Its barbecue season again, and time to go to lighter meals, and taking the cooking outside, one of my favorite things to do because it means less pots and pans in the house. If you have not tried the grill mats for your bbq I highly recommend them, they work great, give you the grill marks that you want and keep the grill clean at the same time.

As Memorial Day weekend is fast approaching I have a couple of new recipes for you to try, I am huge fan of freshly made salsa and made some watermelon salsa for chicken tacos this week and it came out great, now you could substitute fresh pineapple or mango for the watermelon or even do a combination of the fruits, because anyway you dice it, it comes out great. You can serve this salsa with just chips if you want or put it on a fish taco, pork taco or even a chicken taco it is great. Ideally you want to let it marinate for at least 2 hours before you serve it.

I know everyone has heard of a key lime pie, well I made a version of one but made it with orange juice concentrate, very nice change of pace,quick and easy to do, why not try it.

Watermelon salsa:


  • 2c cut watermelon, or other fruit
  • 1/4 cup of finely diced red onion
  • 1 small green pepper, small dice
  • 1/4 of a bunch of cilantro, chopped small
  • 2 t kosher salt
  • 1/2 of a jalapeno pepper, seeds scrapped out and diced, remember the hotter you like it leave the seeds and the membrane in thats your heat, I just like the flavor.

Mix it all in a bowl let it set, at least 2 hours and serve.

Orange pie:



  • 1 graham cracker crust
  • 1 14oz can sweetened milk
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 6 oz orange juice concentrate
  • zest from 1 orange

Mix all ingredients together pour into crust and bake at 350 for 10 -15 mins un til the pie in the center sticks to your finger a little when you touch it, or there is just a small jiggle the size of a quarter in the center. 

Natilie Cavnar is a cooking fanatic who loves to try new recipes, and create some of her own, ask her what you want at thenormalchef@gmail.com.