This drink really needs no introduction, it is popular almost everywhere. Lemonade is the perfect summer drink. There is nothing better on these hot summer days than an ice cold glass of lemonade. Best of all, it’s very easy to make. It’s as simple as lemon juice, water, and sugar. Of course, a lot of ice and a couple lemon slices don’t hurt either. Using freshly squeezed lemon juice is almost necessary for that great flavor, and I can’t recommend using the bottled lemon juice. If you like this, maybe even give pink lemonade a try. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 ¾ cups white sugar
8 cups water (divided)
1 ½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a small saucepan combine sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, and cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Step 2: Squeeze lemon juice from fresh lemons and remove the seeds from the juice (leaving the pulp). In a pitcher stir together syrup, lemon juice and remaining 7 cups of water. Add ice and lemon slices and serve cold.
(Makes 12 Servings)

If you have yet to try mango salsa, without a doubt you have been missing out, and it’s time to give it a try. For those of you that have, I don’t even need to tell you how good it really is. This salsa goes great with shrimp, chicken, or just about any type of meat. Of course, it would also go great served with just tortilla chips. A perfect dish to serve this with would be Jerk chicken, the flavors would complement each other nicely. This salsa is a basic combination of diced mango, bell pepper, green onion, jalapeño pepper, and cilantro. It is then mixed with the combination of lemon and lime juice for perfect flavor. This recipe can easily be double or tripled to meet your needs. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 mango (peeled, seeded and chopped)
¼ cup red bell pepper (finely chopped)
1 green onion (chopped)
2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
1 fresh jalapeño pepper (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a medium bowl mix mango, red bell pepper, green onion, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, and lemon juice.
Step 2: Cover, refrigerate and allow to sit at least 30 minutes before serving.
(Makes 4 servings)

Finding a good taco filling recipe at times can be a little difficult. If you have been searching for a good recipe, the search has come to an end. After trying this you will never want to use another store bought seasoning mix again. One thing I really enjoy about this recipe is that it isn’t overloaded with seasonings like most taco fillings. This recipe uses ingredients such as diced tomatoes, onion, garlic and various seasoning to create a near perfect blend. This seasoning can be used with either ground beef or ground turkey. Top these tacos with guacamole, shredded cheese, or whatever you like. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
3lbs ground beef (or ground turkey)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
salt and pepper (to taste)
¼ cup cornmeal

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a large skillet over medium-high heat add oil. Add onion and sauté until soft (about 5 minutes). Add garlic, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Stir and sauté for 1 minute.
Step 2: Add ground beef and cook stirring often until it loses its raw color. Break ground beef up with a spatula into small chunks while cooking. Stir in tomatoes, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Stir in cornmeal and cook stirring constantly until the mixture has become thick.
(Makes 8 Servings)

This is a very simple and easy way to make delicious sautéed mushrooms. These go great on top of steak, chicken, pork, shrimp or just about any type of meat. Even give them a try on your favorite burgers. Although, I will admit this recipe is not perfect, but it’s really good. The mushrooms are sautéed in butter, oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and oregano. You can even add a little salt and pepper for more seasoning. If you are looking for a quick and easy sautéed mushrooms recipe give this one a try. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
½ tablespoon olive oil
½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove (minced)
1/8 teaspoon oregano
1lb button mushrooms (sliced)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a large skillet over medium heat,  add oil and melt butter. Stir in balsamic vinegar, garlic, oregano and mushrooms.
Step 2: Sauté for 20 to 30 minutes or until tender.
(Makes 4 Servings)

I had never made a smoothie before so when one of my readers, Jonathan Kent presented his smoothie recipe to me, I just had to give it a try. The result was fantastic, and the flavors went really well together. Some of the ingredients included in this recipe are strawberries, kiwis, yogurt, and sugar. Just from this partial ingredient list alone you can tell this will be good. The smoothie should be served immediately after blending. This is a very simple recipe, as simple as just blending all of the ingredients. After making this recipe I know one thing… I will be making many more smoothies in the future. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
2 Kiwi (peeled and diced)
4 strawberries (Halved with ends removed)
½ cup milk
1 (6 ounce) container strawberry fruit on the bottom yogurt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
6 ice cubes

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
(Makes 2 Servings)

One of the best types of casseroles I have come across is chicken alfredo casserole. This casserole is sure to please all alfredo and chicken lovers. This recipe is stacked with a delicious alfredo sauce. Some of the ingredients in the casserole include chicken, broccoli and mushrooms. Those 3 ingredients alone should be able to sell almost anyone on this fantastic dish. Let’s get down to the main component of this dish, which is the Alfred sauce itself. The sauce is a combination of butter, heavy cream, and parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. If you want to save time you can use pre-cooked left over chicken. This dish will go great on those cold summer days, or is perfect for other times of year as well. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1lb spiral pasta (cooked according to package directions and drained)
3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms (pre-cooked)
1 head of broccoli (cut into florets)
Alfredo Sauce-
½ cup sweet butter
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 cups heavy cream
¼ teaspoon white pepper
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ cup mozzarella cheese

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a small bowl combine rosemary, thyme, poultry seasoning, garlic power and salt. Pound chicken breast halves to an even thickness. Season with the seasoning mixture on both sides of the chicken breasts. Place chicken onto a greased outdoor grill or indoor grill man. Grill until chicken is fully cooked. Allow chicken to cool and then slice into strips. Set aside.
Step 2: To make alfredo sauce: (the noodles can be cooked at this point) Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, cream, white pepper and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir often. Add parmesan cheese and simmer the sauce for 8-10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and become smooth. Add the mozzarella cheese and cook until smooth.

Step 3: In a large bowl combine chicken, cooked pasta, broccoli, mushrooms, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Stir in alfredo sauce. Pour the mixture into a large casserole dish. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
(Makes 8 Servings)

I know it’s the wrong time of year but I just had to post up this great recipe for garlic bread. This will beat anything you can get in the store and is very easy to make. You could use several different types of bread for the recipe but I prefer a nice loaf of French bread. The process is simple; the topping ingredients are mixed in a bowl or in a blender and then spread over the bread and baked in the oven. Some of the toppings include mayonnaise, Monterey jack cheese, and butter. This goes great served with your favorite pasta dish such as spaghetti or chicken carbonara. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 loaf French bread (sliced in half lengthwise)
1/2 cup butter
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons garlic (minced)
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon basil
1/8 teaspoon seasoning salt
½ cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl beat butter and mayonnaise until smooth. Beat in parmesan cheese, garlic, oregano, basil and seasoning salt. Stir in Monterey Jack cheese.
Step 2: Spread the mixture over the cut slices of bread. Place on a baking sheet.
Step 3: Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
(Makes 10 Servings)

Just in time for the 4^th of July, barbecued baby back ribs. If you enjoy grilling pork, baby back ribs is a must, and here I for you a fantastic method and recipe to make those perfect baby back ribs. The cooking of the ribs requires to different steps, baking in the oven and then grilling. The ribs are first wrapped in aluminum foil and then baked in the oven. This allows the ribs to cook in their own juices and gives them great texture. The next step is grilling; this gives the ribs that nice grill flavor and really works well with the BBQ sauce. The BBQ sauce for this recipe is great; the liquid smoke gives it a very nice Smokey flavor. This is perfect for the 4^th of July or any summer cook outs. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
4 racks of baby back ribs
1 ½ cups water
1 cup white vinegar
½ cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
2/3 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
1 teaspoon hickory flavoring liquid smoke
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon paprika

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: To make the BBQ sauce- In a sauce pan combine water, vinegar, tomato paste, mustard, brown sugar, liquid smoke, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often for about 45 to 60 minutes until the sauce is thick.
Step 2: Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees. Brush BBQ sauce over the surface of each rack of ribs. Wrap each rack tightly with aluminum foil and arrange on a baking sheet with the seam of the foil facing up. Bake for 2 – 2 ½ hours or until the meat on the ribs has pulled back from the cut ends of the bones about ½ inch.
Step 3: Pre-heat your grill to medium heat. Remove the ribs from the foil and grill them on the grill for 4 to 8 minutes on each side or until the surface of the ribs is begging to char. Brush the BBQ sauce over both sides of the ribs a few minutes before you remove them from the grill.
(Makes 4 Servings)

If you enjoy eating fresh fish chances are you have probably deep fried them at least once. Although not the healthiest choice, deep frying fish gives them great flavor and that wonderful crispiness. If you are not going with the average box mix, finding a breading recipe for fried fish can at times be a little difficult. This recipe is very simple and coats the fish fillets with buttery crackers and various seasonings such as garlic salt and old bay seasoning. This recipe will work with fish such as perch, bluegill, crappie, walleye and bass. My personal favorite is crappie. These go great served with lemon wedges. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1lb fresh fish fillets
1 ½ cups buttery crackers (crushed)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 ¼ teaspoon old bay seasoning (divided)
1 egg
½ cup water (or milk)
salt and pepper (to taste)
Oil (for frying)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Heat oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees. In a shallow dish combine crackers, garlic salt, and 1 teaspoon of old bay seasoning. In another bowl mix egg, water, ¼ teaspoon old bay seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
Step 2: First coat each fish fillet in the egg mixture, and then put the fillet into the cracker mixture and coat well pressing down so the crackers stick. Repeat until all the fillets are coated.
Step 3: Deep fry in batches at 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
(Makes 4 Servings)

I decided to try a different type of summer dish- shrimp ceviche. For those that are not yet familiar with this, ceviche is citrus marinated seafood.  The shrimp is first marinated in lime juice and mixed with tomato, cilantro and onion. The hot pepper sauce gives this dish a nice little kick. Traditionally the shrimp are raw and cooked in the acid from the lime juice.  However, since this method apparently is not proven to kill bacteria, please use pre-cooked shrimp. This dish reminds me a lot of a salsa and goes great with tortilla chips. Shrimp ceviche is perfect for a hot summer day. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
2 lbs cooked shrimp (peeled, deveined with tails off)
¾ cup fresh lime juice
3 roma tomatoes (diced)
1 white onion (chopped)
½ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 avocado (peeled, pitted and diced)
tortilla chips

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Chop shrimp into medium sized pieces. In a large bowl mix shrimp and lime juice. Let stand for about 5 minutes. Mix in the tomatoes, onion and cilantro until coated with lime juice. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Step 2: Mix in Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Mix in avocados. Serve with tortilla chips.
(Makes 4 Servings)