Strawberry Pretzel Salad

This is another quick side dish/dessert that's great with a holiday meal. I've been served variations of this Jell-O salad at church functions and such over the years, and it's always been a favorite because of the contrast of the tart strawberries, the rich and sweet cream cheese layer, and the salty pretzels.

This recipe does test my patience, however, because of all the waiting in between layers. I tend to sort of make everything at once so it can all cool at the same time.

Also, try to make this salad as physically close to the refrigerator as possible.

Signed,

Has Much Red Jell-O on Floor
Hillsboro, ND

Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Makes 12-16 servings

2 cups coarsely crushed pretzels
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces whipped topping, thawed
2 1/2 cups cold water, divided
6 ounces strawberry-flavored gelatin
2 cups frozen sliced strawberries, thawed and drained

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Spread pretzels evenly in bottom of 9" by 13" baking dish.

3. In a small bowl, combine butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. Pour evenly over pretzels.

4. Bake pretzel crust 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.

5. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, whipped topping, and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth.

6. Spread evenly over pretzel crust.

7. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups cold water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add gelatin, stirring until completely dissolved. Remove from heat. Add remaining 1/2 cup cold water and strawberries. Let cool before pouring over cream cheese layer.

8. Chill overnight. Cut into squares to serve.

Sally's Oriental Coleslaw

Asian salads are among my favorites because they typically have all these fun, crispy, crunchy, salty goodies, and dressings that are tasty but not all heavy and creamy. And my friend Sally's Oriental coleslaw is one of the best that I've tasted.

Fun, crispy, crunchy, salty goodies: Check. Dressing that is tasty but not heavy and creamy: Check.

Plus, it's pretty. (Just like Sally.)

This makes a big batch, so it's perfect for potlucks. You can pack the ingredients separately and toss together right before serving.

Sally's Oriental Coleslaw
Makes 10-12 servings

Salad
1 package beef-flavored ramen noodles, seasoning packet reserved for dressing
1 1-pound bag of coleslaw mix
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup sunflower seeds
3 scallions, sliced

Dressing
Seasoning packet from ramen noodles
1/3 cup vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)
1/2 cup oil, such as vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Crumble ramen noodles onto a baking sheet. Toast in oven until golden, about 7-10 minutes.

Just for kicks, I threw in the almonds, too. Because I love me a toasted almond.

3. Combine coleslaw mix, almonds, sunflower seeds, and scallions in a large bowl.

4. In a small jar, combine seasoning packet, vinegar, oil, sugar, and dark sesame oil. Shake until well combined.

5. Just before serving, toss the salad with the dressing and the ramen noodles.

Ponzu Lime Dressing

At the risk of jinxing anything, we're slowly but surely feeling better at our house. Cross your fingers that things keep improving. I expect our upcoming good health to last approximately three days. (But a good three days of sleep, they shall be!)

But less germs, more food. As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I recently received a bottle of Ponzu Lime sauce from Kikkoman, and I thought it would be lovely in an Asian dressing.

Ponzu is a citrusy sauce that's commonly used in Japan as a dipping sauce for sushi. I've seen some recipe call for a combination of soy sauce and lemon juice as a substitute, if that gives you an idea of the flavor. Or, in this case, soy sauce with lime juice.

The lime flavor in the sauce definitely comes through, which is very refreshing and summery. And I think the sauce would work very well as a substitute for the soy sauce in my favorite fajita marinade. Grilling weather is just around the corner, right? (Right?)

Ponzu Lime Dressing
Makes about 1/2 c. dressing

2 Tbsp. dry sherry
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
4 Tbsp. Ponzu lime sauce (or soy sauce)
1/2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
½ tsp. granted gingerroot
4 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 Tbsp. dark sesame oil

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl or container, and stir or shake until very well combined.

2. Serve over your favorite Asian salad.

Or, if you don't have the ingredients for your favorite Asian salad, just throw anything together and top it with mandarin oranges. They're an excellent distraction.

Grilled Vegetable and Israeli Couscous Salad

Another recipe that we tossed together for our family birthday meal was a grilled veggie salad with Israeli couscous. My mom loves grilled veggies, and I thought the Israeli couscous would be an interesting touch; I like attempting to get my family members to try new foods.

I think Mom is still iffy on the concept of couscous. And the pronunciation. She kept calling it coosh-coosh.

I got the idea for this salad off the Tasty Kitchen site, although we had to make some modifications to the original recipe. I swapped in some different veggies, and it works far better to add the dressing (with less oil and more vinegar) to the dish afterward rather than marinating the veggies beforehand.

Grilled Vegetable and Israeli Couscous Salad
Serves 6-8

1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise
1 medium summer squash, quartered lengthwise
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and quartered
1/2 red onion, cut in thick slices
1 c. mushrooms, stemmed
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz. Israeli couscous
1 14 1/2-oz. can vegetable broth
1/3 c. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, very finely minced
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh parlsey, chopped
Additional salt and pepper, to taste

1. Toss vegetables with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

I was in a hurry, so I chopped my veggies before grilling them. (I have a large grill pan with very small holes, so this was an option.) The veggies are still easier to handle and less likely to overcook, however, if you cut them in large pieces and then chop after they're cooked. Do as I say, not as I do.

2. Cook veggies in a grill pan until lightly charred, about 10 minutes. Let cool, and then chop in bite-sized pieces.

3. Meanwhile, add vegetable broth and couscous to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer for about 12 minutes, or until couscous has absorbed broth. Fluff with a fork.

4. In a small bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and garlic.

5. In a large bowl, combine vegetables and couscous. Add dressing and combine thoroughly. Stir in basil and parsley.

6. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.

Watermelon-Butter Lettuce Salad

It was a beautiful Fourth of July here in North Dakota. We typically have any combination of hot, muggy, buggy, windy, and rainy, so the fact that it was just hot was impressive in itself. It was great grilling weather, and great firework-lightin' weather. And we did plenty of both.

Best of all, barely anyone got hurt! Our only casualty was Mom. She got a skinned knee and a bump on the head while chasing down parachutes in the ditch. Yes, if I had a nickel for every time I heard that one ...

We all chipped in on supper. My brother Cory shucked the corn. It was a first for him.

The hubby made his famous spicy grilled potatoes, although he was mean and refused to face the camera.

Cory kept an eye on the steaks.

While Dad kept an eye on Cory. And the camera.

I made a Cuisine at Home salad of watermelon and butter lettuce. This was before I discovered that only Mom and I eat watermelon. Who knew?

Mom ate the leftover watermelon. (WHERE does she put it?)

Of course, she also made me a birthday cake for dessert.

My tummy was full.

Full of steak, cake, and baby.

The End.

Watermelon-Butter Lettuce Salad
Serves 4-6

1/4 c. fresh lime juice
3 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 c. watermelon, preferably seedless, chopped
8 Bibb lettuce leaves, torn

1. Combine lime juice, honey, mint, and olive oil in a small bowl.

2. Just before serving, combine watermelon and lettuce in a large bowl. Toss with dressing until thoroughly coated.

Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad

One of my college roommates, Sarah, has been visiting from Alaska for the past several days. I miss her. She's fun. We went out with friends Saturday night and they kept me laughing past midnight. MIDNIGHT, I say. That's almost unheard of for a pregnant narcoleptic. (You can read about our exploits at Pocket Jacks. Note that I did not observe the seven-drink minimum.)

And last night it was nearly 11 before I hit the hay. On a school night, I might add.

So today, I'm dragging. I'm falling asleep while typing this. But Sarah is forgiven. T'was she who bought me my first-ever cookbook, because I kept talking about how I wanted to learn to cook. Even though it resulted in the then-boyfriend/now-hubby and I making excessive messes in the tiny apartment kitchen, which Sarah often had to clean up. She's good peeps, our Sarah.

Oh, and she also introduced me to the hubby. That popped into my head after the cookbook thing. Heh.

Anyway, we've been eating out so much lately that I really wanted to cook tonight, even though I was falling asleep on my feet. So I marinated some beef for kabobs, and then threw together some veggie lo mein and this refreshing salad. Which I snacked on throughout the meal prep while everything else was cooking.

I apologize for posting two Asian cucumber salads in the same month. I really like cucumbers. I apologize, but I ain't sorry.

Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad
Serves 4

1 cucumber, peeled and cut in chunks
1/2 red bell pepper, cut in chunks
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

1. Combine cucumber and pepper in a bowl.

2. Combine vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce. Pour over veggies and toss to coat.

3. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds before serving.

Note that the servings will be smaller if you eat most of the salad before the meal.

Kabob recipe to follow. Must ... sleep ...

Grilled Portabello Salad

The hubby and I stayed with my family for a long weekend, and we celebrated a kind of combination Mother's Day/Father's Day because we didn't get a chance to spend much time with Mom on Mother's Day.

Mom isn't a big fan of meat, but she loves grilled portabellos, and she especially requested "those big mushrooms" earlier in the week. I decided to make a sort of salad for her so it wasn't just a pile of mushrooms.

I modeled this salad after a dish that she and I once ate at a restaurant in Boston. We had been shopping and site-seeing all day, and just wanted to relax in the hotel restaurant instead of going out. Unfortunately, the hotel restaurant served seafood almost exclusively. Which I don't eat. So I ordered a garden salad and a portabello mushroom appetizer. It was absolutely delicious. Mom even let me eat of it.

That appetizer version also had smoked mozzarella, which was a lovely addition. Mom is iffy on the cheese, so I left it out here. But I highly recommend adding a slice on top of the mushroom and let it melt, like you would a cheeseburger.

Grilled Portabello Salad
Makes 2 small servings or 4 appetizers

4 portabello mushroom caps, wiped clean
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
Kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
6 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, divided
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh basil, chopped
2 c. arugula, or more if desired

1. Remove stems from portabellos, if necessary. Brush tops and bottoms of caps with olive oil, and sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper.

You want to be more liberal with the oil than I was in this picture. Mom is anti-oil.

2. Grill portabellos over medium heat until they become tender and juicy, about 8-10 minutes. (I actually cooked mine on the upper rack to prevent burning.)

3. Meanwhile, combine chopped tomatoes with garlic and basil. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. For each portabello, spread 1/2 c. or so of arugula on a plate. Top with 1/4 the tomato mixture. Add portabello, cap size up, and drizzle each portabello with 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar.

Asian Carrot and Cucumber Salad

I'm always on the lookout for easy and tasty side dishes to go with our weeknight suppers, and finding keepers is a constant challenge. (I fall back on Velveeta Shells & Cheese far too often. Mmm ... Velveeta Shells & Cheese ...)

Tonight I was making some Asian grilled pork, and I found this side dish in Cooking Light to go with it. The salad is light, refreshing, and flavorful, and also extremely low-cal (47 calories per serving!). It's tangy and has a bit of kick from the cayenne, but not overwhelmingly so.

However, the hubby -- excellent recipe troubleshooter that he is -- suggested a few changes, so I'm including the modified recipe. For example, the original recipe included a much higher carrot-to-cucumber ratio than we'd prefer. (I love cucumbers and they were great with this dressing; the hubby says matchsticked carrots are nearly impossible to eat with a fork, so they shouldn't be the main component.)

In other words, do as I say, not as I do.

I don't think the salad will keep terribly well if you have leftovers. I recommend waiting until everyone else has eaten their fill, and then nabbing all the remaining cucumbers out of it.

Asian Carrot and Cucumber Salad
Serves 6-8

3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. canola oil
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
5 oz. matchsticked carrots (half the usual supermarket-sized bag)
3 c. cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. toasted sunflower seeds

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Add the carrots and cucumber, and toss well to coat.

3. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

Korean Pork Medallions with Spicy Asian Slaw

The hubby and I have been dining on leftovers all week, trying to get things done around the house, but we needed a bit of a break tonight. I flipped through a cookbook and found this quick recipe to go with our leftover potstickers, using some of the extra ingredients from those.

This recipe is from Fine Cooking, and it's virtually foolproof; I know this because I screwed it up in a variety of ways, and it still tasted fantastic. (And spicy!)

My only complaint about Fine Cooking cookbooks is that the writers don't take the time to mention when an ingredient in the list needs to be divided. Which, if you're actually reading the entire recipe, is fine. But if you're in a hurry and skimming like me, you might accidentally dump twice as much vinegar as called for into the marinade.

Not that this a problem. It's only vinegar. It's not like it has a strong flavor or anything.

I would recommend marinating the pork longer than 25 minutes (or 5 minutes, as it was in my case); I think that 6-8 hours in the fridge would infuse the pork chops with even more flavor. In that case, you could probably grill or broil the pork instead of pan-frying it, to make it healthier.

Korean Pork Medallions with Spicy Asian Slaw
Serves 4

Pork medallions
1 large or 2 small pork tenderloins (1 1/4 lbs.)
1/2 c. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1/2 Tbsp. dark sesame oil
2 tsp. Sriracha
2 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Asian slaw
5-6 c. coleslaw mix, or 5 c. thinly sliced Napa cabbage and 1 c. grated carrots
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp. dark sesame oil
1 tsp. Sriracha

1. Trim pork, and cut in 1/2" slices.

2. Combine pork marinade ingredients (everything but the canola oil), and pour 1/2 c. over pork in a small bowl. (Set the rest aside for serving.) Marinate at least 2 hours, refrigerated, or 25 minutes at room temperature.

3. Combine slaw ingredients in a large bowl. Let sit 15 minutes, and toss again.

4. Heat 2 Tbsp. canola oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, until oil is quite hot. Add pork, but don't overcrowd the pan (cook in two batches, if necessary). Cook 2 minutes. Flip and cook until pork is just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.

5. Serve pork with slaw and additional sauce, if desired.

Mandarin Salad

What a weird day.

The hubby and I slept in – in, in, in – this morning, which is unusual. But I had an especially strong tension headache last night and I kept both of us awake with my tossing and turning. And possibly whining. I’m pretty sure there was whining involved. (Mine, not his.)

So we got up today just in time to start lunch. Which the hubby graciously made, because I was too busy eating Tylenol.

And then my dad called. T’was not a social call.

My dad is one of those Really Good People who devotes his time to helping others. Specifically, he works with kids to help them make safe and healthy lifestyle choices. He does this full-time – if 80-100 hours per week is full-time – and spends about half his time on the road. We miss him, but we know he’s doing something important and making a difference.

Which is why it’s so hard to say no when he asks a favor of us. Even though we’re not nearly as kind as he is. Today, he happened to call while I was sick and still in my jammies (with no plans to leave them), and asked if we could pick up one of his keynote speakers at the airport and drive her 90 miles to his organization’s state conference. I said yes because I love my daddy, even though I’m horrendously shy and still obey the No Talking to Strangers rule.

But it all worked out. The hubby offered to drive (rather than having his sick, pregnant, non-medicated narcoleptic wife doing so), the speaker was friendly and gracious, and no one minded that I slept most of the trip.

So we left Fargo – where we’re in a flood warning – and drove through heavy rains and dense fog to Jamestown (which couldn’t receive any flights due to high winds), and discovered that there is a blizzard watch in the western portion of the state, so my dad was stressing about getting his kids home safely before then. North Dakota weather certainly keeps us on our toes.

We didn’t get home until a few hours after supper, and the hubby immediately went to his sister’s to help with the water she’s getting in her basement. So his long day is not yet over. (I’m snuggled on the couch, back in my jammies.)

This busy day did have its high points:

• I helped make my dad’s day a little less stressed, and I got to unexpectedly see him, my brother, and my cousin Ethan.
• Our brand-spankin’-new sump pump works like a charm. Every two or three minutes, in fact.
• I ate fudge truffle cheesecake (it cures what ails you) and mandarin salad, the latter of which is a lightly dressed, healthy Asian salad that reminds me that summer is just around the corner.

Mandarin Salad
Serves 6-8

Dressing
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. sugar or sugar substitute (such as Splenda or Equal)
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. soy sauce

10 oz. chopped romaine lettuce
1 cucumber, thinly sliced (and peeled, if desired)
1 carrot, peeled, then thinly sliced using a vegetable peeler
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

1. Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

2. Combined vegetables and oranges in a large bowl. Toss with dressing. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Sweet-Sour Spinach Salad

I prepared this salad ahead of time to bring to my grandparents’ house for Christmas Day dinner, per my grandma’s request. I first made this salad for Thanksgiving dinner last year, and the family raved about it. I chose the salad because it’s low-fat, I could easily substitute Splenda in the dressing for my grandpa (who loves spinach), and my grandma loves vegetable salads, but is allergic to lettuce.


This recipe was printed in Light & Tasty magazine, and the only notable change I made was to use Splenda or another sugar substitute in the dressing to make this more diabetic friendly. (You can also find some sugar-free ketchups, but these haven’t appeared on my grocery shelves just yet.)


This salad is obviously very healthy; I’ve heard that a good rule of thumb for healthful eating is to eat a rainbow of food colors to ensure you’re getting all your nutrients. (This is different from tasting the rainbow that is Skittles, just FYI.) This salad has quite the eyeful of color when it’s assembled, as you can see even in the prep stage.

The salad has many elements of the classic spinach and bacon salad – spinach, mushrooms, bacon, red onion, and a tangy, Catalina-like dressing. The addition of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) is interesting; they’re a very nutty bean, so they make a good substitute for nuts or croutons. And although I’m a huge, huge fan of bacon, you can easily leave it out here for a delicious vegetarian option.

I love, love, love this dressing. It tastes like a French or Catalina dressing, but the garlic gives it an extra zing on the tongue. I could easily use this as my everday salad dressing.

Sweet-Sour Spinach Salad

Serves 6-8

10 oz. fresh spinach

8 oz. sliced water chestnuts, drained and halved

½ c. thinly sliced summer squash

½ c. sliced mushrooms

1/3 c. garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

¼ c. chopped red onion

3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

(Mom, I cooked the bacon in the microwave instead of on your stovetop. Merry Christmas.)

Dressing

2 Tbsp. sugar or sugar substitute, such as Splenda or Equal

2 Tbsp. canola oil

2 Tbsp. ketchup

1 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp. cider vinegar

1 garlic clove, grated

¼ tsp. salt

1. Combine spinach in a large bowl with water chestnuts, squash, mushrooms, garbanzo beans, and onion.

2. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl until thoroughly mixed.

3. Toss salad with dressing. Top with bacon.

Japanese Steak Salad

After a week of restaurant food while I was out of town, I was craving a more sensible diet, like celery and water. Alas, the hubby and the puppies have to eat, but I can still feed my veggie craving. Especially since that happens only a few times per year. This salad is very yummy, and also quite filling.*

My favorite part of this salad is the dressing/marinade, which is surprisingly low-fat. I modified a recipe from one of the Taste of Home magazines, and the dressing is so flavorful and tangy that it could almost double as a stir-fry sauce. Or a beverage. You can substitute any veggies in this salad; these are just my favorites.

*When combined with peanut butter cups and Coke a few hours later.

Japanese Steak Salad
Serves 3-4

3 Tbsp. dry sherry
3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
½ tsp. granted gingerroot
1 clove garlic, grated
1 lb. steak
2 green onions, minced
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. dark sesame oil
3 c. napa cabbage, shredded, or 3 c. prepared coleslaw mix
½ c. julienned carrots (can omit if using prepared coleslaw mix)
½ cucumber, thinly sliced
Toasted sesame seeds

1. Combine the sherry, vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin, gingerroot, and garlic. Place steak in a resealable bag and add 1/3 c. of the marinade. Marinate at least two hours. Store the remaining marinade in the refrigerator.

2. Grill or broil the beef until cooked to your desired level of doneness. Let rest at least five minutes, and then thinly slice.

3. Add green onions, sugar, and sesame oil to the reserved marinade to create the dressing.



4. In a bowl or on a platter, combine or layer the lettuce, cabbage, carrots, and cucumbers.


5. Drizzle with dressing and top with steak. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.


6. Mmm … beef closeup … Then serve. It will get all messed up, but it’s still pretty.

Chipotle-Lime Chicken and Grilled Vegetable Salad

Let me start by listing reason #871 why I have the best mother-in-law in the world:

She is a fabulous gardener, and she so generously shares her bounteous harvest. I feel healthier just looking at it. Now, to make use of it!

Tonight we made Chipotle-Lime Chicken, which is a recipe that I found in Gourmet a few years ago. I've used the sauce on both pork and chicken with much success, although I did reduce the amount of olive oil that was originally called for. I recommend using fresh lime juice to achieve the ultimate tang factor, but bottled lime juice will work, as well. A few keys to remember: First, read the recipe carefully. You use part of the sauce as a marinade, and part as a baste. And only the latter contains honey. Secondly, don't baste until the chicken is nearly done, because the honey will burn if you put it on too soon. And thirdly, don't cook the heck out of your chicken. Just cook it low and slow until the juices run clear, but some of them actually remain in the chicken.

And on to the vegetables, for which I tweaked a Sweet Potato Hash recipe from Cuisine at Home. The recipe had the potential for disaster -- I have a poor track record for grilling potatoes, my husband doesn't like sweet potatoes, and neither of us likes corn mixed together with anything -- but it looked pretty and healthy and used some of my fresh veggies. It was much better than I expected. The potatoes turned out well, and Cole really liked them. However, we're still both corn purists. Next time, I'll grill the same veggies but I won't mix them. And I did get clearance to make the sweet potatoes again. Bonus.

Chipotle-Lime Chicken
Serves 4

3/4 c. fresh lime juice (about 3-4 limes)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 1/2 Tbsp chipotle Tabasco
3/4 tsp. salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 tsp. honey

1. Mix the lime juice, olive oil, Tabasco, and salt.
2. Add 1/3 c. of the marinade to the chicken, and marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.
3. Add honey to the remaining marinade.
4. Grill the chicken on low heat until nearly done, and then brush with the sauce on both sides, reapplying as desired.

Grilled Vegetable Salad
Serves 6

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced in 1/4" planks
2 ears fresh sweet corn, shucked
1 poblano pepper or 2 green bell peppers
1 large or 2 small red onions, ends removed, halved
Olive oil for drizzling
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. shredded white cheddar cheese
1/4 c. chopped fresh chives
Juice of 1/2 lime

1. Coat the vegetables with a drizzle of oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Grill over medium heat until the vegetables have some char and are cooked through, turning them often to prevent burning. This should be about 12 minutes for the potatoes and about 8-10 minutes for the corn, pepper, and onion.

3. Transfer to a cutting board. Dice the potato, slice the corn kernels from the cob, dice the pepper, and cut the onion halves into 4 pieces each.
4. Combine the vegetables in a bowl with the cheese, chives, and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.