Chile-Spiced Fruit Salad with Queso Fresco

Yesterday I made this salad for the office Cinqo de Mayo party. I tried to find something that was healthy, but also on theme. Unfortunately, I forgot to read the recipe before I showed up at work and I had to make the dressing in the microwave. Luckily, it turned out fine. Also, since the fruits it calls for are not in season, I substituted strawberries and kiwi for the peaches and blueberries. My only suggestion would be to add more lime juice. At least twice, maybe three times as much. I got this recipe from the July 2008 Cooking Light magazine.

ingredients

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 large jalapeno pepper, sliced in half length wise

(I also seeded the jalapeno so it wouldn't be as spicy)

2 cups cubed seedless watermelon

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 large peach, peeled & sliced

(or whatever fruit you want)

2 TB fresh lime juice

for serving

crumbled queso fresco

directions

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until sugar dissolves, remove from heat and add jalapeno to sugar mixture. Cover and let stand 1 hour or until cooled to room temperature. Strain sugar mixture through a mesh sieve over a bowl and discard solids.

(office version: Add the sugar to 1/4 cup of hot water and stir until it dissolves. Add jalapeno and microwave everything for about 30 seconds or until the mixture bubbles. Add ice cube to cool it down and take out the jalapeno.)

Combine fruit, sugar mixture and lime juice. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.