Disclosure: This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and Avocados from Mexico. 

Summer thus far has been filled with Avocados.  I have been busy whipping up guacamole, avocado pistachio pound cake, avocado corn salad, avocado artichoke dip, avocado grapefruit salad and sliced avocado on everything imaginable.  No, I don’t tire of Avocados from Mexico.  I just keep thinking of new ways to enjoy them.  Last week I added a few chunks to a spicy pasta salad and the results were delightful.  This week I’ve been all about tomatoes and watermelon, and already both those ingredients are compatible counterparts to the creamy avocado.  The question is:  How to mix them?  I’m in constant craving of food that is fresh and light, especially during these summer months.  I want to experience a rainbow of colors in my food and at the same time knock my taste buds out with something exquisite.  I just let my imagination go wild, with no direction to start with except I was going to grill some avocados and use tomato and watermelon.  It’s always a pleasant surprise digging into my fridge and pulling out random things that I think might go well with whatever I’m preparing.  Recently was one of those days.  I pulled open the veggie drawer and found cucumber, red onion, and some fresh basil.  My cheese drawer was supplied with crumbled blue cheese, and I had just bought a french bread loaf.  I quickly started chopping and grilling bread.  Rainbow Bruschetta was on it’s way and in a matter of minutes my family and I would all be enjoying it.  I took a few pictures as I prepped (pictured above and below) and will also post my picture on the Avocados From Mexico recipe page.  It’s a great place for avocado lovers to get ideas on what to make with avocados.  So many great dishes, and lucky for us we have the entire year to be able to try them all.

If you want to upload your Avocado recipe to the Avocados From Mexico recipe page, just click here!  Go ahead…. it’ll inspire someone to make your fabulous avocado dish.

Ingredients for Grilled Avocado Blue Cheese Rainbow Bruschetta:

• 1 – Avocado from Mexico (sliced in half and grilled)
• salt to taste
• french bread loaf (sliced into 2 inch slices)
• 8 – yellow cherry tomatoes (cut into 1/4 inch chunks)
• 1 – red tomato (cut into 1/4 inch chunks)
• 1 – small cucumber (about 3 inches long) (cut into 1/4 inch chunks)
• 1/2 – red onion (sliced very thinly)
• 2 – garlic cloves (chopped super small)
• 1/4 – cup watermelon (cut into 1/4 inch chunks)
• 3 – fresh basil leaves (chopped into small strips)
• 2 1/2 – tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 – cup crumbled blue cheese

Directions:

1. Cut avocado in half, and remove the pit.
2. Sprinkle with a little salt. 
3. Place avocado on a hot grill for 5 to 10 minutes or until grill marks form on the flesh of the avocado.
4. Cut french bread loaf into slices and toast on grill until golden crisp. Set to the side. 
5. In a large bowl add yellow tomato, red tomato, cucumber, red onion, garlic, watermelon, and basil. Mix to combine.
6. Then pour in olive oil and salt. Mix well and set to the side.
7. Cut avocado into chunks, then scoop out of shell and add to the tomato/ basil mixture.
8. Mix to combine.
9. Then with a tablespoon top each of the grilled bread slices with tomato/avocado mixture. Place on a plate, and continue with the next one.
10. Then sprinkle the entire place with blue cheese crumbles. 
11. Eat! Enjoy! Love Avocados From Mexico!

Disclosure: This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and Avocados from Mexico. 

I love grilled fruit and having it in a sparkling punch is twice the fun. I made the above recipe with ginger ale for an all ages version, but this recipe would work just as well with some moscato or sparkling wine. I figure my Mom’s birthday is around the corner and I want to celebrate her with something delightful….. I think this sparkling grilled fruit punch is the answer. Get the recipe over on Babble, where I created it as a sponsored post for Target!

Have you ever had one of these cheese stuffed green chiles straight off the grill?  If the answer is yes, then you know this is pure Latino bar-b-que heaven.  If the answer is no, then I highly recommend you heat up your grill and make these TONIGHT!  That’s how good they are.  Tasty with just the right amount of heat.  I learned how to make these chiles from my Tio Albert. He has always made them at my family bar-b-ques.  Add this lovely chile to a flour tortilla with a piece of steak and you will be in another world of happiness.  Find my recipe and step by step photos over at Babble, where I did this as a sponsored post for Target!

A few weeks ago I received a Hershey’s S’mores Kit, and have been a S’mores fool so far this summer since. Making s’mores every chance I get and for all occasions. I even made them ahead of time for the baseball game a few weeks ago (pictured left). I decided to toast the marshmallow in the toaster oven along with one side of the graham cracker, and once the marshmallow was nice and gooey I added the other graham cracker to make a sandwich. Then I dipped the whole thing in melted Hershey’s chocolate. Once the chocolate set, I wrapped them in a wax paper and packed them up for the baseball game. 

All the people sitting in my area were so happy as I passed out my homemade snacks. It was as if the Hershey’s chocolate s’mores were little gifts of friend introduction as strangers gladly accepted my s’mores. I think maybe it’s because they had already seen me eating my own and they practically drooled in envy over the homemade treat…. it was enough to let them know I was alright. Plus my team won that night! 🙂

Over the 4th of July weekend I took my s’mores kit to a bar-b-que I was invited to and wrapped my graham crackers stuffed with marshmallows and Hershey’s chocolate in foil and place them on the grill. Everyone was so happy as we nibbled on our s’mores under the firework lit sky.

Now my son thinks everyday is a s’mores day, and it kinda is.

Here’s some awesome news!!!! Hershey’s is now offering consumers the chance to win an 11-piece BBQ grilling set through its Hershey’s Summer Grilling Sweepstakes – one set will be awarded every hour of the summer.  All you have to do is text GRILLSMORES to 44144 or enter online on the Hershey’s website. I’m going to enter and I’m sharing this info with all my friends. Enjoy your S’mores Summer!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by ViSalus. All opinions and recipe are my own.

A friend of mine is on a diet, and is looking for ways to slim down but still keep all her favorite treats in place. I’ll have her at my house over the holiday weekend, so I needed to make sure she would be satisfied with her treat. I didn’t want her to feel left out while everyone else got to eat cake or cookies. I racked my brain for a while, thinking maybe I should make her cheesecake bites, or lowfat chocolate cake. Then after talking to her those ideas seemed to decadent for her weight loss plan. Luckily I had recently got a bag of ViSalus shake mix and a couple of new paleta molds. I thought what if I make a banana visalus mixture and freeze it into paletas then dip them at the tip in a chocolate? I knew that would make her happy since she loves banana and chocolate. I called her and told her all about the ViSalus product, how it is gluten- free, lactose – free, low fat, contains non-GMO soy protein, and low sodium. I then told her I made paletas out of them and they are DELICIOUS, she said she was so thankful cuz she has a hard time finding something great when everyone else is eating dessert.

Ingredients for Banana Paletas:

• 3 – super ripe bananas (if they have brown spots they are even better to use.)
• 1 – cup almond milk
• 2 – rounded scoops of Visalus Vi-Shape Nutritional Shake Mix -Sweet Cream Flavor
• 1 – cup dark chocolate chips (melted)
• 1/4 – cup chopped peanuts

Directions:

1. In a blender add in bananas, almond milk, and Visalus Vi-Shape Nutritional Shake Mix. Blend on high till smooth.
2. Pour mixture into paleta / popsicle molds, then insert sticks and freeze over night.
3. Prepare a cookie sheet with piece of wax paper on it.
4. Melt down dark chocolate chips, either in a double boiler or microwave.
5. Remove paletas from the freezer, then unmold them.
6. Dip the tip of the paleta in melted chocolate, then sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
7. Place dipped paletas on the cookie sheet and place back in the freezer for one hour.
8. Enjoy!

How are you keeping cool these days? I am all about keeping hydrated, and I drink a ton of  H2o. I ready recently that adding cucumber to your water will help with the summer puffiness that the heat brings on. I add a few slices to my water, then I added some peach slices and ice and I was good to go. I guess you know what I’ll keep on hand all summer. Drink it and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• water
• cucumber slices
• peach slices

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a cup with some ice, and a straw if your feeling fancy.
2. Drink!

I have always been intimidated by pastel de tres leches. It is my cake of choice for every birthday I celebrate and happens to be one of my favorites. I like it topped with fresh fruit best. I decided to gift it to America for it Independence Day celebration.

Ingredients for Pastel De Tres Leches:

• a box of cake mix (white or yellow) (bake according to instructions- time, temp, and ingredients)
• 3/4 – cup of fresh blueberries
• circle cookie cutter (optional)
• 1/2 – cup half and half
• 1 – cup milk
• 6 – ounces of sweetened condensed milk
• cool whip
• fresh strawberries cut into star shapes and blueberries for the top of cake

Directions:

1. Mix cake batter per instructions on the package, then add in blueberries. Pour batter into a 9×13 baking pan lined with wax paper. Allow to come to room temperature. Then place in the fridge over night.
2. Poke cake all over with fork to allow liquid to soak into cake.
3. In a bowl add half and half, milk, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix to combine.
4. Then gently pour all the liquid over the entire cake or cut the cake with a circle cookie cutter to make individual circles.
5. Frost top of cake with cool whip and then decorate with star shaped strawberries and blueberries.
6. Enjoy!