Now that’s a mouthful … but a delicious mouthful.  For this month’s recipe star we got a taste of inspiration from Hearth & Home.  The great thing about this recipe is if you’re fishy about fish, you can substitute the protein for grilled chicken or even steak.

Ingredients

Mahi­-Mahi Tacos 4 (5­6 oz.) Mahi­Mahi fillets

2 tbsp. olive oil 2 tbsp.

Pit Boss Mandarin Habanero spice

2 cups shredded red cabbage

1 cup sour cream

12 small corn tortillas

Mandarin Habanero Mango Salsa

2 mangos, peeled and diced

1/3 cup red onion, diced

2 tbsp. lime juice

1 tsp. Pit Boss Mandarin Habanero seasoning

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

Rinse the Mahi­-Mahi fillets under cold water and blot dry with paper towel. Rub fillets with olive oil, then sprinkle Pit Boss Mandarin Habanero seasoning over both sides of the fillets, rubbing the seasoning in. Set aside.

Prepare the Mandarin Habanero Mango Salsa by combining all ingredients in a medium­-sized bowl, tossing lightly to mix. Set aside.

Light the ceramic charcoal barbecue to 400°F. Place Mahi­-Mahi fillets directly on the grill and cook 5–7 minutes on each side. Remove the Mahi­Mahi from grill and let rest 5 minutes before pulling apart into small pieces. Carefully remove cooking grate from barbecue using oven mitts or grill grippers. Replace grill grate with heat deflector and place tortillas on heat deflector, heating for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until warm, but not hot.

Stack the tortillas in twos. Distribute the fish evenly between each set of tortillas.

Top with red cabbage, sour cream, and mango salsa. Serve immediately!

Sit back and listen to the “mmmms!”

July is really bringing the heat, so this summer when it comes to cooking, we thought we would beat the heat and keep it outside (where it belongs).  So turn off your stoves and ovens and fire up the grill.  We made a hot list of 12 ideas for unlikely, but tasty foods you can cook on your outdoor grill instead of the stove!

Let’s bring the heat …

Grilled Bacon

Cut the greasy mess and leave the calories dripping into your grill … healthier and less mess.

Ingredients

1 lb. thick-cut bacon
1 cup Chopped Parsley
1 Tbsp. Chopped Garlic
1 Tbsp. Chopped Shallots
1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fine Sea Salt
Freshly-cracked black pepper

Directions

Whisk together all ingredients. Set aside.

Grill 1/8” thick-cut, smoked bacon on both sides until done (5 to 6 minutes on each side over medium-high heat).

Serve with 2 tbsp. of the bacon dressing mixture and finish with sherry vinegar making sure there is a little vinegar on the plate.

Grilled Pizza

Sounds amazingly delicious, right?  Try our Recipe of the Month from a few months ago, it’s amazing!

Grilled Avocados

Grilled Caesar Salad (yes, we said salad)

Ingredients

1 head romaine lettuce, root end removed
Olive oil, as needed
Kosher salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Dressing

1 egg yolk
2 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained (optional)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Kosher salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 c. oil (olive, canola, or a mix of the two)
Grilled bread cubes, for croutons
Grated Parmesan cheese, for topping

Can you handle all of the lime goodness?  The summer is hot, hot, and hotter … so all you need is a little shade and some citrus to cool you!  We are sharing 3 of our most favorite lime recipes, all super easy and over-the-top delicious!

Let’s get things started with a Key Lime Cocktail!

INGREDIENTS:

2 parts Calico Jack Key Lime Pie Rum

1 part ginger ale

DIRECTIONS:

Mix in a glass with ice and garnish with … you guessed it, a lime wedge!

Now, let’s heat up the grill and sizzle some BBQ Lime Pork Chops.

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless center cut pork chops, marinated

1/3 cup lime juice

2 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon lime zest

Salt and pepper

Lime slices

DIRECTIONS:

Mix the marinade ingredients in a large zip lock bag or in a shallow glass dish. Add pork chops to the marinade, coat the chops on both sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Heat BBQ to medium heat. Place chops on grill and brush with marinade;  grill, turning once. Cook for approximately 10 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Place on platter and garnish with lime slices. Chow down!  

Let’s end with something sweet!

We’re doing cheesecake with a tangy twist, try our Key Lime Cheesecake! 

INGREDIENTS:

CRUST:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 12 whole graham crackers)
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
• Pinch of salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

CHEESECAKE:

• 2-8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 tablespoons key lime juice (fresh or bottled if you can’t get key limes)
• Zest of two key limes (or regular limes if you can’t find key limes)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Fresh whipped cream and/or lime curd for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Wrap the bottom of a 9” or 9 1/2” springform pan in two layers of heavy duty aluminum foil. You will be baking your cheesecake in a water bath and you want to make sure no water gets into the pan from the seam at the bottom.
• Make the crust: If you’re using whole graham crackers, finely crush them in a food processor or place them in a ziploc bag and roll with a rolling pin.
• Stir graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Add melted butter and stir with a fork.
• Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides (about 1”) of your pan. Press hard to compact. Chill until ready to fill.
• Place a kettle of water on to boil for the water bath.
• Make the cheesecake: Beat cream cheese with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth. Beat in sugar and sour cream until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Mix in flour, lime juice, lime zest, and vanilla extract. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl during mixing to get any clumps of cream cheese stuck to the sides or bottom. Pour into crust.
• Place the cheesecake in a large roasting pan. Place pan in the center of your preheated oven. Pour the boiling water carefully in one corner of the pan, until it reaches about a third to halfway up the cheesecake.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the cheesecake is just slightly jiggly in the center. Turn off the oven and let it sit for one hour. Remove from oven and let it cool completely, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to serve, carefully remove ring of the springform pan. Top with whipped cream. Serve with lime curd, if desired. (If your cheesecake happens to crack, frosting it with lime curd will cover any blemishes!)

Enjoy!

We thought with Memorial Day coming up it would be a perfect time to dust off the grill and get cookin’! What is more nostalgic than the smell of fresh hamburgers being sizzled to perfection. We were on a mission to find “The Best Hamburger” recipe ever created. May is National Burger Month, so all the meat-loving connoisseurs are out dishing and dubbing their burger as the best. After much research and putting our tastebuds to the test (such an unfortunate job), we like to believe we found the tastiest recipe of all. Behold … “The Best Burger … Ever!”

DIRECTIONS

Lightly oil grill & heat to medium.

Whisk egg in a bowl& add next 6 ingredients.

1 egg
1 teaspoon mustard (regular or Dijon)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, finely grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
1 lb medium ground beef

Add any of the “stir-ins” that appeal to you (see below).

Crumble in beef (using your hands or a fork), gently mix together.
Handle the meat as little as possible – the more you work it, the tougher it gets.
Gently shape (don’t firmly press) mixture into burgers about ¾ inch thick.
Using your thumb, make a shallow depression in the center of each burger to prevent puffing up during cooking.
Place burgers on the grill, close lid and grill … turning once, about 6 minutes per side (or to your liking).
An instant read thermometer should read 160F.

LISTEN UP!!!  Don’t abuse your burgers by pressing with a spatula, pricking with a fork or turning frequently as precious juices will be lost! We know it’s hard to leave it alone, but fight the urge!  It will be worth it, trust us.
Tuck into a warm crusty bun (you can throw those on the grill with a little butter, that’s what we did)  and add your favorite toppings.

Enjoy!

Optional Stir-Ins

1 tablespoon creamy caesar salad dressing or 1 tablespoon Greek salad dressing
1 tablespoon chopped sun-dried tomato
1 tablespoon sour cream or 1 tablespoon yoghurt
1 tablespoon grated fresh lemon rind or 1 tablespoon lime rind
1 tablespoon grated ginger root
1 tablespoon ketchup or 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh herb
2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon teriyaki sauce or 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
1 fresh jalapeños or 1 pickled jalapeño pepper, chopped

For more fantastically festive ideas and recipes for this Memorial

Father’s Day is about doting on dad and spoiling him with some summer fun.  Head out back and forget the ‘man cave’ … set up a ‘man escapade’ for the fun-loving father in your life.  Here are a few ideas to set up shop on your perfect patio.

Lights, camera …. movie time!  An outdoor cinema is easier than you think, check out this DIY groovy movie theater.

And what’s a party without the popcorn?  Try Maple Bacon Popcorn on the grill … delish!  We all know the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, so we found some recipes to beef up the Dad’s Day menu.  Go ahead, have a taste test …

Beer Can Chicken Boracho

Grilled Cheesy Fries

Grilled Peach Cobbler 

Grilling Cocktails 

If your patio isn’t much to talk about, here are some fabulous ideas on how to upgrade!

At the end of the day, it’s about being together.  Happy Father’s Day, Dad!