Grilled Jerk Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers

Grilled Jerk Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers 1 pound (20-25 or 16-20) shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/2 cup jerk marinade 2 slices pineapple, cut into 1/2 inch pieces Directions Marinate the shrimp in the the half of the jerk marinade for at least 20 minutes and up to over night, skewer the shrimp and pineapple and grill over medium-high heat until cooked, about 2-3 minutes per side. Jerk Marinade A quick and easy homemade jerk marinade! 1+ scotch bonnet pepper 2 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon ginger, grated 2 green onions 1 tablespoon thyme, chopped 1 tablespoon allspice 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon oil 2 tablespoons white vinegar 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon dark rum 1/2 orange, juice and zest 1 lime, juice and zest Puree everything in a food processor. Tip: Scotch bonnet peppers can be a little hot so you may want to start by adding half a pepper, test the heat level and continue adding more until the marinade is as hot as you want.

Strawberry Pie

Strawberry Pie 3 Tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 cups water 3 oz box strawberry Jell-O 2 cups sliced strawberries Pre-bake a 10" pie shell Line bottom of pie shell with the sliced strawberries. Combine cornstarch, sugar and water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add the Jell-O and stir until dissolved. Pour over the strawberries and refrigerate until set. Serve with whipped cream.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved 1 jar (6 oz) maraschino cherries without stems, drained 1 box Super Moist yellow cake mix Vegetable oil and eggs as called for on cake mix box Preheat oven to 350. In 13 x 9 inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Gently press pineapple slices on brown sugar. Gently press a cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices. Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 cup. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries. Bake 42 to 48 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake. Allow to cool

SLOW COOKER BROWN SUGAR CHICKEN

SLOW COOKER BROWN SUGAR CHICKEN 3 pounds of chicken thighs, skin removed 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, or to taste 1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste 1/4 teaspoon of Creole or Cajun seasoning(like Slap Ya Mama), or to taste 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, or to taste 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, packed 1 (6 ounce) can of pineapple juice 1/3 cup of soy sauce 2 tablespoons of cornstarch 2 tablespoons of water Remove skin from chicken & season lightly with the salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning and garlic powder. Pat seasoning into chicken and place into the slow cooker. Whisk together the brown sugar, pineapple juice & soy sauce; pour around chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, depending on the size of the chicken. Use a wide spatula to remove the chicken from the slow cooker to a platter & loosely tent with aluminum foil; set aside to prepare the glaze. Turn cooker to high until mixture comes to a boil, or transfer to a saucepan for the stove top. Whisk together the water & cornstarch until there are no lumps. Slowly stir into the boiling sauce until fully incorporated & continue boiling for about 3 to 4 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let rest a moment. Brush the sauce over each chicken thigh & serve the remaining sauce at the table. Note: I also added a few grinds of Rachel Ray's Perfect Poultry seasoning to the chicken, which contains sea salt, back pepper, onion, sage, rosemary & thyme. I also used low sodium soy sauce.

PINA COLADA MOJITO

PINA COLADA MOJITO Fresh squeezed juice from half a lime. 6 mint leaves 1 tsp sugar 2 oz. coconut rum 3 oz. pineapple juice 3 oz. club soda 1 cup crushed ice In a tall highball glass muddle together the lime juice, mint and sugar. Add ice, pour in remaining ingredients, and stir. Garnish with a sprig of mint and lime slices.

FROZEN STRAWBERRY LEMONADE

FROZEN STRAWBERRY LEMONADE 1 ½ cups lemonade (good quality, lightly sweetened) 10 fresh California strawberries 3 Tbsp honey 2 cups ice Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend on high speed for 1 minute until fully blended and smooth. Pour into glasses and serve with a strawberry garnish.

TEX MEX CHOPPED CHICKEN SALAD

TEX MEX CHOPPED CHICKEN SALAD dressing 1 cup ranch dressing 2 Tbsp taco seasoning, hot or mild salad 3 cups chicken, cooked, cooled and diced 4 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped, about 1 head 2 Roma tomatoes, diced 1 cucumber, seeded and diced 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen 4-5 green onions, sliced 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, or pepper jack, cut into ¼” cubes 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped juice of 1/2 of a lime 1 cup tortilla chips, crushed jalapeño, diced, toasted pumpkin seeds, diced avocado or jicama for garnish (optional) In a small bowl, stir together ingredients for dressing then refrigerate until ready to use. In a large bowl, toss salad ingredients together. Add dressing a little at a time then toss until lightly coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.