Quesadillas are just so easy to prepare and are one of the greatest vehicles for any tasty morsels that you may have on hand. Here, a few shrimp and otherwise rustic ingredients come together for a fabulous treat.
Recipe makes one half-moon quesadilla that can be cut for one appetizer or four hors d’oeuvres.

Ingredients:
1 Flour Tortilla, 10-inch, plain
1/2 cup Cheese, Mexican or blend of Cheddar and Jack, shredded
1/4 cup Corn, fresh, roasted, cut from cob
2 Tbsp. Poblano Pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 Scallion, trimmed of root end, grilled till tender, chopped
2 Shrimp, grilled till cooked with olive oil, salt and pepper, thinly sliced
To Taste: Kosher or Sea Salt and Black Pepper, freshly ground
As Needed: Clarified Butter for grilling quesadillas

Directions:
Preheat griddle to 375 degrees F.
On a flat work surface, lay flour tortillas out and spread most of the cheese over the right half of each tortilla that you are making. Sprinkle the cheese with corn, poblanos, scallions and finally shrimp. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining cheese and fold over un-topped side, over cheese, and press down to flatten slightly.
Spread a thin layer of clarified butter over the hot griddle and add the filled quesadilla. Cook quesadilla until the bottom is crisp and golden brown. Flip the quesadilla and cook until the second side is nicely browned and crisp, pressing with a spatula as you do. Remove from griddle, cut into wedges and serve immediately with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, etc.

Super Nachos

There are no rules for this festive dish – just have lots of chips and plenty of good toppings for your guests to choose from. Have your guests assemble their own – their way – and everyone will be happy.

Here’s what you want to have, at the very least:

Chips – preferably restaurant-style
Cheese – shredded Cheddar, Jack or Mexican-style
Meats – taco-seasoned beef or shredded rotisserie chicken seasoned with a touch of spice
Olives – many people like the canned, sliced olives!
Tomatoes – ripe, diced
Chiles – jalapenos, fresh and pickled, plus hotter habaneros if you can take the heat!
Onions – white or red, diced
Lettuce – shredded iceberg or Romaine

Toppings:
Red or Green Salsa – the more the merrier!
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Assorted Hot Sauces

Directions:
Comfortably fill a hot, oven-proof vessel, such as cast iron skillet, with nacho chips. Top with meats and veggies, followed by cheeses, and bake until the ingredients are lightly toasted and the cheese is bubbly. Top with salsa, guacamole, etc., and have fun!

Smoke-Roasted Red and Green Salsas

Try these salsas next time you smoke, roast or grill your meats for any long period of time. By smoking the veggies along with the meats, you develop a deeper, bolder flavor in your veggies that pairs even better with the meats you are serving. Simply swap out the red tomatoes for the green tomatillos for a salsa verde version.
Recipe makes approximately four cups.

Ingredients:
3 lbs. Tomatoes, ripe, or Tomatillos, husked, if making salsa verde
3 Jalapenos, preferably red (green if making salsa verde), stemmed, halved
6 Garlic Cloves, unpeeled
1 Onion, white, peeled, sliced 3/8-inch thick
1/2 cup Cilantro, rough-chopped
To Taste: Kosher or Sea Salt and Black Pepper, freshly ground
As Needed: Lime Juice, fresh

Directions:
Smoke-roast the tomatoes or tomatillos, jalapenos, garlic and onion slices until soft and slightly charred. Core tomatoes or tomatillos and place in bowl of food processor. Peel, smash and add garlic. Rough-chop onion and add, along with cilantro and a touch of salt and pepper. Pulse until the mixture is fairly smooth. Add lime to taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, if needed.

Smoke-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Fresh Corn Tortillas, Shredded Cheese, Fire-Roasted Salsas and Cilantro

Again, when we are talking about smoking something, things aren’t quite as precise. That said – that’s what’s so fun! Take a bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder, rub it with your favorite spice rub or simply salt and pepper, and smoke over a low hardwood fire for 6 to 8 hours until the meat is fork tender.

Ingredients:
1 Pork Shoulder, skin on
To Taste: Kosher or Sea Salt, Black Pepper and Favorite Spice Rub, if desired

As Needed: Fresh Corn Tortillas
2 cups Cheese such as Jack or cheddar, shredded
1 Red Onion, peeled, thinly sliced
1 cup Cilantro, sprigs of, well washed
As Needed: Salsas, red or green

Directions:
Smoke pork shoulder according to smoker maker’ instructions, for roughly 6 to 8 hours or until thoroughly tender. The skin should be crisp as can be.
Pull meat apart and serve with remaining ingredients for a self-serve fresh taco bar experience that is so yummy. Take a warmed tortilla, top with some pork, cheese, a few slivers of onion, a little cilantro and salsa to taste. Roll and eat. Share the crispy skin with only the best of friends!

Fresh Peach Margarita

When peaches are local, plump, sweet and juicy, they beg to be blended up into all sorts of wonderful cocktail creations. Since margaritas are on everyone’s mind during the summer months, start with these!
This is a ratio vs. an actual recipe, as blender sizes vary. Recipe makes a blender full.

Directions:
Fill blender with liquids listed below, to roughly 3/4 full:
1 Part Peaches, ripe and juicy, peeled
1 Part Tequila
1/2 part Triple Sec
1/2 part Peach Schnapps

Top remaining 1/4 with ice. Blend until smooth.

Rub rim of each glass with fresh Lime Wedge. Dip rim of lime-rubbed glass in Kosher Salt or Sugar and twirl to coat rim. Pour blended margaritas into glass. Enjoy!