Watermelon Feta Salad with Jicama

Watermelon isn't only intended for fruit salad. The one I just grabbed at my local market is so juicy and flavorful I opted for a savory watermelon salad with Greek feta cheese. I also added shredded fried jicama, which is a sweet root vegetable that is used quite often in Vietnamese cuisine (as well as in Mexican food) and mimics the texture of pork skin. The salad lacked a bit of saltiness, so I added soy bacon bits.

I love incorporating fruits in savory dishes. The natural sweetness from the fruit balances the flavors of a salad very well. Next time you have bananas, pears or strawberries in your fruit basket, you might find an alternative to just making desserts.

Grilled Nectarine and Goat Cheese Appetizer Recipe

I love grilling fruit. The natural sweetness creates a caramelized crust while slightly softening the texture of the fruit. Stone fruits in particular work very well. And since I just bought a bunch of white nectarines, I decided to have some fun with them and make sweet and savory appetizers.

I chose nectarines that were ripe but still a little firm, and threw them briefly on the grill. I wanted to make sure they didn't become watery and mushy. Fruity, sweet flavors pair incredibly well with goat cheese, so I nestled the grilled nectarine wedges on thin slices of chèvre and a slightly toasted brioche.

To finish the appetizers, I drizzled the nectarines with date syrup and added a sprinkle of finely chopped garlic chives and flat-leaf parsley. They're very easy to assemble and would make beautiful appetizers for your next summer party!

Homemade Baked Beans

Baked beans take quite some time to prepare but the result is so worth it. I made the baked beans from scratch; I soaked dried cannellini beans overnight and slowly cooked them until tender.

I used white beans because they are our family's favorite, but you could use any other kind of legume. The baked beans make not only a wonderful side dish but also a perfect complete meal for vegetarians, thanks to all the protein in these hearty white beans.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs

I'm a huge fan of fall-off the bone, super tender beef ribs. My trick is to marinate them overnight with (I used an Asian pear purée and ground papaya mixture) to tenderize the meat. The following day, I cooked them, wrapped in aluminum foil, for several hours in a slow cooker. Lastly, I smothered them in barbecue sauce and place them on a barbecue grill.

July 4th isn't the same without beef ribs. I don't make them that often because I find it quite time-consuming and the result is pretty meager for the amount of work. What I mean by that is that there is very little meat falling off the bone. What can I say, I'm very greedy when it comes to eating meat! Purists will probably think it's wrong to par-boil or steam the ribs in a slow cooker because flavors are lost. But the slow cooker method guarantees that they turn out very tender.

BBQ Menu for Independence Day

Grilling in not just for hot dogs and hamburgers anymore. I cook veggie dishes and even desserts on the bbq to satisfy the varying diets of my family. I've put together a list of some of my favorite dishes that go on the coals, and those that go great with them. So get your barbecue gear out and have fun!