Chilled Sweet Corn Soup

Who wants hot soup when it's 100 degrees outside? This chilled corn soup is very refreshing and creamy, and can be topped with just about anything you'd like. I topped mine with fresh basil pesto as well as bacon and sour cream. 

Ingredients:

- 4 large ears of sweet yellow corn, cooked and shucked (about 3 cups corn)

- 2 Tbs unsalted butter

- 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped

- 2 garlic cloves, chopped

- 1/2 tsp. coarse salt

- 1/2 tsp. pepper

- 1 cup water

- 2 Tbs olive oil

- 1 tsp. white wine vinegar

Toppings of your choice: bacon, sour cream, pesto, corn relish, etc. 

Cut kernels from corncobs and place in a bowl. Using a grater, scrape pulp from corncobs into another small bowl. Discard cobs.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and let cook until tender, about 4 minutes, stirring often. Add water and reserved corn pulp. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and let simmer 4 minutes. Transfer to a blender and add olive oil. Remove center piece from blender lid to allow steam to escape. Hold a towel loosely over the lid to prevent any hot liquid from splashing on you. Process until smooth. Pour mixture into a bowl, add vinegar, and stir. Cover and place in the refrigerator until chilled. Spoon into small bowls and top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.

"H.O.P.E - Hold on. Pain ends." - Anonymous

Pan-Seared Tuna Steaks

These tuna steaks are seared to perfection without overcooking the center. Sprinkled with cracked pepper and seared in sesame oil, they have a robust flavor that keeps you coming back for more!

Ingredients:

- 4, 6 to 7 oz. yellowfin tuna steaks
- cracked pepper
- 2 tsp. sesame oil
- 2 Tbs soy sauce
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- fresh chives

Sprinkle cracked pepper on both sides of tuna steaks. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with sesame oil. Place tuna steaks in skillet and sear about 3 minutes on each side (until you have a good sear on the outside and the inside is just opaque but not too done. It should still be pink in the center.) Remove tuna to a plate and keep warm. Add soy sauce and sherry to the skillet and cook until liquid is slightly reduced (about one minute) scraping any brown bits in the skillet. Spoon sauce over tuna steaks and add fresh chives. Serve immediately and enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.

"Ways to my heart: Buy me food. Make me food. Be food." - Anonymous

Grilled Pineapple Lemonade

A delightful twist on lemonade. The grilled charred pineapple adds terrific flavor to this already refreshing drink!

Ingredients:

- 6 oz. fresh pineapple, sliced
- 4 cups hot water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Add pineapple slices and grill 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until dark char marks appear. Remove and cool. Combine hot water and sugar in a pitcher and stir until sugar dissolves. Place the pineapple and lemon juice in a blender, and process until smooth. Pour through a fine mesh sieve/strainer into pitcher with sugar mixture. Discard solids. Serve over ice and enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.

"If life gives you lemons... and pineapple, make 

grilled pineapple lemonade." - Me

Tuna Ceviche

One of my husband's favorite things to eat. I've never made ceviche, and for some reason, I thought it would be a lot more difficult. Nothing could be easier! Now that I know that, I'll definitely be making it a lot more for him. 

Ingredients:

- 1 tsp. chopped garlic

- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

- 2 Tbs chopped cilantro

- 1 lb good quality yellowfin tuna

- sesame seeds

- pinch diced jalapeños, optional

In a blender, puree until smooth the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and lime juice. Remove to a bowl and mix in cilantro. Slice tuna into very thin strips or very small cubes. Place tuna on a serving platter and top with a little bit of the sauce. Add a few sesame seeds and diced jalapeños and enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.

"Good food... good mood." - Anonymous

Chicken and Shrimp Kabobs with Basil Oil

Summer vegetables, fresh shrimp, juicy chicken and mouthwatering pineapple make these brightly colored kabobs easy to make and even easier to eat!

Ingredients:

- 12 (10-inch) wooden skewers
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 Tbs white balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 2 tsp. coarse salt, divided
- 1 tsp. black pepper, divided
- 1 1/2 to 2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
- 1 lb peeled and deveined raw medium shrimp
- 1 orange bell pepper (red or yellow is fine as well)
- 1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2" to 1" pieces
- cocktail tomatoes
- fresh pineapple, cubed

Soak wooden skewers in water 30 minutes and then drain. In a medium sauce pan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add basil and stir constantly until all the leaves have wilted. Drain and pat leaves with a paper towel. Place basil, vinegar, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a blender. Process until smooth.

Preheat grill to 400 degrees. Thread chicken, shrimp, bell pepper, zucchini, tomatoes and pineapple on each skewer. Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over skewers and sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper. Grill, turning skewers after 3 to 5 minutes, until chicken is done (the shrimp will cook a lot faster than the chicken). Transfer kabobs to a serving platter and brush evenly with basil oil. Use remaining basil oil for dipping sauce. Enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.

"Don't waste your time looking back. Keep 

moving forward." - Anonymous