Summer is just around the corner and that means lighter fare and grilling outdoors. Since I try not to use the stove or oven during these hot months I have many cold salads and outdoor grilling recipes. Here are a few of my favorites:

Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad Recipe
Breasts of chicken are marinated overnight in a delicious orange sauce then grilled and placed on a bed of mixed romaine and baby lettuces. This salad is then topped with mandarin oranges and served with a delicious homemade Asian dressing. This is the perfect summer salad recipe.

Quick and Easy Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe
If you are short on time or don’t have the patience to marinate the night before, try this quick and easy salad recipe. Store bought rotisserie chicken is shredded and place on a bed of mixed lettuces and then topped with thin Chinese chow mein noodles. This is great for unexpected company or a last minute pool party.

Cold Tofu Noodle Salad Recipe
Cellophane noodles, also called bean thread noodles are easy since they don’t require any cooking. Simply soak them in warm water and drain. In this recipe they are tossed with cubed tofu, beansprouts, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions in a delicious Asian dressing. This cold tofu noodle salad makes a great lunch for a hot day. Also, this recipe calls for the beansprouts to be blanched. However, you can simply rinse them and leave them crunchy as well, which saves time and having to use the stove on a summer day as well.

Chinese Fruit Salad Recipe
For a fun summer dessert, this salad is a mix of melon balls, longans, grapes and mandarin oranges which are served in a honey dew Melon halve that is cut into beautiful triangular edged bowl. This makes the perfect summer dish and doubles as a centerpiece for your outdoor setting.

Grilled Chinese Pork Chops Recipe
This recipe can be done with either pork or chicken. Since chicken is the usual choice during the summer months I decided to try pork chops in this recipe. Here they are marinated in a mix of hoisin and honey, and then grilled perfectly. These are great served with grilled vegetables on the side.

Five Spice Grilled Chicken Skewers Recipe
Chicken pieces marinated in a mix of soy sauce, five spice powder and brown sugar are skewered and then grilled to perfection. This is a light easy summer appetizer, and makes a great lunch served over a salad.

How to Grill Tofu
Ever grill tofu? This is a great alternative to the usual grilled meats and can be seasoned with your choice of flavors. Learn all about grilling tofu and impress your friends at your next cook out.