360 Triple Melon Soda

• 2oz 360 Vodka
• ½ cup Honeydew Melon
• ½ cup Watermelon
• ½ cup Cantaloupe

Directions:

Muddle the melons gently in a cocktail shaker. Add 360 Vodka. Fill with ice. Shake sharply and strain into a martini glass with a melon base. Top with soda and enjoy!

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We had a meal or I should say meals lately that were fantastically good, simple and yet clean tasting all at once.  We grilled some salmon, and veggies, just brushed with olive oil, salt and pepper.   Really simple.  Then for dinner the next night, I chopped up the salmon and the veggies, added a cucumber, some dressing and then spooned it on top of a bed of bulgur.  My son both nights, waved his hand over the food, and said, ” Mom, all of this is good.”  My son who will be officially an adult next week (and tells me I legally have to provide him with shelter until then), hated a lot of food when he was a kid, but I never gave in to his whines and now he appreciates my cooking. My husband, daughter and I all loved it too.  Cold grilled Salmon is really flavorful and delicious in a salad, but we often use chicken and make extra for the second night’s salad.

First night – Grilled Dinner - Prepare extra of everything – we want leftovers.

• Zucchini and Crookneck Squash (yellow squash) – peeled and sliced into finger length and about an inch think wedges.
• Onion – slice in half
• Asparagus – snap off bottoms
• Salmon Steaks

Brush all of it with Olive Oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill over low heat.  You want the vegetables to soften, but not get mushy, the salmon needs to be just barely cooked on both sides – a few minutes on each side. When the salmon stops gripping the grill, it’s time to flip.

We also had grilled corn on the cob with this meal.

Leftovers should be placed in zipper bags, or a covered bowl.

Second night – Cold Grilled Salad

Ingredients:

• Grilled Leftovers
• Cucumbers and any other salad vegetable you’d like to add.
• Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Directions:

Cut all the grilled veggies into bite size pieces, including the salmon.  Prepare bulgur according to package directions.

Place a heaping spoonful of bulgur on your plate and spoon the salad over top.  Use dressing as desired – substitute your favorite dressing for the vinaigrette if you like.  My mom eats fat free ranch on all of her salads, and my dad when he was alive ate blue cheese  – if you have a favorite use that.

Grilling once, dining twice is also frugal way to go too, because you aren’t using propane or charcoal twice.  There are also no fights over who was cooking dinner because it’s a quick prep and then right to the table.  In fact – Grill once dine three times might be a good way to go also.

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Everyone has a few tried and true favorite BBQ dishes they cook up for a party or bring to share. My tortellini salad is one of my Barbecue staples.

Before I share the recipe, I want to discuss pasta salad fails. These are, in my opinion, common pasta salad mistakes:

• Pasta is way too al dente. It’s one thing if it’s being served hot and will cook to perfection once sauce is added. It’s a whole other story to under cook. Hint: Pasta should not be crunchy.
• Pasta is too soft:  Pasta shouldn’t be mushy, it should be firm. When boiling pasta remove when it just starts floating to the surface. For a pasta salad, rinse with cold water to stop cooking. It should never bloat to three times its original size.
• Using cheap pasta: I’m a frugal gal, but I also believe we get what we pay for. Cheap pasta yields cheap results. If using tortelli or ravioli take care to buy a premium brand. Fresh pasta is the best.
• Mayonnaise: Mixing pasta with mayonnaise does not a pasta salad make. It’s just fattening, artery clogging, mayonaisy pasta that you’ll have to throw away after an hour of leaving out anyway. Use your imagination and stop mixing stuff with mayo and calling it salad.

So, keeping this in mind, let’s move along to the recipe. Note that I don’t have amounts listed – that’s because it’s a matter of preference. Some folks like more veg and less tortellini and some want subtlety. In any event, it’s in the eye of the beholder.

Deb’s Tortellini Salad

Ingredients

• Tortellini – For this one I used a mushroom tortellini which added a whole other level of yumminess.
• Cherry tomatoes
• Avocado – Cubed
• Artichoke hearts
• Black Olives
• Chopped garlic
• Mozzarella – If you didn’t splurge for the premium mozzarella, then you may as well just use Velveeta. Fresh, homemade is the best.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper

The Nitty Gritty

I shouldn’t even have to tell you this, but here goes:

Cook pasta and toss with EVOO so it doesn’t stick together. Add the rest of the good stuff and salt and pepper to taste. Chill, baby, chill.

Note: The pasta may absorb the oil before serving time, so you may want to add a bit more and give it a toss just before serving.

Enjoy!

Will you be trying this recipe? Tell us what you think – especially let us know what kind of medications you made.

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Roman Candle

• 3 oz. Three-O Berry Vodka
• ½ Oz. Cranberry Juice
• Dash of Grenadine
• ½ oz. Blue Curacao

Shake vodka, cranberry juice and grenadine in a shaker with ice. Strain into martini glass.

Pour Blue Curaçao gently down the side of the glass so it comes to settle on the bottom

Sparkler

• 1 oz. 1800 Tequila
• 2 oz. Sparkling Wine
• .5 oz.Raspberry Liquor
• .5 oz. Soho Lychee Liquor

Combine tequila, raspberry liquor and soho lychee liqor in the bottom of a champagne flute

Top with sparkling wine or champagne

Fire Cracker

• 2 oz. Three-O Grape Vodka
• ½ oz. Blue Curacao
• Splash Tonic

Shake vodka and blue curacao with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass

Add tonic and garnish with a cherry

Cherry Bomb

• 1 ½ oz. Three-O Cherry Vodka
• 4 oz. Ginger Ale
• Splash of grenadine

Mix in a glass filled with ice and garnish with a cherry

Note: – Be safe everyone, don’t drink if you’ll be driving home afterwards and don’t do fireworks if you’re drinking either.

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Riazul – Salute to the Red White and Blue

If you find yourself in south of Señor Frogs on Cinco de Mayo, the traditional drink recipe you’ll encounter is the Coctel Bandera Mexicana. Representing the colors of the namesake Mexican Flag, the cocktail trio includes blanco tequila (white), sangrita (red) and lime juice (green) in three separate “caballitos”… sipped alternately.

Riazul Premium Tequila, whose heritage dates back to the Mexican War of Independence, would like to toast its northern neighbors on their Independence Day with an adapted flag cocktail… Bandera Americana: the American Flag cocktail.

The trio includes a small glass of Riazul Premium Silver followed by a traditional sangrita based on a generations-old Jalisco recipe, then chased with a blue margarita. Raise the flag to this tequila trifecta!

Ingredients:

Red —Sangrita: (1 Lt, approximately)

• 2 lb Raw tomatoes, peeled and seeded
• 3 Freshly squezeed orange juice
• 2 Freshly squezees lime juice
• 1 Small onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• Salt to taste
• 6 Serrano peppers (fresh-raw)

White — Tequila:

• 1 bottle of Riazul Premium Silver (blanco)

Blue — Margarita: (per cocktail)

• 2 oz Riazul Silver
• 1 oz Blue Curacao
• ½ oz Triple Sec
• 1 oz lime juice
• ½ tsp simple sugar
• Sea salt

Directions:

Mix all of the sangrita ingredients together and serve cold in caballitos with corresponding shots of tequila.

Rub rims of cocktail glasses with lime juice. Dip rim in coarse salt. Shake tequila, blue curacao, triple sec, simple sugar and lime juice with ice, strain into the salt-rimmed glasses, and serve.

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Grilled Skewered Shrimp
Prep: 20 minutes
Grill: 10 minutes
Makes: 6 servings (2 skewers each)

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
• 1 can (about 8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions:

1. Stir the picante sauce, tomato sauce, sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add
the shrimp and toss to coat.
2. Thread the shrimp on 12 skewers.
3. Lightly oil the grill rack and heat the grill to medium. Grill the shrimp for 10
minutes or until they’re cooked through, turning and brushing often with the picante
sauce mixture. Discard any remaining picante sauce mixture.
Tip: For even easier preparation, you can buy frozen large shrimp already peeled and
deveined. Just thaw and use instead of the fresh shrimp.
–
Pace® Rib Eye Steaks
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 beef rib eye steaks (about 1 pound each), 1-inch thick
• 1 jar (24 ounces) Pace® Picante Sauce
• 1 package (8 ounces) Monterey Jack cheese (2 cups)
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (about 1 tablespoon)

Directions:
1 small tomato, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1. Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steaks and cook for
about 10 minutes or until medium-rare, turning the steaks over halfway through
cooking.
2. Add the picante sauce and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10
minutes.
3. Divide the cheese between the steaks. Cover and cook until the cheese melts. Top
with the onion, pepper and tomato.
–

Simply Spicy Grilled Chicken
Prep: 5 minutes
Grill: 40 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

• 3/4 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
• 3/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 2 pounds chicken parts, skin removed
• 1 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
• 2 green onions, sliced (about 1/4 cup)
• Orange slices (optional)
• Fresh thyme leaves (optional)

Directions:
1. Stir the picante sauce and barbecue sauce in a small bowl. Reserve 3/4 cup for
the rice.
2. Lightly oil the grill rack and heat the grill to medium. Grill the chicken for 20
minutes. Brush the chicken with the remaining picante sauce mixture. Grill for 20
minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, turning and brushing often with the
picante sauce mixture. Discard the remaining picante sauce mixture.
3. Cook the rice according to the package directions without salt. Stir in the reserved
3/4 cup picante sauce mixture and the onions. Serve the rice with the chicken.
Garnish with the orange slices and thyme, if desired.
Serving Suggestion: Serve with grilled zucchini and sliced ripe tomatoes topped with
chopped fresh basil. For dessert serve pineapple chunks.
Nutritional Values per Serving : Calories 552, Total Fat 14g, Saturated Fat g,
Cholesterol mg, Sodium 736mg, Total Carbohydrate 51g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Protein
49g, Vitamin A %DV, Vitamin C %DV, Calcium %DV, Iron %DV
–
Grilled Tomatillo Tuna Steaks
Prep: 20 minutes
Marinate: 30 minutes
Grill: 10 minutes
Makes: 6 servings

• 1 1/4 cups Pace® Salsa Verde
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 6 tuna steaks (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 4 green onions, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

Directions:
1. Stir 3/4 cup salsa, 2 tablespoons cilantro and lemon juice in a 3-quart shallow,
nonmetallic dish or resealable plastic bag. Add the tuna steaks and turn to
coat. Cover the dish or seal the bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Lightly oil the grill rack and heat the grill to medium. Grill the tuna steaks for 10
minutes or to desired doneness, turning them over once halfway through grilling
and basting often with the marinade. Discard the remaining marinade.
3. Stir the remaining salsa, cilantro, avocado and green onion in a small bowl. Serve
with the tuna steaks.
–
Firecracker Flank Steak
Marinate: 1 hour
Prep: 10 minutes
Grill: 10 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
1 jar (16 ounces) Pace® Picante Sauce
2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 beef flank steak  (about 2 pounds)
Hot cooked rice
Chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Stir the picante sauce, orange juice, oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, mustard and ginger in a shallow, nonmetallic dish or gallon size resealable plastic bag. Add the beef and turn to coat. Cover the dish or seal the bag and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
Lightly oil the grill rack and heat the grill to medium. Grill the beef for 10 minutes for medium-rare or to desired doneness, turning the beef over once during grilling and basting often with the picante sauce mixture.
Heat the remaining picante sauce mixture in a 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes or until the mixture is thickened, stirring occasionally.
Slice the beef and serve with the picante sauce mixture and rice.  Sprinkle with the parsley.
For a flavor twist, substitute 1 can (about 20 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained, for the orange juice.

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• 1 large chicken breast sliced into 4  cutlet sized pieces
• 4 slices Prosciutto
• 4 slices Provolone
• Grilled Vidalia Onion Slices
• Tomato Slices (fresh from the garden)
• Avocado – mashed
• Mayo

Grill the chicken on one side, then flip.  Top with prosciutto and provolone until the provolone softens.  I used deli-rounds for the sandwich.  Mayo one side of the deli round and top with the grilled chicken.  Mash the avocado with a fork, then spread on the other deli round.  Top with tomato slices and grilled onion slices.  Salt and Pepper both sides and place them together.

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1800 Sunrise Sangria

1 orange
1 lime
1 750ml bottle pink Prosecco (or cava, or other sparkling wine)
1 cup 1800 Tequila

2 cups lemon lime soda (or ginger ale)
1 Bosc pear, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 pint raspberries
Slice half the orange into circles then slice in half to form half moons.  Squeeze the second half into a large pitcher filled with ice.  Do the same with the lime. Add the Prosecco, soda, and the 1800 to the pitcher and gently combine. Add fruit and serve.

Mango Sweet Tea

2 ounces Three Olives Mango, chilled

6 ounces Sweet Tea, chilled

Add the Three-O Mango and tea to a tall glass filled with ice; stir well. Garnish, if desired, with a slice of mango.

Minted Pomegranate Lemonade

1 cup (packed) mint leaves, chopped

⅔ cup sugar

1 cup fresh lemon slices

1 ½ cups Three Olives Pomegranate
Combine chopped mint and sugar in large bowl. Stir in lemon slices and Three-O Pomegranate. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Strain mixture into pitcher. Fill six 6- to 8-ounce glasses with crushed ice. Pour mixture over. Garnish with mint sprigs.

Tropical Tequila Punch

¼ cup pineapple juice

¼ cup 1800 Tequila

1 ½ tablespoons thawed frozen passion fruit juice concentrate

½ teaspoon fresh lime juice

In a highball glass, mix all ingredients. Fill the glass with ice cubes; stir to blend. Garnish with a fresh pineapple spear.

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One of my Dad’s favorite summer drinks to serve at a family gathering was Sangria. He prepared it in a large punch bowl with lots of floating fruit.  It’s great fun to fish the fruit out of your glass and eat the winey fruit goodness.

Red Sangria:

Yields 8 servings

• 1 bottle red wine
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 2 tablespoons AgroLabs’ Naturally Pomegranate
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 cups of ginger ale
• 1/2 orange, thinly sliced
• 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 unwaxed apple, cored, and cut into thin wedges

White Sangria:

Yields 8 servings

• 1 bottle dry white wine
• 3/4 cup peach schnapps
• 2 tablespoons AgroLabs’ Naturally Pomegranate
• 6 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1 pound white peaches, pitted and sliced
• 3/4 cup seedless red grapes, halved
• 3/4 cup seedless green grapes, halved

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Ingredients:

• 2 cans tuna – water drained
• 1 can white beans (we used garbanzos) drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cucumber – diced
• 2 roma tomatoes – diced
• 2celery stalks – diced
• 1 carrot – diced
• big bunch of parsley
• bunch of lemon balm
• Lettuce torn
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup  olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Directions:

Toss the tuna, beans and diced veggies, herbs, salt and pepper together.  If you don’t have lemon balm it can be left out.  Whisk the olive oil and vinegar and toss in with the tuna mixture.  Serve over bed of lettuce.

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