Pina Colada Delight

A creamy blend of coconut, pineapple, and rum, Pina Colada has to be one of the most popular cocktails worldwide, with a name meaning "strained pineapple."  Pina Colada was introduced on August 16, 1954, and has been the official beverage of Puerto Rico since 1978. I was inspired to make this drink into a dessert using Cream Cheese and Instant Pudding. This will impress your guests at any cocktail party. Enjoy!

 

 

Prep Time:10

Chilling Time:15- 20

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup Pina Colada Mix
• 1 cup Coconut Milk
• 1 package Instant Vanilla Pudding (Sugar-Free -Fat-Free)
• 8 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese (whipped)
• 1 cup fresh Pineapple chunks
• 2 tablespoons Rum or Rum flavor if desired

 Step One

 

Combine Pina Colada mix, coconut milk, and vanilla pudding in a blender. Blend well, then add cream cheese, fresh pineapple and rum. Blend until smooth, and the pudding is starting to set.

 Step Two 

Pour Pina Colada Delight into cocktail glasses and let chill for about 15 - 20 minutes. When ready to serve, garnish with pineapple chucks and maraschino cherries.

Pesto Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

 

Course: Appetizer

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

About The Recipe

This recipe features zesty pesto-flavored shrimp wrapped with Applewood Bacon. It is served with fresh Pineapple salsa. It is a perfect appetizer or starter for any party or special gathering. The salsa combines fresh pineapple's sweet and tangy flavor with fresh cilantro, red chili, and jalapeño peppers. It’s perfect to serve with the bacon-wrapped shrimp.

Ingredients:

Shrimp

- 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp thawed if frozen, peeled, deveined, and leave tails on.
- ½ cup Basil Pesto  
- 1 lb. package of Applewood bacon. If not available, you can use any thin slice of bacon. The number of bacon slices depends on how many shrimp you work with.  You may not need the entire pound.

Pineapple Salsa

-1 container of fresh pineapple in chucks or slices or 1 whole fresh pineapple peeled and cut into chucks

-1 red chili pepper

-1 jalapeño pepper

- ½ red onion diced

-1 lime (juice and zest)

-2 tsp maple syrup

-2 tbsp fresh chopped mint leaves

-2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro 

Salt & pepper to taste

Equipment

-Toothpicks
-Sheet pan

-Non-stick Aluminum foil

-Citrus zester

Instructions

Pesto bacon-wrapped shrimp

Peel and deveined shrimp and leave tails on.

Add basil pesto to a medium bowl. Add shrimp and coat them with pesto. Let the shrimp marinate for 5 - 10 minutes.

Cut bacon slices in half as required for the number of shrimp. Place one shrimp on half a slice of bacon, wrap it around the shrimp, and insert a toothpick to secure the bacon. Then, arrange the shrimp on a sheet pan lined with non-stick aluminum foil. If non-stick is unavailable, use regular foil and lightly spray cooking spray. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Place the sheet pan on the middle oven rack. Bake the shrimp for about 15 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the shrimp are pink. (Turn shrimp if you want the bacon crisp on both sides.)

Pineapple Salsa preparation

Cut pineapple chunks into small, diced pieces.

Cut chili and jalapeno in half, remove and discard the seeds and membranes, and then finely chop.

Dice red onion, zest one lime, then extract juice.

Finely chop mint and cilantro leaves.

Let’s make the Pineapple Salsa -makes about 1 ½ cups.

1. Add diced pineapple, red chili, jalapeno, red onion, lime zest, juice, and maple syrup to a large bowl and blend well.  

2. Add chopped mint and cilantro.

3. Salt & pepper to taste if required.

Plating

Select a lovely platter and bowl for salsa. Place the salsa bowl in the center of the platter, and then arrange the shrimp around the bowl.  

Enjoy your delicious Pesto Bacon Wrapped Shrimp.

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

This recipe is inspired by my daughter Tanisha who loves Thai food.   
So this is my take on Thai Pineapple Fried Rice with Smoked Sausage.

 

My Pantry Ingredients

•  3 eggs
• 3 cups Jasmine Rice (cooked)
• 1 1/2 cup Fresh Diced Pineapple Chunks
• 13.5 oz package of Johnsonville Smoked Sausage (slice)
• 1/2 cup Fresh Green Scallions (chopped  and divided)
• 4 Cloves of garlic (minced and divided)
• 1/4 cup Red Chili Peppers (divided)
• 1/4 cup Green Chili Peppers (divided)
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 
• 2 tbsp fresh minced ginger (divided)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped and divided)
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil (divided)
• 2 tbsp  Sesame Seed Oil  (divided)
• 1 tbsp of lemon zest
• 1 tbsp Fish Sauce
• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce

 

Preparation

Preheat your wok. I am using a non-stick wok, so less oil will be required for frying. You need to make sure your wok is very hot.

1.     Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sesame oil to hot wok.

2.     Add part of the garlic and chili peppers to flavor hot oil to fry eggs.  Fry eggs, once done remove and set aside to add back later.

3.     Add the balance of olive and sesame oil, then add smoked sausage and stir fry until golden brown. 

4.     Then add part of the scallions and cilantro (hold some back for garnish),minced ginger, chili peppers, and garlic.  Then add jasmine rice ( fluff rice with a folk before adding), in addition make sure your rice is warm or room temperature.  Cold rice will cool your pan down. Stir rice to keep the grains loose, then add back fried eggs and blend well.

5.     Add balance of ginger and peppers, then lime juice, lemon zest, fish sauce, and soy sauce, once the rice is well coated with all those wonderful Thai flavors, add pineapple chunks and blend well.  If you want a little more spice you can red pepper flakes.

     Place fried rice in serving dish and garnish with scallions, cilantro, red and green chili peppers.  Served rice with the traditional Thai sides, cucumbers, lime or lemon slices and bean sprouts.

Related articles

• Jasmine Rice Cooking Tips (skillsinlife.wordpress.com)
• Coconut and Thai curry soup (fiveandspice.wordpress.com)
• Thai cuisine (carvingthaiculinary.com)

Salads are not just for summer - Jicama Fruit Salad

Jicama -The root's exterior is yellow and papery, while its inside is creamy white with a crisp texture that resembles raw potato or pear. The flavor is sweet and starchy, reminiscent of some apples or raw green beans, and it is usually eaten raw, sometimes with salt, lemon, or lime juice and chili powder.

It has been cultivated in South America for centuries, and the vegetable is quite popular in Mexican cuisine. Jicama's unique flavor lends itself well to salads, salsas, and vegetable platters.

For this salad if you are not able to find Jicama, then you can use green pears or grannie smith apple.  Enjoy!!

NUTRITION ESTIMATE  for Jicama
Per 1/4 pound: 43 Calories; 0g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 4mg Sodium; 10g Carb; 5.5g Fiber; 2g Sugar; 1g Protein;

Ingredients

         Dressing: Lime & Honey

·       2 tablespoons fresh squeeze lime juice (about ½  medium lime)

·       1 tablespoon honey

·       2 teaspoons Olive Oil

·       1 teaspoon finely chop fresh parsley

·       ½ teaspoon MRS Dash Herb & Garlic Seasoning

         Salad

·       1 cup jicama strips ( ½ of medium size jicama)

·       1 cup sliced strawberries

·       ¾ cup fresh slice pineapple

·       ¼ cup chopped scallions

·       1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint

·       1 cup each of Baby Spring Salad Mix

Directions

1.     Prepare dressing – in a small bowl, combine lime juice, honey, olive oil, parsley and herb & garlic seasoning.  Blend all ingredients well.

1.     Prepare salad – cut jicama in half, then remove skin.  Then slice in ½" slices; once that is done then slice in thin strips.

2.     In medium bowl add jicama strips, slice strawberries, pineapple, scallions, and mint. Then add dressing over fruit and blend well.  To enhance the flavor of the fruit season with a little salt to taste.

   To serve – place a cup of spring salad mix blend in each bowl, then top salad mix with fruit salad.