Salsa Roja aka "Red Sauce" is a thin tomato and chili based salsa from Mexico. The ingredients are charred in a dry hot skillet to give it a smokey flavor and is perfect for chip dipping and serving as a side. It goes well with all meals but especially with tacos, fish and chicken, quesadillas, sandwiches, fried eggs and hash browns.

Salsa Roja

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Place the first 4 ingredients in the pan and char on all sides. Cool the veggies, add the lime and cilantro, place in a blender and pulse until chunky.

Fresh guacamole, crispy tortillas and a cool beverage is the best way to start a relaxing evening. Guacamole is a mainstay in texmex cuisine and can be used as a refreshing condiment for tacos, salads, chicken and fish. The avocados in guacamole are filled with vitamin, nutrients and healthy fats that are great for healthy skin, hair and nails. This recipe can be made in minutes and you can try some of the mix in options below to suit your tastes.

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Fresh Guacamole

Place all of the ingredients into a bowl and smash together until chunky. Keep refrigerated until service.

Optional Mix Ins

Fresh pico de gallo and crispy tortilla chips are a perfect party pleaser. "Pico" unlike it's salsa counterpart is a chunkier, less watery, uncooked version of the standard mexican condiment. The ingredients represent the Mexican flag with its red tomato, white onion and green cilantro. Pico de gallo brings a fresh and vibrant flavor to any dish and is perfect for tacos, breakfast burritos, salads and topped on grilled fish, steak and chicken.

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Pico De Gallo

Place all of the ingredients into a bowl and toss to combine.

10 Tips for Perfect Sautéed Summer Vegetables

From the grocery store to farmers markets and roadside stands, fresh vegetables are ripe for the pickin' during the summer months. Check out this simple recipe for sautéed summer vegetables and eat healthy all summer long. Follow the tips below for perfect vegetables every time.

1. Use a large pan. Increasing the surface area that the veggies can cook on, increases the caramelization and overall flavor.

2. Always use medium heat. If the heat is too low the veggies will turn to mush. If the flame is too high, the veggies will burn before they cook through.

3. Dry the vegetables well before cooking. If there is a lot of water on the veggies, they will steam instead of brown and you will get a mushy mess.

4. Cook the vegetables in small batches. The food will start to steam if there is too much in the pan.

5. Add a little oil to the pan and wait until it smokes before adding any food to the pan. This will brown the veggies without making them greasy.

6. "Sauté" or toss the veggies every couple of minutes to rotate the food. Try not to stir with a spoon or tongs frequently because you will break the vegetable down and make them mushy.

7. When cooking different vegetables, start with the firm veggies first and add softer vegetables later in the cooking process.

8. Cook the vegetables until they are browned on the outside and still undercooked in the middle. By the time the veggies are served, they will be perfect.

9. Do not marinate vegetables in sugary based marinades of cooking sauces. These suaces will burn in the pan as you cook the veggies. A little olive oil, dried herbs, spices, salt and pepper work really well.

10. Lightly season with salt and pepper to bring the natural flavor out of the food. Dried herbs and a splash of teriyaki sauce or curry can also be added at the end for extra flavor.

Sautéed Spring Vegetables

Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil to the pan. When the oil starts to smoke, add the asparagus and peppers to the pan, toss and let cook for 3 minutes, do not touch! Toss the veggies once and allow to cook for more 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, red chili flakes, salt and pepper to the pan, toss and cook for 3 minutes. Continue cooking and tossing every 3 minutes until the veggies have browned on the outside and are slightly undercooked in the middle. You can serve this hot out of the pan or chill out for a cool grilled veggie salad.

Roasted potatoes are great comfort food and go great with all types of meats and veggies. This is an awesome recipe because you can get perfect potatoes without turning the oven on. Everything from boiling to browning is done in the pan saving you time and energy, especially during the summer months.

Serve this dish at your next BBQ, family meal or picnic. You can also let the potatoes cool and create a great potato salad.

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Pan Roasted Potatoes

Place all of the ingredients into a large a pan and cover with a lid or tightly fit aluminum foil. Bring the liquid to a simmer and let cook for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are 3/4 cooked through. To check doneness, stick the potatoes with a knife, and the center should be firm.

Remove the lid from the pan and let the potatoes cook until all of the liquid is gone. Let the potatoes brown in the fat, tossing every 3 minutes until crispy on all sides. Season with salt and pepper then garnish with herbs and lemon if you like.

Made from chunks of fresh fruit, ice and sugar, aqua fresca is the most refreshing beverage to drink during the summer time. This "fresh water" is generally found in Central American/ Mexican markets, bodegas and taquerias and is blended fresh for each order. They come in various flavors like melon, watermelon, mango, strawberry, coconut, guava, passion fruit, kiwi and pineapple. If your are luck and ask really nicely they will mix up the flavors up for you.

Try this simple recipe below and stay refreshed through the hot summer months. You can also add any kind of fresh of frozen fruit to this mix and make it your own.

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Mango Aqua Fresca

Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend for 2 minutes or unit the ice has melted.

How to Skin a Mango

Mango is a tropical fruit loaded with vitamins (Vitamin C) , minerals, antioxidants and most important, flavor. They are used in cuisines around the world including Central and South America, Jamaica and the west Indies, African, Middle Eastern, European, Asian and Indian. It can be used in sweet desserts like ice cream, drinks, sorbet, cakes and flambés as well as savory dishes like spicy chutneys, salsas, dips and sauces.

You can find mangoes fresh, dried, canned as well as frozen. Fresh Mangoes are in season in the states and Mexico from May to September. They can be found year round in most markets and can come from as far as Thailand and India. Check out this video and learn how to slice a fresh mango to enjoy today. This method of slicing a mongo can also be used to skin lots of round fruits and veggies like pineapples, oranges, lemons, limes, melons, apples, pears, potatoes and squashes.

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Kale, Blueberry and Wheatberry Salad

• 3 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tsp. Honey
• 1 tsp. Mustard
• 1 tsp. Dried Herbs

Place the first 4 ingredients into bowl. Place the next 5 ingredients into a bowl and whisk until smooth. Place 2 tablespoons of the dressing over the salad and toss lightly to coat.

Parsnips are a truly under appreciated root veggie. Whether raw or cooked, steamed, fried, baked, mashed or sautéed, parsnips pack nutritional and flavorful punch that can't be beat. With the sweetness of a carrot with the starchiness of a potato, parsnips can be used in a million different ways and please the whole family. Try this recipe for simple pan roasted parsnips and feel free to add various root veggies like carrots, turnips or even beats.

Pan Roasted Parsnips

Pre heat the oven to 400 F. Place the butter in an oven safe pan, let it melt then add the parsnips, salt and seasonings. Toss this together, then place the pan in the oven and cook for 40 minutes, tossing after 20 minutes. Cook until parsnips are tender and golden brown.

Potato Gnocchi With Butter and Cinnamon

Remove the skin from the cooled potato and shred on a grater. Place 1 cup of flour, salt and cinnamon on a flat surface and make a well in the middle. Place the potato and egg in bowl and start to mix the wet ingredients together incorporating a small amount of flour until the dough forms. Lightly knead the dough on the floured surface adding a small amount of flour until it is light and does not stick to the surface.

Cut off a small portion of the dough, roll into a snake, then cut the snake into small 3/4-inch portions. Roll the gnocchi across the back of a fork to make the indentations, place on a sheet tray and freeze for 10 minutes. Boil the pasta in salted water until they float to the top, about 90 seconds. While that is cooking, warm the butter in a pan over medium heat. When the butter starts to brown add the sage and cinnamon, cook for one minute, add the gnocchi and sauté for one minute and serve immediately.