Grilled Chicken Thighs with Pineapple Relish

GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

with PINEAPPLE RELISH

1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 cups cubed fresh pineapple (about 1/2 pineapple)
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels
1/3 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
3 tblsp red onion, finely chopped
1 tblsp cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar

• Combine garlic powder, cumin, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper in smal bowl; sprinkle over chicken.
• Grill chicken on grill over medium-high heat until done. About 4-7 minutes each side.
• Meanwhile, combine remaining 1/4 tsp salt, pineapple and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. 
• Serve relish over chicken.

Grilled Pineapple & Pancetta Pizza

GRILLED PINEAPPLE & PANCETTA PIZZA

4 oz pancetta, diced small
1 fresh and ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch thick rings
1 tblsp vegetable oil
2 tblsp sugar
6 scallions, root ends trimmed
3 tblsp olive oil, divided
Kosher salt to taste; more to taste
1/4 cup uncooked grits or polenta, for rolling the dough
1 ball prepared pizza dough, at room temperature [Pillsbury makes a great crust!]
1/2 cup Onion Marmalade [recipe below]
6 oz Camembert cheese, sliced [or Mozzerella cheese]
2 tblsp flaked sweetened coconut, toasted
Red pepper flakes, optional

• Cook the pancetta in a small skillet over med-high heat until crispy, drain on a paper towel. Reserve for topping.
• Brush pineapple rings with veg oil and sprinkle sugar over both sides. Let sit 5 minutes. Brush scallions with oil and sprinkle with salt.
• Preheat the grill over medium-high heat.
• Place the pineapple and scallions on the cooking grate directly over the heat and grill until the pineapple is well marked and the scallions are limp and charred in spots (3-5 minutes). Remove from grill. Chop scallions, reserve for topping.
• Roll out pizza dough using grits to prevent sticking. Grill dough over INDIRECT low heat until bottom is lightly browned.
• Flip over dough and top with marmalade. Top with cheese. Artfully arrange the pineapple rings on top. Sprinkle with the pancetta and scallions. Finish grilling the pizza until the bottom is lightly browned and toppings are melted and heated through.
• Remove from grill, sprinkle with toasted coconut, and season with salt and pepper. Slice and serve immediately.

Onion Marmalade:

2 tblsp olive oil

1 tblsp unsalted butter

3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced and roughly separated into rings

1 tsp kosher salt

• Heat the oil and butter together in a large, heavy saute pan (like a Dutch oven) over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add the onion rings and salt and cook, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are all a deep golden color, about 20 more minutes.
• This will keep, tightly covered, in the fridge for up to 2 days. I suggest making this ahead of time to save time when the rest of the pizza is made.

Toasted Coconut Flakes

• Place coconut flakes in a saute pan over med-high heat and stir until the flakes are lightly browned.

I highly suggest you not drop this on the ground...like I did on my first attempt. So. Not. Cool.

Smoothie Monday: Banana-Pineapple Breakfast Shake

1 ripe banana, peeled
1 can (8oz) rushed pineapple in juice, undrained
2 cups vanilla yogurt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup ice cubes 

• In a blender, process until smooth. Garnish with pineapple pieces and ground nutmeg. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Smoothie Monday: Mango Yogurt Smoothie

1 cup vanilla yogurt
2 cups mango (fresh, canned or frozen)
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
2 tablespoons orange juice

• In a blender, process until smooth. Garnish with lime wedges. Serves 2 to 3.

Red Curry Shrimp with Pineapple

RED CURRY SHRIMP WITH PINEAPPLE

1-1/2 cups coconut milk
2 tblsp red curry paste
1/2 cup water
2 tblsp fish sauce
1 tblsp sugar
1 cup drained canned crushed pineapple
3/4 pound large shrimp (cleaned and deveined)
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

• In medium skillet, heat 1/2 cup of the coconut milk over med-high hear, stirring often, until thickened and fragrant (2-3 minutes). 
• Add curry paste and cook a minute or 2, pressing and stirring to dissolve it.
• Stir in remaining 1 cup coconut milk, the water, fish sauce, sugar, pineapple and bring to a gentle boil.
• Add the shrimp and basil leaves and cook another minute or two, just until shrimp are pink and cooked through.
• Transfer to serving dish and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve with jasmine rice and black beans.

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Click on image below:

Beer-battered Coconut Shrimp w/ Pineapple Sauce

Oh yes, you read that right. I love eating at red lobster--and my favorite thing is the coconut shrimp...but its really the dipping sauce that I can't get enough of. The coconut shrimp wasn't the "big deal" to me...so I found my own way of cooking the shrimp and a "knock-off" recipe for the sauce.

You will be full for DAYS. Really, you'll be in a food coma after this meal. I made rice and salad to go with it, and didn't eat a bite of it. =D

My husband brought home 10 pounds of jumbo shrimp from the Gulf Shores. I have many many many recipes I want to try!

BEER-BATTERED COCONUT SHRIMP

1 pound peeled (tails on) and deveined fresh shrimp (preferably jumbo sized)
1 cup pancake mix (plain)
1 cup beer (a lighter beer the better..)
2 tblsp coconut milk
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup coconut flakes (and more on hand just in case!)
Light cooking oil (like canola oil)

Rinse the shrimp well and butterfly them [cut them down the middle almost through, then spread it out, like butterfly wings, but still attached by the middle].

Combine pancake mix, beer and coconut milk and mix well--no lumps. Dredge the shrimp in flour, then beer batter, then coat with the coconut. [have this done before heating oil--they need constant attention or they will burn--fast!]

Heat the oil in sauce pan [2-3 inches deep] over medium to almost med-high (about 350 degrees F). Fry the shrimp 5 to 6 at a time, until golden brown on all edges. Drain on paper towel and serve with sauce.\

And now for the sauce.....

PINA COLADA DIPPING SAUCE

1 cup pina coloda mix
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons crushed pineapple
1 heaping tablespoon sweetened coconut flakes
3 heaping tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 teaspoons cold water

Mix together all ingredients, except cornstarch and cold water, in small saucepan. Heat on medium-low temperature until sauce begins to simmer [careful, it can overflow!], stirring frequently. Let mixture simmer slowly for about 10 minutes.

Mix cornstarch and cold water together, and then add it to the saucepan. Let sauce simmer for 5 minutes longer, until at desired thickness.

Remove from heat and serve after cooling off just a bit.

Pina Colada Upside-Down Cake

Today is the official PINA COLADA Day! No, really--it IS! So in honor of that, here is my....

PINA COLADA UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 medium pineapple
1/2 cup maraschino cherries
1pkg yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp rum extract
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over low heat (do NOT use stainless cookware!). Brush sides of skillet with butter with a basting brush. Remove from heat; sprinkle brown sugar over butter and set aside. [I used my skillet with "straight up" sides (technical word...?) and the cake wanted to fall apart and I filled in the cracks with more coconut flakes. So make sure you use the skillet with the "curved" sides! I know, I'm really technical. But hey, I'm learning.]

Carefully, slice pineapple into rings; and then cut ring in half. Arrange slices around the outer edge of skillet; place two slices in center, creating a ring. Place one cherry in center and additional cherries around outside of ring.

Combine cake mix, eggs, coconut milk and rum extract in large bowl. Whisk until well blended. Carefully pour batter over pineapple in skillet.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes on wire rack.

Toast coconut in small skillet until lightly browned.

Invert cake on cake stand or platter and lightly press toasted coconut flakes around top edge and sides of cake.

Happy Pina Colada Day!

Flash Back Friday #7 & Pineapple Turkey Sliders

FLASHBACK FRIDAY # 7

TURKEY & PINEAPPLE SLIDERS

Click on image to see full post from 3/29/2011

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From last week, I really enjoyed reading blog by Kay from "Cooking with K", again! Thanks Kay for linking up your posts with us. Really appreciate it!

Pineapple Chess Pie

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Polynesian Sausage Kabobs

I'll put up "Penny-Meal Mondays" linky again next week. Hopefully more will link up! 

Also, I'm doing a hop on Friday called "Flash-back Fridays" in which you link up a very old post from the past! That should be very fun! 

DON'T FORGET: I'm still looking for a blog or 2 that would like to co-host a hop! Leave me a message if interested!
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This was an absolutely FANTASTIC dish for camping or just grilling out at a campground. We went to our favorite "fishin' hole" and while husband and kids fished, I whipped these bad boys up. Ok, so I didn't just whip them up, there was some planning. But totally worth it. TRUST ME.

POLYNESIAN SAUSAGE KABOB

1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup soy sauce (I ran out and only had 1/4 cup--and it worked just fine)
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 pounds kielbasa sausage, cut into 1 to 1-1/2 inch pieces

1 small pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 small cantaloupe, cut into 1-inch cubes (or with "melon-baller" tool)
1 medium green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Set aside 1/4 to 1/3 of marinade for basting (cover and refrigerate).  Pour remaining marinade into a large ziploc and add sausage. Seal bag and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.

Drain and discard the marinade from the sausage. On metal skewer, add pieces of sausage, fruit and green pepper. Grill, uncovered, over med-heat for 10 minutes or until sausage is browned, turning and basting (with reserve marinade) frequently.

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I had each "item" in different Tupperware bowls, and when we got to our spot, assembled the skewers.

This is so good--the sausage just melts in your mouth. The "blackened" edges were even delicious!

And after 3 minutes, my tray looked like this:

GINGER-PINEAPPLE TURKEY SLIDERS

GINGER-PINEAPPLE TURKEY SLIDERS

1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 egg white
1 tablespoon white onion, diced really small
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice
a dash ground pepper
1 can pineapple chunks
Gouda cheese slices
Toasted buns
Fresh spinach

Mix first 7 ingredients together and form into small patties.

Grill over med-high for about 4 minutes on each side.

Place cheese over top and grill for another 2 minutes (gouda cheese doesn't melt that quickly).

Place on toasted bun, put a few leaves of spinach and a few chunks and top with other half of bun.

Eat all 8 sliders. Why not? I almost did--but my family wanted to eat too. =)

~~Fresh bread crumbs~~ This is actually really easy. Take some bread, put it in your food processor and pulse for 30 seconds--and whooola! Magic happens. 

~~Toasted buns~~The ones I used were homemade. Just regular white rolls, with crushed rosemary and sea salt cooked on the tops (like Pioneer Woman's rolls). Then I sliced them down the middle, buttered each side, and put them on a med-high skillet, butter side down, until golden brown and crispy around the edges.

~~Pineapple~~ This would be awesome with fresh pineapple, cut into rings and grilled with the patties. I had non available, otherwise I would have--but next time for sure!

This would be easy to make into "regular" size burgers. This recipe would make 4--so make sure you double or triple it!