SOUTHWEST CHICKEN and AVOCADO MELT

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
4 Anaheim or Poblano chiles
3 boned, skinned chicken breast halves
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
Lime wedges
1 avocado, peeled. pitter and sliced
1-1/2 cup shredded jack cheese

Prepare a grill for high heat (450 to 550) you can hold your hand 5 inch above cooking grate for 2 to 4 seconds.  Rub 1 tbsp, oil over chiles.  Cook chiles turning often, until skins are browned.  Put chiles in a bowl, cover and let cool.  Seed chiles and rub off skins.

Meanwhile, rub remaining oil over chicken.  Combine cumin, cayenne and salt.  Sprinkle evenly over each chicken breast.  grill chicken, turning once, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Squeeze a little lime over chicken, then top each breast with a few avocado slices, a chile and cheese.  Grill covered, until cheese melts, about 4 minutes.

Yield: Serves 4

Happily submitted to Mouthwatering Mondays, Homemaking Monday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Full Plate Thursday,  Foodie Friday, Food on Friday, 
Fun With Food at Paisley Passions and Friday Favorites at Simply Sweet Home

CHILEAN AVOCADO DOGS

8 hot dogs
8 hot dog buns
2 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
2 large avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and chopped
Juice of 2 limes
Ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise [optional]
Grilled or raw onions [optional]
Salt

Grill hot dogs until lightly browned.  Open hot dog buns and grill flat.

Mix tomatoes, avocados and lime juice in a small bowl.

Spread desired condiments such as ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise on the hot dog buns.

Place hot dogs on the dressed buns and top with avocado mixture.  Add grilled or raw onions.  Sprinkle with a little salt.

Makes 8 servings

Check out more great recipes @ Tuesesday at the Table, Delicious Dishes, Tasty Tuesdays, Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum

GRILLED PINEAPPLE with COCONUT CARAMEL

1 ripe pineapple

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted

16 wooden skewers

Trim ends from pineapple, then stand it on end and cut off peel. Quarter pineapple lengthwise and cut out core. Reserve half the pineapple for another use. Cut each remaining quarter into 4 lengthwise slices, then cut each slice in half to make 16 thin wedges. Skewer each lengthwise.

In a small saucepan, combine sugar with 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, swirling to dissolve sugar, boil, swirling occasionally ( do not stir), until just golden and honeylike. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in coconut milk ( mixture will bubble furiously).

Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for high ( 450 to 550; you can hold your hand 5 inch above cooking grates only 2 to 4 seconds). Using a pastry brush, coat pineapple pieces with caramel sauce. Grill just until marks appear, then turn to mark other side, 4 to 5 minutes total. Put skewers on a platter, sprinkle with toasted coconut, and serve with remaining caramel sauce.

YIELD: Makes 4 servings.

Notes; You can prepare the whole pineapple, but double the ingredients for caramel sauce.

Presoak your wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning on grill.

You can also grill peaches and nectarines.

HALIBUT KEBABS with GRILLED BREAD and PANCETTA

I couldn't believe how outrageously YUMMY!!! these halibut skewers were. Crusty Italian bread and halibut are seasoned with fresh rosemary, the woven with pancetta and grilled until golden.

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 - 1/2 pounds boned and skinned halibut, cut into 2-inch chunks

4 cups 1-1/2-inch cubes crusty bread, such as ciabatta

3 ounces pancetta, sliced paper thin

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for medium heat (350 to 450 ; you can hold your hand 5-inch above grate only 5 to 7 minutes)

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper. Add halibut and bread. Toss to coat, then set aside 5 minutes.

Skewer an end of 1 strip pancetta, then alternate fish and bread cubes on the skewer, weaving pancetta between them. Repeat 3 times.

Grill kebabs, turning frequently, until fish is cooked through and bread is charred in places, about 6 minutes.

You will need 4 metal skewers, each 10 inch long, for the kebabs.

YIELD: Serves 4

MOJITO SHRIMP

1 to 1-1/2 pounds peeled, deveined shrimp (21 to 30 per lb, tails on)

2 tablespoons fresh lime

Mint sprigs for garnish

Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for high heat (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 inch above grate only 1 to 2 seconds). Meanwhile, put shrimp in a 11-gal, resealable plastic bag and pour in marinade (recipe below). Seal and marinate at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove shrimp, reserving marinade. Thread shrimp onto 6 to 7 (10 to 14 inch) metal or bamboo skewers.

Arrange shrimp on grill and baste with marinade (dab some mint and shallots onto shrimp); close lid. Cook until shrimp are just beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn shrimp over, baste again and close lid. Cook 1 to 2 minutes until browned but still moist in center ( cut to check). Transfer shrimp to a patter, drizzle with lime juice and garnish with mint sprigs.

MOJITO MARINADE

20 chopped fresh mint leaves

1/3 cup sugar

1 thinly sliced shallot

1/3 cup light rum

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

In a medium bowl, combine mint leaves, sugar and shallot. Pound with a wooden spoon to crush coarsely.

Whisk in rum, lime juice, oil lime zest and salt. Whisk until salt dissolves.

YIELD: makes 4 to 6 servings

Notes: These sweet, juicy shrimp taste of fragrant mint and lime. Don't marinate for more than the recommended time or the rum and lime juice will "cook" the shrimp and ruin their texture.