Thursday, July 3, 2008

Jerk Chicken with Pineapple Chutney


8-10 chicken tenders, thawed
3 Tbsp. Pampered Chef® Jamaican Jerk Rub, divided
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

Heat oil in skillet. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. rub evenly over both sides of chicken; cook until no longer pink, turning once.

In large bowl, combine pineapple, beans, and peppers; toss with 1 Tbsp. rub. Pour over chicken and cook 3-5 minutes or until hot throughout.

Serve immediately.

*This goes well served over a bed of brown rice, with a fresh green salad on the side.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake


This recipe is slightly varied from the Pampered Chef recipe found in the Delightful Desserts cookbook.

1/2 c. butter or margarine
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 20-oz. can pineapple slices, undrained
10 maraschino cherries, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1 pkg. pineapple cake mix
water
3 eggs
1/3 c. unsweetened applesauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in brown sugar until well blended.

Drain pineapple; reserve juice and set aside. Arrange pineapple slices over sugar mixture; place a cherry in center of each slice. Sprinkle nuts over pineapple.

Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 1/3 cups liquid. Combine cake mix, liquid, eggs, and applesauce in large bowl and blend until smooth. Pour over fruit mixture in skillet.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until cake tests for doneness. Cool 5 minutes, then carefully loosen edge of cake and turn out onto large, heat-safe serving plate. Cool slightly; serve warm.

*I'm fairly certain I use more than 1/2 cup of pecans. I know I don't measure them; I just sprinkle them on until it looks good.

Tip: Substituting equal portions of unsweetened applesauce for oil produces a lower-fat cake that's just as moist.

Southwestern Cornbread Salad


1 6-oz. pkg. Mexican cornbread mix
1 bottle Ranch salad dressing
1 small head lettuce, shredded
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained
1 15-oz. can whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained
1 8-oz. pkg. shredded Mexican blend cheese
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
5 green onions, chopped

Prepare cornbread as directed on package; cool and crumble. Set aside.

Layer a large bowl with half each of cornbread, lettuce, tomatoes, beans, corn, cheese, bacon, and onions. Spoon dressing evenly over top. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients, and top again with dressing.

Serve immediately or cover and chill for a few hours.

*This salad presents beautifully in a trifle or other large glass bowl, but it tends to get soggy if left overnight. When I know the whole thing won't be eaten at one meal, I prepare each serving bowl separately, saving the leftover ingredients to make fresh salads the next day.

*The original recipe calls for Romaine lettuce, but I use whatever I have on hand. I love adding fresh spinach to it.