Pineapple Jerk Chicken and Rice

Besides the turquoise waters, white sand beaches and friendly locals one of the best things about Jamaica is their famous jerk seasoning. Jerk seasoning is a combination that includes super spicy scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, cinnamon and garlic as well as other herbs and spices. We were married in Negril, Jamaica in 2008 and look forward to returning every year and sampling the best local foods including jerk pork and chicken dishes. When I saw this recipe I could not wait to make it for us.

Fresh pineapple was not in season when I made this recipe so I used chunks canned in juice instead which worked perfectly. You can also adjust how spicy you like it by leaving the seeds in the jalapeno. I opted for extra spicy!

Adapted from Everyday With Rachel Ray magazine April 2010 issue

Serves 4

2 cups brown rice
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces
salt and pepper
1 large can Dole pineapple chunks in juice, drained
1/2 cup Lawry's island jerk marinade
1 15oz can black beans rinsed
1/2 cup chopped, fresh cilantro

In a large pot brown rice over medium-high heat in a small amount of oil. Add 2 cups low sodium chicken broth, stir and return to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 45 minutes. Do not lift the lid!

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeno and cook until onion is browned, transfer to a bowl.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the same skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add to the pan and cook until browned, 5-7 minutes. Add the pineapple and jerk marinade and simmer until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the onion mixture, black beans and cilantro; cook until the beans are heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and serve over rice.

Wild Rice Soup

This winter my Mom went on a trip to Minnesota where she spent a little over a week visiting with friends, playing in the snow and cooking. One of the recipes she brought back was this great recipe for Wild Rice Soup. Most wild rice you will find in your local store comes from Minnesota and is a filling and healthy ingredient.

My Mom and her friends made some adjustments to the original recipe, using fresh mushrooms instead of canned and swapping a red bell pepper for green. Once I got a hold of the recipe I followed their changes as well as using low sodium mushroom soup and low sodium chicken broth. While not low in calories it is surprisingly not a heavy, thick soup. Next time I make this I plan on adding some fresh herbs to it, perhaps some Rosemary.

Makes 10 cups

1/2 cup wild rice
1 pound bacon
1 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup red pepper, chopped
1 large (32 oz) carton low sodium chicken broth
2 10 oz cans cream of mushroom soup (I used the Campbells version that is low sodium for casseroles)
10 oz fresh sliced mushrooms
1 pint half and half

Wash wild rice well and boil in water for 15 minutes, drain, rinse and set aside.

Cut bacon into 2 inch pieces and fry until crisp in a large pot. Remove bacon from pot, reserving 3 tablespoons of drippings. Saute onion, celery and pepper in bacon drippings until onion is transparent. Add rice, broth, soup, mushrooms and cooked bacon. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour.

Before serving, add half and half and heat through.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

My husband and I don't eat very much seafood, neither of us cares for fish besides sushi and he has some shellfish allergies. Shrimp is one form of fish we can both enjoy. A couple times a year we head to Vincent's Clam Bar in Queens, NY to enjoy their very, very spicy version of Shrimp Fra Diavolo. This Valentines Day I decided to make this dish myself using fresh shrimp from our local seafood store.

This recipe was very easy and I wanted to serve it over linguine so I added additional crushed tomatoes to the sauce. Feel free to adjust the spice to your own tastes.

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 4

1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
1 tsp salt
2 tsp dried crushed red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp olive oil +
1 medium onion sliced thin
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine
3 garlic cloves chopped fine
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 pound whole wheat linguine

Cook linguine per package directions. In a bowl, toss shrimp with salt and the red pepper flakes. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and saute for about a minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 or 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate and set aside.

Add the onion to the same skillet with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil if needed, and saute until translucent. Add the diced and crushed tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic and Italian seasoning. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly about 10 minutes.

Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture, toss to coat and cook for about 1 minute. Add the cooked linguine and toss the the entire mixture to distribute evenly. Plate and serve.

Risotto with Butternut Squash

Two words come to my mind when I think of risotto; delicious and stirring! I love risotto no matter what is in it. As a matter of fact the single best meal I ever ate in a restaurant was a wild mushroom risotto with truffles. I like my risotto a little cream but not soupy. To be honest though this is only the second time I made risotto myself, I dread the stirring! I have many recipes that take longer to prep and cook but the thought of 20-30 minutes just standing there and stirring discourages me. This month I picked up Everyday With Rachel Ray magazine and this recipe was the first thing I turned to. I decided to go for it. Half an hour of stirring later we had an incredibly satisfying meal. I still won't be making risotto on a weekly basis but will try some new recipes for it in the future.

Adapted from Everyday With Rachel Ray magazine March 2010

Serves 4

2.5 cups low sodium chicken broth
4 Tbsp butter
1.5 cups grated butternut squash
1 onion, finely chopped
1.5 cups arborio rice
1/2 dry white wine
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh ground pepper

In a sauce pan bring chicken broth and 2.5 cups of water to a boil; cover and simmer.

In a large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the grated squash and cook, stirring frequently, until soft about 5 minutes; transfer to a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons butter and the onion to the saucepan and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the onion is softened about 8 minutes. Add the rice and stir until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until evaporated.

Stir in 1/2 cup of the hot broth mixture, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring and adjusting the the heat as needed to maintain a low simmer, until the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Keep repeating, adding 1/2 cup of the broth at a time and allowing the liquid to be absorbed, until the rice is tender about 20-30 minutes.

Add the cooked squash and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and season with pepper. Sprinkle each individual dish with extra Parmesan before serving.

Fennel-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

I have already made this recipe twice and I think I was so excited to eat it that I completely forgot to snap a picture. Luckily I finally remembered and believe me you want to try this recipe! Your kitchen will smell so good while it is cooking you will be salivating.

From Williams-Sonoma Weeknight

Serves 4

1 large lemon
1.5 Tbsp fennel seeds
1 tsp salt
2.5 tsp coarsely crushed black peppercorns
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1.5 Tbsp olive oil
1.25 lbs pork tenderloin

Squeeze from lemon1 tablespoon of juice into bowl. Add fennel seeds, salt, pepper, garlic, and oil and stir to combine. Place the pork in a roasting pan and rub all over with the mixture. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Roast the pork until it is browned on the outside and barely pink in the center. A meat thermometer inserted should read 145-150 degrees, about 15 minutes total. Transfer the meat to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let stand 10 minutes. Slice into half inch width pieces and serve.

Steak Au Poivre

Steak Au Poivre is one of those classic recipes I have always wanted to try. I really enjoy beef and this recipe was rich and filling. It seems fancy yet is very simple to prepare.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Simple Suppers

Serves 4

1 Tbsp peppercorns
1 Tbsp coarse sea salt
4 6 oz. rib-eye steaks about 1 inch thick
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp Canola oil
2 thinly sliced shallots
5 oz. fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup Grand Marnier cognac
1/3 cup half and half
Fresh ground salt and pepper

Coarsely crush peppercorns and mix with salt. Pat the mixture firmly and evenly on both sides of the steaks.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with the oil. Add the steaks and cook, turning once, 6-8 minutes total for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to a platter and tent with aluminum foil.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and place over medium heat. Add the shallots and mushrooms and saute' until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in the Grand Marnier and half and half, bring just to a boil, stirring up the browned bits on the pan bottom. Lower the heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Place steaks on plates and spoon sauce with shallots and mushrooms over them.

Chili-Rubbed Pork With Corn Salsa

So you may have noticed I haven't posted a new recipe in several weeks. I have been cooking and I have been photographing, it's sitting down and blogging that I can't seem to get around to. So thanks to the latest snow storm here I am home from work early and ready to try to catch up.

This recipe for pork tenderloin was delicious! Wonderful flavors but not to spicy. The corn salsa balances the flavors out. I chose to serve this with roasted sweet potatoes to make the dish even more colorful.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Simple Suppers

Serves 4

1.5 lbs pork tenderloin
2 Tbsp olive oil
Fresh ground salt and pepper
2 tsp chili powder
1 cup low sodium canned corn
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
Juice from 1 lime

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rub the pork with 1 tablespoon of the oil, then generously season with salt, pepper and chili powder. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat warm the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add pork to brown on all sides about 5 minutes total. Transfer pork to a shallow roasting pan. Reserve frying pan and drippings. Roast the pork until internal thermometer reads 145-150 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to cutting board and cover with aluminum foil, let stand for 10 minutes.

While the pork rests, add the corn, onion and cumin to the drippings in the frying pan and place over medium-high heat. Cook until corn is lightly browned about 3-4 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat and stir in the tomato and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the pork into thin slices and serve with warm salad.