Fresh Fruit Salad

Cherries are on sale at my local  Latin market for 99 cents per pound! And, they provid the bulk of sweet and tangy produce as well - just read below all the Spanish words of the abundant frutas on sale.

So, now the time is right for my refreshing Fruit Salad. Of course, any seasonal fruit on sale can go into your own citrus salad. I like to mix up crunchy fruit with the soft and juicy.

My fruit salad is minimalist, just whatever fruit I can find on sale. And I give it a generous squeeze of lemon, or lime, to prolong it's freshness, and to cut the sweetness with a little sour.

I always find bananas priced way below a dollar per pound. If you are making a Fruit Salad ahead of time, then don't add sliced banana until you are ready to serve, they turn brown too quickly, even with a lemon or lime bath.

Apples and oranges frequently come on sale. Apples are easy to slice and dice. Oranges can be a little messy, with a slight bitter pith, that separates the skin from flesh. I like to slice off the peel and pith. You could then slice into each orange wedge to cleanly remove the flesh. I don't go that far.

Cherries take the most work, but are worth the trouble. I slice each cherry around the center seed. Twist the cherry halves and expose the seed. Now, it's easier to pluck the seed out. Have a paper towel handy in case juice gets everywhere!

To bulk up a Fruit Salad, add sliced melon or watermelon. If you are from the South, them add some fresh peaches, nectarines, blackberries and strawberries. Northerners get to add some blueberries and all kinds of apple varieties. If you live in breathtaking Hawai'i, add passion fruit, mango,pineapple, lychee nut, papaya and  slivers of fresh coconut.

Whatever the season, keep an eye out for fresh fruit on sale at your local farmers market or roadside fruit stands, then assemble a cheap$kate Fresh Fruit Salad- your way.

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 1 banana
• 12-20 cherries
• 1 apple
• 1 orange
• 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice - can add more or less to your taste.
• More fruit to add: peach, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, mango, papaya, pineapple, nectarine, plum, melon, watermelon and grapes.

Directions
For apples, just remove the apple core and stem, then chop.

Cherries are sliced all around the center. You then twist the opposite ends of cherry to expose the seed. Now just pry it out with a knife, small spoon or use your fingers.

I slice an orange in half. Then, slice off the skin and pith to expose the orange flesh. Now just slice of the orange into bite-sizes. Remove any seeds if necessary.

For a banana, peel and slice, but only do it just before serving your Fruit Salad. Bananas do not keep long once the peel is off.

Finally, give the fruit a squeeze of lime or lemon juice. I add about a tablespoon. You can add more or less to suit you own taste.

Salami or Chorizo with Melon

In the dog days of summer you do not want to heat up the kitchen -- so here is a cool and cheap recipe that is perfect as a backyard or patio party appetizer, Salami or Chorizo with Melon.

Normally made with expensive slices of Italian ham called prosciutto, I've found that any decent sliced cured meat on sale is an inexpensive way to go. My local 99c only Store always carries 3.5 ounce lean slices of salami (including a Tuscan Brand) and even Spanish style cured Chorizo. Both are as lean as prosciutto but with a more intense, but still pleasing  flavor. And they pair nicely with cool and sweet melon.

As for melon, they are on sale everywhere. I've never tried a Lemondrop Melon. The light green flesh is firm with a hint of tart lemon flavor. While not as sweet as a cantaloupe (which I find too sweet) -- it's really quite tasty. I would get it again.

As for the preparation there is nothing to it, just slice the melon, scoop out the seeds and slice to a desired thickness. You can make the melon pieces about the same length as the cured meat slices (or, if you need to stretch it out then half the salami and melon slices to make even more appetizers.) Finally just wrap a salami slice around the melon and fasten with a tooth pick. If you are serving this at a party you can prepare it a few hours ahead of time and refrigerate.

Cured salty meat is a perfect contrast to cool sweet melon. I especially liked the Hormel Spanish Chorizo which is slightly spicy. Really, any inexpensive salami would work well. One 3.5 ounce package is more than enough for one Lemondrop Melon. Even after eating a slice, one melon will give you at least a dozen pieces (depending how thin you slice it.)

Spanish Style Chorizo

So, for an interestingly cheap and cool swimming pool party appetizer, try out The 99 Cent Chef's Salami or Chorizo with Melon.

Ingredients (about 12 pieces)

• 1 melon - any type on sale. Cantaloupe, Honeydew, Lemondrop - even Watermelon.
• About 3.5 ounces of sliced salami or chorizo - you want thin sliced so it will easily wrap around melon. You can use any type of salami on sale. Of course you can use thin sliced prosciutto or a favorite cured meat, and even sliced ham.

Directions
Cut melon in half and spoon out the seeds. Slice the melon to desired thickness (about 1/2 inch thick.) Trim off the rind from the melon flesh. Cut melon slices to about the same length as the salami and/or chorizo slices.

Lemondrop Melon

Finally wrap melon pieces with a slice of salami and spear each one all the way through with a toothpick.
You can chow down right away, or refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

*For a smaller bite (to stretch appetizer and feed more guests,) cut salami or chorizo slices into half sizes, same with melon pieces.

Tuscan Brand Salami