Summer Recipes to Spice Up Your Life

These were my inventions yesterday. The spice heats you up, so you don't notice how warm the day has gotten!

Pico de Gallo Baked Beans

1 can baked beans – your favorite brand
2 T. catsup
2 T. brown sugar
½ cup fresh pico de gallo (or make your own)

Combine all ingredients and heat over medium heat until slightly bubbly.

Pico de Gallo
Means Bite of the Rooster in Spanish
Great with chips or added to the above recipe

1 chopped tomato – very ripe
1 chopped small red onion
1 bunch of cilantro – washed and chopped (stems removed)
juice of one lime
½ - 1 whole seeded and chopped jalapeno pepper
optional: ½ c. chopped fresh pineapple or mango

Brownies Caliente

1 box of your favorite brownie mix + eggs or water if needed
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. cayenne pepper (more if you like it hot)

1 can chocolate frosting

Make the brownies according to the package directions and add the cinnamon and cayenne pepper.
Bake according to package directions. Cool.
Frost with chocolate frosting.
Optional: add 1 t. cinnamon to frosting prior to frosting the brownies.

You could make these from scratch but it's easier to use a mix on a hot day!

White Sangria with Cucumber and Mint

1 seeded and peeled cucumber
1 bunch of fresh mint, stems removed and washed
2 c. sparkling apple or peach soda
3 c. Pinot Grigio

Put cucumber, mint and ½ c. wine in the blender and blend on high until smooth.
Press the solids through a sieve to separate the juice.
Combine cucumber/mint juice with wine and sparkling soda. Serve over ice with a mint sprig garnish.