Happy 4th of July: Grilled Pork Chops with Peach Salsa

I can't believe it's already July!

The heat has certainly hit Southern California hard. Soaring temperatures. Even humidity. Of course, we're better off than a lot of the country. My heart goes out to the firefighters in Arizona. On a more upbeat note, go see the movie The Heat... it rocked my world this weekend and got me out of my sweltering house. We need to support movies that 1) aren't sequels and 2) star women.

They're like unicorns and leprechauns these days.

My brother is visiting this week from Houston, and I was musing on what to cook for a 4th of July BBQ, when I remembered this little gem of a recipe for Grilled Pork Chops with Peach Salsa. It's summer and peaches are finally in season. The sweetness and acidity cuts through the richness of the pork perfectly. A little pop of heat from jalapeños. Some herby action with tarragon or basil.

It really is a perfect summer dish.

Enjoy your holiday...

Click here for the link to my recipe for Grilled Pork Chops with Peach Salsa

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Peach-Jalapeno Salsa

Grill baby, grill!

That's right, summer continues to rock and roll across the country. While record temperatures have been assaulting much of the east coast, so far we've had a mild summer in California (knock on wood!).

I made this little gem of a recipe the other week. First, I skewered and grilled shrimp and corn tortillas. Then, I layered the shrimp in the tortillas over shredded cabbage and topped with with a Peach-Jalapeno Salsa. The twist? I added a little plain Greek yogurt to the salsa for a refreshing, cooling effect. This was an easy to make, tasty dish perfect for any hot summer night!

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Peach-Jalapeno Salsa
Serves 4 people
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Print Recipe

Ingredients
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
10 corn tortillas
2 cups cabbage, shredded

peach-jalapeno salsa
2 peaches, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat the grill.

To make the salsa (while the grill is heating), toss all the ingredients in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. If making the salsa in advance, keep it chilled in the refrigerator. 

Skewer the shrimp, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Once the grill is hot, quickly cook the shrimp, turning once (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool. Meanwhile, heat the tortillas on the grill.

Chop the shrimp into bit-sized pieces (removing the tails). To assemble the tacos, layer some cabbage and top with pieces of shrimp. Spoon the salsa over the top. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients
frozen wild caught shrimp, organic white peaches, and smoked paprika from Whole Foods

organic Greek yogurt (plain), shredded cabbage, corn tortillas, jalapenos and organic lemons from Trader Joe's