Ingredients:

• 3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced (the chuckier, the better) 
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (If you are a cilantro hater, it is ok- you don’t really need it)
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:

I made my first Flat Belly meal last night after a manic Monday at work, scallops with avocado kiwi salsa.   Now, the scallops were just that- scallops.  I’ve come to the conclusion that I really don’t love scallops.  I just ‘kinda’ like them.  But, the heat of the peppers and crisp healthy bites of the salsa made me feel like I was enjoying my meal along the Mediterranean Sea. 

I could feel the breeze off the water as I watched the grinning fishermen raise their catch of the day up in the air after a successful day out at sea.  Aahh…freshness…       

Needless to say, the fruit and vegetables fused perfectly and created a summer side dish that can be enjoyed with any seafood or poultry dish.

Heaven can’t be too far away…

Click here to view the embedded video.

• 2 tablespoons brown spicy mustard
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 4 portobello mushroom caps
• 4 slices Gouda cheese
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 4 hamburger buns
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 4 leaves butter lettuce
• 1 tomato, sliced

Combine marinade ingredients. Place caps into a baking dish and pour marinade over top. Use a brush to make sure all caps are covered with the marinade. Set aside and let marinate up to 2 hours.

Remove the portobellos from marinade (do not discard marinade) and place gill side down on a preheated gas, electric or charcoal grill over medium-high heat. Grill 3 to 4 minutes per side. Top each cap with cheese 2 minutes to melt before they are finished grilling.

In a medium bowl combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons of the marinade.

Spread the flavored mayonnaise onto each bun and top with portobellos. Serve with sliced onion, lettuce and tomato.

recipe by Angie Ketterman from Food Network.

After a few nights of practice, I did it!  I was able to measure a few alcoholic masterpieces!  To spread the joy, here the three tasty cocktails I perfected to help you start your evening out right!  Enjoy!   

Grass Skirt

Ice Cubes

1 1/2 oz Gin

1 oz Triple Sec or Cointreau

1 oz Pineapple Juice

1/2 teaspoon Grenadine

1 Pineapple Slice

Half-fill a shaker with ice cubes.  Add the gin, triple sec/Cointreau, pineapple juice, and grenadine.  Shake well and pour (unstrained) into an old-fashioned glass.  Garnish with the pineapple slice and enjoy!   

Jamaica Sunday

Crushed Ice

2 oz Jamaican Rum

1 teaspoon Clear Honey

1/2 oz Lime Juice

2 oz Lemonade

Dissolve the honey in the rum and then pour into an old-fashioned glass filled with the crushed ice.  Top with lime juice and lemonade.  Enjoy! 

Hawaiian Vodka

Ice Cubes

3 oz Vodka

1 oz Pineapple Juice

1 oz Orange Juice

1 oz Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon Grenadine

1 Lemon Slice

Half-fill a shaker with ice cubes.  Pour in the all the juices and vodka.  Shake well and strain into an old-fashioned glass.  Garnish with the lemon slice and enjoy! 

Recipes from The Cocktail Handbook

Dips:

Frank Boni’s Four Cheese Dip

Hot Spinach-Artichoke Dip

French Onion Dip

Cheesy Spinach and Bacon Dip

Appetizers:

Grilled Stuffed Jalapeno Chiles with Grilled Red Pepper-Tomato Sauce

Basil and Tomato Feta Bruschetta

Salsa Roll Ups

Baked Crab Rangoon

Spinach Phyllo Roll Ups

Spicy Bean ‘Quesadillas’

 Wings:

Red Hot Sticky Wings

Hot Wings with Blue Cheese-Yogurt Sauce

Chicken Wings with Red Hot Honey Glaze and Blue Cheese-Celery Dipping Sauce

Ulimate Chicken Wings

Sliders and more:

Steakhouse Sliders and Mini Steak Fries

Sliders with Chipotle Mayonnaise

Vinegar and Salt Grilled Potatoes

Chicken Salad Sliders

Sloppy Joes with Maui Onion Straws

First, let’s start with the appetizers… Yummy Grilled Stuffed Jalapeno Chiles with Grilled Red Pepper-Tomato Sauce… MMMMM!  The cheese soothes the jalapeno’s spicy kick and unlike deep-fried jalapeno poppers the first bite will not scorch the roof of your mouth (unless you are impatient).  To help ease the heat, try pairing this delicious appetizer with a Duvel beer.  

Let’s move on to some protein.  What better way to add protein in your diet than Chicken Wings with Red Hot Honey Glaze and Blue Cheese-Celery Dipping Sauce.  The sweetness of the honey glazed wings can be enjoyed alone or dipped in sauce.  Flay prepares the wings on a BBQ grill which adds extra flavor to the savory chicken.  Your Duvel beer works well here, too.  But, if you are looking for something a little different, try a Schloss Eggenberg Urbock 23.   

Lastly, you gotta have MORE meat and potatoes!  Sliders with Chipotle Mayonnaise and Vinegar and Salt Grilled Potatoes!  Yum Yum!   The sliders are tender and moist and the chipotle mayo adds a dash of smokiness to the mini-burgers.  The potatoes are not your typically french fries!  Like salt and vinegar potato chips, they are tangy and crunchy.  Oh, will your mouth tingle!  To add ying to the sliders and potatoes’ yang, try pairing these tasty treats with Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale.  This beer will stand up to the assortment of flavors in your mouth as the inner Brit in you enjoys your pub-themed party food.   

For more information on Bobby Flay’s Boy Meets Grill pub food, check out Food Network.  

What you need:

-Large can of Refried Beans

-Jar of Pace 4 Cheese Dip

-Medium tub of Sour Cream

-Medium tub of Guacamole

-1 large Tomato

-Green Onion (4 or 5 of them)

-One small jar of Black Olives (pre-sliced)

-3 Fresh Jalapenos

-Package of Shredded Four Cheese Mexican Style

-Shallow Baking Dish

 Directions:

-Dice up large Tomato, Green Onion, and Jalapenos

-Place layer of Refried Beans at bottom of baking dish

-Place layer of Pace 4 Cheese Dip on top

-Place layer of Guacamole on top of Cheese Dip

-Place layer of Sour Cream on Guacamole

-Top Sour Cream with diced tomato, green onion, jalapenos, and olives

-Sprinkle package of Shredded Cheese on top

Best served with a harder chip such as Tostitos Gold so you can make sure to dig deep and get all the layers without the chip breaking. 

Now that is talent!

Sunday is the big day!  The Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Arizona Cardinals in Tampa Bay!  And to help ease the pain of party planning, here are 10 tips to help you plan the party of the year for the game of the year!

1.  So, you want to have a themed party?  Make it a 40′s party!  Load up the refrigerator with your favorite malt liquor and throw down!  To make it extra special for your guests, provide brown paper bags for the finishing touches!

2.  Sick of chips and salsa?  Replace the salsa with some Pace Mexican Four Cheese Salsa con Queso and you are good to go!  Dip that chip!  It is so freakin’ good!

3.  Hot Wings are a must for every house party!  And when you wash down the heat with some beer…HEAVEN!  If you live near a Kroger grocery store, try their store brand hot sauces.  They are HOT as HELL and delicious! 

4.  Cookies are always a pleasant surprise when you go to a party!  Pick up some Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies from Costco!  They taste like fancy pants gourmet cookies- but they’re not!  Cheap and yummy- how awesome is that?

5.  To pass the time during halftime, play some Jenga!  Everyone’s favorite wood block game!  Not only will you be at the ‘edge of your seat’ with fun, but you can watch your slightly intoxicated party-goer friends intensely concentrate on the tower of blocks! 

6.  Squares, squares, and more squares!  Make sure your guests are ready to gambling and make some extra bucks!  That’s right, Dolla Dolla Bills, Y’all!

7.  If you are not interested in drinking beer from a paper bag, try drinking wine from a paper box!  Yes, years ago we all called box wine, ‘White Trash Champagne’, but it has made a comeback!  Try Black Box Wines to toast your team’s win!  After all, it is award winning!

8.  Have you ever had an Incredible Hulk?  Next to the Rusty Beach, it is one of the best mixed drinks- EVER!  Mix up some Hypnotic Liquor and Cognac and VOILA!  You have an Incredible Hulk!  Green and Mean!

9.  Need some more snacks?  Spinach dip with anything!  Chips, crackers, chains, and whips, spinach dip tastes great!  And who doesn’t want to bathe in it?!?  It is sooo yummy!   (Oh, and spinach is a great source of iron!)

10.  Last, but not least, NEVER NEVER NEVER have a BYOB party!  If you are going to have a party, do it right or don’t do it AT ALL!  A case of beer is $20, you can spend $20!  Your guests will more than likely bring a host (hostess) gift, so take it easy and supply the brews! 

Cheese just makes everything better! 

During good times and bad times, cheese is always there to comfort us and fill that empty void in our tiny tummies.  Cheese puts a smile on our face when we bite into a gooey piece of pizza or sprinkle it on top of a plate of spaghetti.  Some may even goes as far to say that cheese is the ying to their yang.  Ok, maybe I would only say that… 

If you are like me and appreciate cheese no matter if it is sliced, diced, or with rice, check out  Pace Mexican Four Cheese Salsa con Queso.  It is a cheesy delight for your late night cravings.  One bite and you will be hooked forever!  Honestly.  It is a little jar of heaven!     

Mmmmm…cheese…