Cucumber Salad & Grilled Corn

Whatever you happen to be grilling these awesome (and healthy!) side dishes will round out your festivity!

Of course anytime the Frick family is together we’ll have our homemade Pico de Gallo and lots of fresh fruit and veggies to munch on!

Cilantro-Lime Cucumber Salad

This recipe is super easy (especially if you have a mandolin… which unfortunately at the moment, I don’t!) and super delish.  Plus! It’s an easy side dish to bring almost anywhere (picnic, pot lucks, etc.). The red pepper and jalapeño add a slight kick to it, but don’t make it overly spicy.  Enjoy!

1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cucumbers, very finely sliced
4 tablespoons minced cilantro, to taste

Directions:  Dice the jalapeno and garlic and add to a medium-sized bowl.
Add 3 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper. Use a whisk to mix in the 3 tablespoons olive oil. Set aside.
Finely slice the cucumbers. (Use a mandolin if you have it, but a very sharp knife will work as well.) Add the cucumbers to the dressing and stir together.
Finely mince the cilantro and add it to the bowl. Stir to combine. You can either let it sit in the fridge to marinate for a couple hours, or serve immediately. (I like it better once it’s marinated for at least a little bit! However, you may need to let the salad sit on the counter for a little while before serving if it's been in the fridge; the olive oil may solidify slightly when it's cold.)
Aprox. 5-6 servings

Grilled Corn on the Cob

I love grilled corn on the cob. These directions are ala Bobby Flay.  However, no matter how you grill your corn on the cob, I’ve found the secret is to keeping the corn husk ON the corn and not directly putting the beautiful kernels right on the grill. The husk helps keep in the corn’s moisture preventing dried out corn.

8 ears corn
1 Tbsp salt

Directions: Heat grill to medium.
Pull the outer husks down the ear to the base. Strip away the silk from each ear of corn. Fold husks back into place, and place the ears of corn in a large bowl of cold water with 1 Tbsp of salt for 10 minutes.
Remove corn from water shaking off excess.  Place the corn on the grill, close the cover and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, or until kernels are tender when pierced with a paring knife. Remove the husks to eat on the cob or remove kernels.  
Aprox. 8 servings