Warm Pineapple Salsa

I made this to top some steaks, but it would be great on
burgers or chicken; maybe even duck breast.

I grilled off some pineapple spears and then chopped them up.
Then I sauted some sweet onion and jalapenos in some pan drippings.
If you don't have pan drippings, make some with a couple slices of bacon!
No, you can use butter or olive oil or a combo, but if you grilled
burgers, steaks or duck breasts, use those drippings, they are yummy!
I then added the juice of the pineapple to deglaze the pan, added my
chopped pineapple and warmed everything through. I like some snap
still in my veggies so it didn't take long, but if you want everything
softer, cook it longer.

Then top whatever you want! ...Well, maybe not chocolate cake, but
you get the idea.

Caribbean Stuffed Peppers

I made this as a side dish to a delicous steak dinner,
but it could be a meal in itself. The color of the peppers does not matter.

Slice the tops off some bell peppers and clean out the insides.
Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside until
ready to stuff.

Prepare some rice. I use a mix of brown and wild, but use whatever you like
or have. Saute the rice in a little olive oil and butter till nutty; then
add your chicken stock and a little mango juice. Stir in some raisins
and some chopped dried pineapple. Let that cook till the rice is tender.

Meanwhile, saute some small diced onion, hot peppers, celery, mushrooms,
the tops of your bell peppers. Cook until soft then add some chicken
andouille sausage with sundried tomatoes (or any pre-cooked sausage
you like). If you'd rather use uncooked sausage it is fine, just
make sure you cook it through. Add to the rice and stir, then stuff
your peppers. Cook them off in the oven till they reach your desired
tenderness.

Play around with the heat and the flavors of this dish. You could add
coconut, dates, mango, shrimp instead of sausage, anything you like.
Just be creative and enjoy!!

Creamed Mushrooms with Tarragon

This is just a simple sauce that I made for a pork roast,
but it would be just as good on chicken or any other meat.

Take some assorted mushrooms and slice them. Use your fav's,
or what is available to you. Thinly slice some white onion as well.
Saute them down in some butter, then add some minced garlic, salt and pepper.
Add a little white wine (Mary was drinking a Chard, so I used hers)
to deglaze the pan. Sprinkle with some flour and toss to coat. Let that
reduce to practically nothing then lower the temp and add some sour cream
and heavy cream (or you could use milk). Stir in some parsley and tarragon.

There you go, easy peasy!

Chicken with Mango Sauce and Mango chutney

Mary came by for dinner and she wanted something summery with mango, so....
I looked up a recipe from Bobby Flay on the Food Network for a
southwestern chicken with mango. However, I switched out a few things,
some didn't work, but I'll try to adjust it here for better success.
Of course, feel free to send me your favorite adjustments and substitutions
and I will post them for all to see.

I marinated some chicken breasts in a mixture of ground cumin, toasted cumin
seed, garlic, lemon and lime zest and juice, chopped jalepeno( I may switch
up to habenero next time as Mark said it wasn't hot enough) and S&P.

Then I made a sauce of chicken stock, peppercorns, garlic, red wine vinegar,
white wine vinegar, honey, mango concentrate, pepper and a piece of dried
mango. I simmered this till it reduced down to practically nothing.

Then I made a mango chutney with chopped mango, red onion, jalepenos,
lime zest and juice, cumin, cilantro and S&P.

Bobby's recipe called for cotija cheese and you were supposed to dust
the chicken with it and cumin before sauteing. I couldn't find that particular
cheese here in Walkersville, so I substituted asiago, added some ground
cracker crumbs(because I didn't have bread crumbs) corriander and cayenne.
I sauted the chicken(but the cheese stuck to the pan) until golden brown
on both sides, and was supposed to finish in the oven, which I did, but
after all the crust stuck to the pan, the color on the chicken was no longer
good, so I put it back on the stove top and finished it there. Then I
removed the chicken to a plate and put the above sauce in the fry pan to
make a great pan sauce from my stuck on bits. It was a yummy thicker sauce
than the original recipe.

Next time I won't use cheese in the coating, and will have proper bread crumbs,
and just cook all the way through on the stove top, it will make it a whole
lot easier. Also, next time I will just make my pan sauce, and not bother with
simmering large amounts of liquid away to nothing.

Bobby Flay's recipe is called Cumin Crusted Chicken with Cotija and Mango-
Garlic Sauce with Green Onion Pesto Mashed Potatoes.

The potatoes I made with it were excellent and I followed the recipe pretty
closely, though my measurements weren't so precise.

Thank you Mary for the inspiration of mango. And a big Thank You to
Bobby Flay and the Food Network for the basics of the dish!!