Sriracha-Lime Summer Orzo Salad

My friends know how much I dread warm weather. Just like clockwork, I find myself watching Lake Tahoe webcams in May with morbid curiosity as the snow melts inch-by-inch. We can't control the change in seasons, but we can control how we choose to enjoy it. So let's start summer off right with a recipe that's been a hit at my recent barbeques!

You'll love my sriracha-lime orzo salad because your guests won't even notice that you conveniently forgot to pick up the expensive meat that the host always gets stuck buying. Oh but hey, thanks for buying the plastic forks man. 

Orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, takes a hot bath in chicken broth before it joins the party of avocado, corn, and black beans that are ready to throw back a few shots of spicy sriracha and fresh squeezed lime juice. You can make this ahead of time so you can spend more time on the patio and less time in your sauna of a kitchen. Let's get started...

Quick Tip: How to Make In-N-Out Burger Grilled Onions

In-N-Out Burger is my favorite fast food. In fact, when people ask me what I love most about living in California, I always reply back with "having In-N-Out Burger, the San Jose Sharks, and fantastic weather."

Many people (myself included) have tried to recreate this amazing burger, but failed to reproduce the symphony of flavors, texture, and quality ingredients. Well, I'm proud to say that I've nailed one important part of the recipe: the grilled onions.

They are part of a not-so-secret-menu item at In-N-Out Burger called "animal style." They probably call it that because people turn into monkeys at the thought of these melting morsels of sweetness!

These grilled onions are also great on philly cheesesteaks and hot dogs!

Cinnamon Roll Coffee Ice Cream Cake

How delicious and decadent does my cinnamon roll coffee ice cream cake look? Chewy and sweet rolls add the perfect texture to support the amazing flavor combination of cinnamon, coffee, and chocolate. I basically turned a Starbucks coffeehouse into a dessert. 

I know what you're thinking. That looks amazing, but the calories dude..and isn't it time consuming?

Everything in moderation, including moderation. I've lost 40 pounds in the past year by just exercising regularly and having a more balanced diet. I still eat In-N-Out Burger and desserts like this.

This took 5 minutes to assemble. I used store bought ingredients to cut down on time and fuss. Got a favorite cinnamon roll recipe? Feel free to use it instead. Don't like coffee or chocolate ice cream? Put your favorite flavor in. My goal is just to give you a new dessert idea. Let your imagination run with it!