We’ve been on a green salsa kick recently. Cooking still doesn’t sound that fun so instead we’ve been coming home, cracking a beer, and eating way too many chips with this salsa. It’s rillyrilly good.

It’s up to you, of course, to make it as spicy as you like. Our first batch was good but thicker than we wanted and nowhere near hot enough. The second batch (and I should note, this is most definitely a Dan-led initiative) is the recipe you see below. We used two hot peppers and left the seeds in – actually we just lopped off the stems and threw them into the blender whole – plus we added a pinch of cayenne pepper.

The avocado and sour cream do an amazing job of bringing some creamy balance to the heat of the peppers but it’s certainly got a kick so cold beers are advised :)

Houston-Style Green Salsa
adapted from The Homesick Texan Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh tomatillos
• 1 large avocado
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1-2 serrano peppers, seeds removed (or left in!)
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tbsp sour cream

Directions

Avocado on toast with olive oil and sea salt; heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella on toast.

Fried eggs on toast; sauteed rainbow chard; strawberries.

Raw oats with Greek yoghurt, sunflower seeds, almonds, peaches and strawberries.

As is always the way in the summertime, I’m cooking less. More time spent outside in the hot sun and less time inside my sweltering kitchen.

I thought it might be fun to show you a snap shot of how I eat in these hot weeks when I’m sharing fewer recipes with you. Imagine a healthy amount of peanut butter on toast and smoothies thrown into the mix and you have a pretty accurate portrayal here.

What are you eating?

P.S. More summer eats.

(Photos from Instagram. I’m @angharad_guy.)

Here is your Chicken Wing Party Manual.

Take twenty pounds of chicken wings.

Heat one vat of vegetable oil to scalding.

Add three different homemade sauces and one dry rub.

Blue cheese dressing mellows things out in a super cheesy way. Crudites are optional but not really that welcome at our parties. Let’s keep it wing-central.

Throw in a cooler full of beer, a couple dozen loud, awesome friends, tiki torches for those mid-summer mosquitoes, and you have yourself the perfect recipe.

I’m married to a chicken wing lover. This is how things go down once a year in our backyard on hot, steamy, beer-fueled, bug-y nights. I highly recommend it.

Dry Jerk Rub
recipe from Food.com

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon crushed dried hot pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried chives
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

1. Combine all herbs and spices together and transfer to a seal-able plastic bag.
2. Add chicken wings and coat with rub. Makes enough for 12 wings. Or after the wings are cooked, transfer to a mixing bowl toss wings to coat with dry rub. Increase recipe as desired.

Buffalo Sauce
adapted from here

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce (Frank’s is the brand used in Buffalo)
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan, and over low heat bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, then turn off.
2. After the wings are cooked, transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over the hot wings and toss to completely coat.

Blue Cheese Dressing
from David Lebovitz

Ingredients

• 4 ounces (115g) blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
• 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream, regular or lowfat
• 1/4 cup (60ml) buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar
• a few drops of red wine vinegar

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mash the blue cheese with the salt and a few grinds of pepper with the back of a fork until the pieces of cheese are finely broken up.
2. Stir in the chives, sour cream, buttermilk, and lemon juice or wine vinegar until well mixed.
3. Add a few drops of red wine vinegar. Taste, and adjust any of the seasonings to your liking and if the dressing too thick, add a bit more buttermilk.