"They are delighted with the Puppy Puzzle toys, which I only put in yesterday.  One or two of them have already figured out how to pull the bee's out of the hive, or the birds out of the bird house, or the squirrels out of the tree.  They really love that big colorful cube filled with different shaped squeaky objects."

Topping chops with a mélange of grilled stone fruits is a fantastic way to incorporate some of the season’s best produce into an unexpected pork condiment.  The sweetness of grilled cherries, plums, apricots, peaches and nectarines is offset by the fiery tang of balsamic vinegar and grilled jalapeno peppers.   

4 pork chops (1 1/2-inches thick, bone-in or America’s Cut boneless)

Marinade:

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon coarse-ground pepper 

Place pork chops in resealable plastic bag. In a 1-cup glass measure, stir together maple syrup, vinegar and pepper.  Pour over pork in bag; seal bag.  Refrigerate for 2 hours. When ready to cook, preheat grill to 400º to 450ºF.  Remove chops from bag and discard marinade.  Spray chops lightly with cooking spray; place on hot grill. Cook for 7 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 160º F. using an instant-read thermometer.  Remove from grill; cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with Grilled Stone Fruit Salsa. 

Grilled Stone Fruit Salsa

4 to 5 fresh peaches or plums (or any mixture of additional stone fruits* such as nectarines, apricots or cherries, to yield 2 cups total chopped fruit, as directed below)

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 jalapeno pepper, membranes and seeds removed, halved

Salt and pepper 

Wash and halve fruit. Remove the pits; place fruit in bowl. Pour maple syrup and balsamic vinegar over fruit; toss gently to coat. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours.  Reserving maple-balsamic mixture, place fruit and jalapeno pepper on grill, cut side down.** Grill over direct medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove fruit and pepper from grill and place back into reserved marinade; cube fruit into 1-inch cubes or quarters. Peel dark skin from jalapeno pepper (if desired); finely chop. Toss with fruit and marinade to combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with Tangy Maple-Marinated Pork Chops. 

Serves 4 

Grilled Fish Tacos with a Roasted Chile and Avocado Salsa

1/2 Hass avocado, flesh removed from peel
2 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded
1 jalapeno, roasted, peeled and seeded
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3/4 cup chopped yellow onion, divided
3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, divided
1 lime, juiced
1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
3 tablespoons water
1 pound amberjack fillet
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
8 fresh, white or yellow corn tortillas, warmed
4 slices ripe tomato, cut in 1/2
2 limes, halved

In a blender, combine the avocado with the roasted poblano and jalapeno peppers, 1/4 cup of the olive oil, 1/4 cup of the chopped onion, 1/4 cup of the cilantro leaves, the lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt and the water. Puree until smooth and set aside as you prepare the rest of the dish.

Preheat a cast iron grill pan over medium heat. Season the amberjack with the remaining teaspoon of kosher salt and the white pepper. Rub on both sides with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and place in the grill pan. Sear until just cooked through, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside.

To assemble the tacos, divide the fish (in flakes or small chunks) evenly among the tortillas. Place 1 tablespoon of the chopped onion and 1 tablespoon of the cilantro leaves over the fish. Place a half tomato slice over the onions and cilantro and spread some of the Roasted Chile and Avocado Salsa over the tomato and fish. Squeeze some lime juice over the tacos, fold over and eat. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, fish and other ingredients.

Yield: 8 tacos

Grilled Potato Parcels

3 large russet potatoes, washed, diced large
8–10 cloves garlic, peeled and whole
1 cup green chile
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter

Place all ingredients in large bowl and mix well. Wrap potato mixture in two layers of aluminum foil, making sure there are no holes or unsealed edges. Place on grill or next to coals of pit fire. Turn occasionally. Cook at least 45 minutes.

Honey-Vanilla Grilled Peaches

This sweet treat is the perfect conclusion to your grilled meal.

6 freestone peaches, quartered, pitted
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons honey
1 vanilla-bean pod
6 bamboo skewers
(soak wooden skewers in
warm water for 1 hour before
assembling kebabs)

Preheat grill to medium-high.
Skewer peach quarters. Brush with butter and place on grill. Remove vanilla seeds from pod. Combine seeds with honey and brush periodically over peaches. Cook 6–8 minutes, turning to create grill marks. Serve over vanilla ice cream and drizzle with remaining honey. Serves 6.