These Frito hot dogs are perfect for outdoor grilling during the summer and fall months. This recipe is simple; the hot dogs are first grilled and then topped with chili, shredded cheese, crushed Frito chips, and pickled sliced jalapeno peppers. For the hot dogs, I would recommend using either all beef hot dogs or even better, the natural casing hot dogs. You can either use canned chili or you can make your own home made chili to go on these delicious hot dogs. If you want to experiment with different types of cheeses, some good options would be cheddar or pepper jack. I personally decided to use Monterey jack and was pleased with the results. This is a perfect recipe for parties or for game day. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
8 all beef hot dogs
8 hot dog buns
1 (15 ounce) can chili (with beans)
1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1  ½ cups Frito chips (crushed)
pickled jalapeno slices

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Add the canned chili to a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat. Cook until the chili is heated through. Keep warm.
Step 2: Lightly grease the grill grates of an outdoor grill (you can also use an indoor grill pan). Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Place hot dogs onto the grill and grill until they are slightly charred on the outside. Place hot dog buns onto the grill cut side down and grill until lightly toasted.
Step 3: Place hot dogs onto the buns. Top with chili, shredded cheese, pickled jalapeno slices, and crushed Frito chips.
(Makes 8 Servings)

Chicken Monterey is a simple and delicious recipe for BBQ chicken on the grill. This is apparently a copycat recipe from the Chili’s restaurant. I have never had this dish as Chili’s so I do not know if the taste is similar. The chicken is brushed with your favorite BBQ sauce while grilling and then topped with crispy bacon slices, Colby-jack cheese, green onions, and tomato. If you would prefer not to grill the chicken, it can be brushed with BBQ sauce and baked in the oven as well. It can be baked at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees. This is another great summer grilling recipe. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup BBQ sauce
8 slices bacon (cooked until crispy)
2 cups shredded Colby-jack cheese
½ cup green onions (sliced)
½ cup tomatoes (chopped)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Place bacon slices, 4 at a time into a cold frying pan. Heat to medium-low and cook bacon, turning once until it has reached a deep brown color (about 10-15 minutes), remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
Step 2: Lightly grease the grates of an outdoor grill. Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Place chicken breasts onto the grill and cook while turning and brushing with the BBQ sauce frequently on each side for 10-15 minutes per side (depending on the thickness), or until fully cooked (the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees).  During the last few minutes of cooking top each chicken breast with 2 slices of bacon and shredded Colby-jack cheese.
Step 3: Remove from the grill and top with green onions and tomatoes.
(Makes 4 Servings)

This is the perfect dish if you are looking for a slightly different take on chicken salad. What I found interesting about this recipe is that the main ingredient is fresh basil, which gives this salad a very unique flavor. Preparing this dish is very easy—mayonnaise, garlic, basil, and celery are pureed in a blender and then mixed with parmesan cheese and chopped chicken. The cooking method for the chicken in this recipe is to bake it in the oven, but you could pan-fry or grill the chicken as well. This recipe is perfect for summer and the warmer weather; it is also great for busy nights when you don’t have much time to prepare a meal. This chicken salad goes on sandwiches with sliced tomato and cheese. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup fresh basil (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
3 stalks celery (chopped)
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Place chicken breasts onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Place into the oven and bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes (or until the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees). Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to cool. Once the chicken has cooled chop it into chunks. Set aside.
Step 2: In a food processor combine mayonnaise, basil, garlic, and celery. Puree until smooth.
Step 3: In a large serving bowl combine the chunked chicken, pureed mixture, and Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat. Refrigerate and serve.
(Makes 4 Servings)

This cucumber-mango salsa is great for picnics and parties, and is a perfect snack for the summer. This salsa includes ingredients such as mangos, cucumber, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno pepper. If you want you could add additional ingredients such as green or red bell pepper. You can serve this salsa with tortilla chips but it goes even better served on grilled chicken or other types of meat; it would be perfect to serve with Jerk chicken.  In the near future I am going to use a salsa similar to this for Jerk burgers. If you are looking for a delicious and refreshing treat for summer, give this recipe a try. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
3 mangos (peeled, seeded, and diced)
1 cucumber (peeled, seeded, and diced)
2 jalapeno peppers (seeded and finely chopped)
1 large onion (finely chopped)
1 garlic clove (minced)
¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 tablespoon lime juice
salt and pepper (to taste)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: in a large mixing bowl stir lightly stir together mango, cucumber, jalapeno pepper, onion, garlic, and cilantro. Season with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Toss lightly to coat.
Step 2: Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend.
(Makes 6 Servings)

This chicken bacon ranch pasta salad is sure to be the highlight of any summer cook-out. I made this last week and it was gone within minutes, it was literally that good. This recipe consists of cooked chicken, crispy bacon, cheese, pasta, and numerous vegetables tossed with a ranch/mayonnaise dressing. This salad is an excellent way to use up left-over cooked chicken; you can either shred it or slice it into chunks. If you need to cook the chicken breasts, you can do so on the stove-top, the oven, or the grill. This delicious salad makes a perfect dish for summer. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1lb medium pasta shells
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cooked and shredded or diced)
½ cup tomatoes (seeded and diced)
½ cup green onions (sliced)
1 (8 ounce) block mozzarella cheese (diced)
1lb bacon (cooked until crispy and crumbled)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup ranch salad dressing
salt and pepper (to taste)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse off with cold water until the pasta has cooled.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl stir together mayonnaise and ranch dressing. Add tomatoes, green onion, chicken, and bacon. Stir to combine. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Stir in the cheese, Season with salt and pepper.
(Makes 6 Servings)

One thing that I always enjoy grilling during the summer is honey garlic pork chops. This recipe uses boneless pork chops but you can use chops with the bone-in as well. The highlight of this recipe is the sauce which consists of honey, ketchup, garlic and soy sauce.  This delicious sauce is basted onto the pork chops during the grilling process and the end result is amazing. If you would prefer to use a different type of meat, this recipe would work with chicken as well. If you are looking for a simple and delicious recipe for the grill, give this one a try. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup honey
¼ cup soy sauce
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 1/2lbs boneless pork chops (6 4 oz portions)
salt and pepper

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a medium bowl  stir together ketchup, honey, soy sauce and garlic. Set aside.
Step 2: Lightly season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Brush each chop with the sauce to coat.
Step 3: Grease the grill grates of an outdoor grill and heat the grill to medium-high heat. Place pork chops onto the grill, and cook (while basting with the sauce often) for about 5 minutes on each side or until the meat is cooked through (the internal temperature has reached 145 degrees).
(Makes 6 Servings)

With the nice weather upon us I decided to fire up the grill and make some delicious taco burgers. Taco burgers are basically hamburgers flavored with taco seasoning. The ground beef is mixed with taco seasoning, salsa, Doritos, salt and pepper. If you want to add a little heat, you can put some chopped jalapeno peppers into the hamburger mixture as well. I would recommend grilling these burgers but they could be cooked on the stove top as well. You can add whatever condiments you like onto the burgers such as guacamole, extra salsa, extra Doritos, tomatoes, sour cream, and lettuce. If you love tacos you are sure to enjoy this recipe.

Ingredients:
1lb ground beef
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
¼ cup nacho cheese Doritos (crushed)
2 tablespoons salsa
salt and pepper (to taste)
8 slices Colby-jack cheese
4 hamburger buns
Condiments-
shredded lettuce
guacamole
sliced tomatoes
Doritos
sour cream
salsa
cilantro

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a medium bowl combine ground beef, taco seasoning, Doritos, salsa, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. Divide the mixture into 4 quarters, and form into patties that are about 1 inch thick. Lightly grease the grill grates of an outdoor grill. Heat the grill to medium-high heat.
Step 2: Place patties onto the grill and cook, turning once, for about 10-15 minutes or until fully cooked (the internal temperature has reached 160 degrees). During the last few minutes of cooking top each patty with 2 slices of Colby-jack cheese.
Step 3: Meanwhile, split the buns and toast them on the grill until lightly browned. Remove from the grill. Place the cooked burgers on the buns and top with desired condiments.
(Makes 4 Servings)

Chicken enchilada pasta is a delicious and slightly spicy dish that is perfect for any night of the week. This recipe consists of ingredients such as shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, cheese, sour cream and various seasonings. If you want to save time, you can use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and shred it, or you can use leftover cooked chicken as well. The dish can be topped with a variety of different ingredients such as avocado, green onion, tomato, black olives, and sour cream. Whatever you like to put on your enchiladas or tacos will go great with this pasta dish. There is nothing complicated about this recipe; it is very easy to prepare and makes for an amazing dinner. Enjoy. Adapted from Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour.

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 medium onion (diced)
1 red bell pepper (diced)
1 (4 ounce)  can diced green chilies
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 (10 ounce) cans green chili enchilada sauce
2/3 cups red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded Colby-jack cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
Toppings-
avocado
green onions
tomatoes
sour cream
black olives

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Cook penne pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat olive oil to medium heat in a large deep skillet. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add shredded cooked chicken, green chilies, cumin, chili powder, salt, green enchilada sauce, and red enchilada sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Step 2: Add the Colby-jack cheese and stir until the cheese has melted. Stir in the sour cream over low heat. Stir until the sour cream is well incorporated. Cook on low until heated through.
Step 3: Drain the pasta and add it to a large serving bowl. Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix well. Serve with toppings such as avocado, green onions, tomatoes, black olives, and sour cream.
(Makes 4 Servings)

These Kung Pao tacos are a combination of two of my favorite cuisines—Chinese and Mexican.  I first saw these on an episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and knew I had to make them right away. These are a very popular item on the menu of Don Chow Tacos in California. These tacos combine marinated chicken pieces, Kung Pao sauce, peanuts, onions, cilantro, and corn tortillas. I really found the mixture of Kung Pao and cilantro to be an extremely delicious and unique flavor. You can fry the chicken in the wok with just a little bit of oil while stir-frying or you can add about an inch of oil to the wok and deep fry the chicken pieces if you want them crispy. If you are looking for something different, give this one a try. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1 inch chunks)
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon water
3 garlic cloves (minced)
½ teaspoon powdered ginger
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts
oil (for frying)
½ cup cilantro (chopped)
½ cup white onion (chopped)
Corn tortillas

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: To make the marinade- combine 1 tablespoon white wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of oil. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water and add to the marinade. Mix well. Place chicken pieces into a glass dish or bowl and add the marinade. Toss to coat. Cover the dish and place into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil (or more to deep fry) in a wok over medium-high heat. Drain the marinade from the bowl and place the chicken into the wok. Stir-fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink inside and fully cooked (the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees). Remove chicken the from wok, set aside. Reduce heat to medium.

Step 3: Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and powdered ginger to the wok and stir fry for 15 seconds.  In a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 2 teaspoons sugar. Mix well and pour into the wok. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Return chicken to the wok and coat with the sauce. Stir in roasted peanuts. Cook until heated through.
Step 4: Warm the tortillas, either in a pan on the stove-top or in the microwave. Assemble the tacos by placing some of the chicken and peanuts into each tortilla. Top with chopped cilantro and onion.
(Makes 4Servings)