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Salsa with a sweet summer twist – watermelon!

Recipe: Grilled chicken breasts with watermelon salsa

Grilled chicken gets a sweet-spicy spark of flavor from watermelon salsa.

Grilled chicken gets a sweet-spicy spark of flavor from watermelon salsa. Debbie Arrington

What better way to end summer than with spicy watermelon salsa?

This combination makes the most of watermelon’s savory side while retaining its juicy sweetness. Watermelon salsa is a refreshing warm-weather topping for grilled chicken breasts. (It’s also great with pork tenderloin or sturdy tortilla chips.)

Grilled chicken breasts with watermelon salsa

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

¼ cup white wine

¼ cup olive oil

Watermelon, yellow bell pepper and cilantro
Cool ingredients for a spicy salsa.

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon seasoning salt

½ teaspoon coarse black pepper

2 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless

Instructions:

In a shallow dish, mix together wine, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, seasoning salt and pepper.

Pat dry chicken breasts and place in marinade, turning to coat. Refrigerate chicken breasts in marinade until ready to grill, at least 30 minutes.

Heat grill to medium. Grill chicken breasts for about 20 minutes, turning once, until done and juices run clear.

Serve chicken immediately with watermelon salsa.

Watermelon salsa

Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

½ teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1/3 cup onion, diced

½ cup yellow or green bell pepper, diced

1 Hatch or Ortega chile, chopped (about 2 to 3 tablespoons)

White bowl with watermelon salsa
This salsa also goes well with tortilla chips.

3 cups watermelon, cubed and seeds removed

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, mix together olive oil, lime juice, garlic salt and crushed red pepper. Stir in chopped cilantro, onion, bell pepper and chilies. Fold in cubed watermelon. Chill until ready to use.

Note: Refrigerate extra salsa for later use.

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Garden Checklist for week of May 5

Survey your garden after the May 4 rainstorm. Heavy rain and gusty winds can break the neck of large flowers such as roses. Also:

* Keep an eye on new transplants or seedlings; they could take a pounding from the rain.

* Watch out for powdery mildew. Warmth following moist conditions can cause this fungal disease to “bloom,” too. If you see a leaf that looks like it’s dusted with powdered sugar, snip it off.

* After the storm, start setting out tomato transplants, but wait on the peppers and eggplants (they want warmer nights). Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.

* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.

* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.

* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, radishes and squash.

* Plant onion sets.

* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias. Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.

* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom.

* Don’t wait; plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.

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