I'm sure ground turkey or chicken would be a yummy substitute.

As a side, I grilled fruit on skewers and some instant Mexican rice. Be sure to soak wooden skewers for at least 30 minutes. The ends of my skewers started on fire :)

Green Chili Burger stuffed with Veggies & Cheese
2 pounds ground chuck, 80 percent to 85 percent lean
1/2 of an onion, chopped thin
1/2 cup of mushrooms, chopped thin
1 jalapeno, chopped thin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
thin slices Chihuahua Cheese
Grated Chihuahua Cheese
4 good-quality hamburger buns, toasted
Green Chili Sauce, recipe follows

Directions
Heat grill to high. Saute onions, mushrooms and jalapenos in a skillet.

Form meat into 4 (8-ounce) burgers, stuffed with veggies and grated cheese in the middle. Season each burger on both sides with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Grill until charred on both sides and cooked to desired doneness.

Place 2 slices of the cheese on each burger, close the lid or tent with foil, and cook until the cheese has just melted, about 1 minute. Place burgers on buns and top with a few tablespoons of Green Chile Sauce.

Green Chile Sauce:
2 poblano chiles, grilled, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 medium white onion, grilled and chopped
1 to 2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Grilled Summer Fruit
Nonstick spray
3 firm but ripe nectarines, halved, pitted
3 firm but ripe purple/black plums, halved, pitted
3 firm but ripe peaches, halved, pitted
6 metal skewers or thick wooden skewers soaked in water 30 minutes
3 tablespoons sugar
*Other fruit substitutions can be apricots

Directions
Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray and prepare the barbecue (medium-high heat). Thread 1 piece of each fruit on each of 6 skewers so that the cut sides line up and lay flat. Sprinkle the sugar over the cut sides of the fruit. Let stand until the sugar dissolves, about 10 minutes.


Place the fruit skewers on the grill cut side down. Grill the fruit until it is heated through and caramelized, about 5 minutes. Transfer 1 fruit skewer to each plate and serve.

Steak with spicy mustard and fresh herbs... and don't forget the garlic potatoes!!

One of my favorite smells of summer is steak on the grill. You can sniff out that scent blocks away. Instead of being jealous of the person whose making that steak dinner, I decided to throw some steaks on Mr. Brinkman and make a unique meal of my own.

Besides grilling the steak, I also used my grill to make italian style potatoes. They cooked up great in tin foil and I'm thankful I found a way to enjoy potatoes without turning on my oven. (BTW, I have yet to use my oven since mid-May!)

Steak with Spicy Mustard & Parsley

Ingredients
4 steaks
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons Hot & Spicy Mustard (Or you can try Dijon)

Preparation

1. Prepare grill.

2. Lightly coat steak with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Place beef on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Cook a couple minutes on each side.

3. Sprinkle parsley, thyme, and rosemary in an even layer on an 18 x 15–inch sheet of plastic wrap. Brush mustard evenly over beef. Place beef in herb mixture on plastic wrap; roll beef over herbs, pressing gently.

Italian Style Potatoes

Ingredients
4 teaspoons canola oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 a bag of red potatoes, quartered
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Place all ingredients in a plastic bag and give it a good shake. Pour the bag on a long strip of heavy cooking foil. Make into a bag so air can not escape.

Put the tin foil bag on the grill and cook 35-40 minutes.