Unofficial start of summer

This weekend is the unofficial launch of the summer season. QVC's resident foodie, David Venable, has several recipes to help you get the summer off to a tasty start.

Grilled Chicken Breast with Pico de Gallo

Serves 4

Pico de Gallo:

4 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

1 small white onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Chicken:

4 (5-6 ounces) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

cup extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Zest of 1 lemon

To prepare the pico de gallo, toss all the ingredients in a medium-size bowl until evenly combined. Place into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

To prepare the chicken, place the breasts between 2 pieces of wax paper. Use a meat mallet to pound them to a -inch thickness.

Place all the ingredients into a large zip-tight bag. Gently toss so the marinade evenly coats the chicken. Place in a bowl in the refrigerator and marinate at least 8 hours, or up to 12 hours.

Preheat the grill to high. Place the chicken breasts onto the hot grill and cook for 4-5 minutes until char marks appear. Flip the chicken and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the chicken reads 165°F, about 4-5 more minutes. Top each chicken breast with pico de gallo before serving.

David's Insider Tip: "Pico de gallo is a fresh salsa and complements this chicken beautifully. You can also use it to top steaks, tacos, quesadillas or nachos, so keep the recipe handy."

Frozen Patriotic Pie

Serves 8-10

60 vanilla wafer cookies, finely ground

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 stick butter, melted

4 cups frozen vanilla yogurt

teaspoon blue food coloring

2 cups raspberry sorbet

1 can of whipped cream

Fresh blueberries and raspberries, for decorating

Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine the ground vanilla wafers, sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a medium-size bowl. Evenly press the crust mixture into the bottom and sides of a deep 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes and then cool completely.

Place 2 cups of the frozen vanilla yogurt and blue food coloring into the bowl of an electric mixer. Fit your mixer with a paddle attachment, if available. Mix the yogurt until the blue food coloring is evenly distributed into the yogurt.

Place the yogurt into the prepared pie shell and spread it evenly over the bottom, making sure the surface is smooth. Freeze for 30 minutes.

Clean your mixing bowl. To start the second layer, put the remaining 2 cups of frozen yogurt into the bowl. Mix until soft enough to spread, about 2-3 minutes. Place the softened yogurt on top of the blue layer of the frozen yogurt and spread it evenly over the surface. Make sure the surface is smooth. Freeze for 30 minutes.

For the third layer, soften the sorbet as directed above for the frozen yogurt. Place the sorbet on top of the vanilla layer and spread it evenly over the surface. Freeze the pie for at least 4-6 hours, or overnight. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving.

While the pie is coming to room temperature, decorate the border with whipped cream. Make a small ring in the middle of the pie and fill it with the berries.

David's Insider Tip: "Dip your knife in hot water after cutting each slice. Not only will the heat of the blade make it easier to cut the next piece, but you'll also get those bold layers of red, white and blue."

Death by Chocolate Trifle with Grilled Strawberries

Serves 14-16

Grilled Strawberries:

2 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved

Juice of 1 lemon

cup sugar

1/2 cup strawberry preserves

Trifle:

2-1/2 cups whole milk

cup cold strong coffee

2 (3.9-ounce) packages chocolate fudge instant pudding mix

1 (16-ounce) container whipped topping, divided

1 pound chocolate cake, cut into 1" pieces

1 (14.3-ounce) package Oreos, crumbled

To prepare the grilled strawberries, preheat an outdoor grill over high heat. Place the halved strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar in a medium-size bowl. Toss until the strawberries are fully coated and place them in a nonstick grill pan. Cook for 5-6 minutes, tossing constantly. Place the berries back into the bowl and add the strawberry preserves. Mix until evenly combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until completely cold.

To prepare the pudding, whisk together the milk, coffee, and the packages of instant pudding in a large bowl until the mixture is thick. Fold in half of the whipped topping until fully incorporated.

Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until completely cold.

Use a large trifle bowl to assemble the trifle. Place of the chocolate cake pieces into the bowl followed by of the pudding mixture, of the grilled strawberries, and of the remaining whipped topping. End with of the crushed Oreos. Repeat this process 2 more times, finishing with the whipped topping and crushed Oreos. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

David's Insider Tip: "Trifles are awesome because they're essentially dump-and- stir recipes. Just don't literally 'dump' in the ingredients … you want the layers to stay uniform, so you get that you-slaved-all-day-on-this-dessert look."

Host of QVC's popular cooking and dining show "In the Kitchen with David," Venable is the author of "In the Kitchen with David: QVC's Resident Foodie Presents Comfort Foods That Take You Home," and "Back Around the Table: An "In the Kitchen with David."