Pineapple & Banana Dump Cake

Pineapple & Banana Dump Cake
So Easy, So Delicious!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 40-45 minutes

Ingredients
4 cups fresh pineapple chunks + juices
2 large bananas, smashed
1 box vanilla cake mix
1 1/4 stick butter, diced

Cooking Tools
Baking Dish

Directions
Preheat oven 350 Degrees F.  In a baking dish, place pineapples evenly with juices, lay smashed bananas on top of pineapple. Pour vanilla cake mix on top of the pineapples and bananas, lay diced butter on top of cake mix and use a fork to toss butter lightly in the cake mix.  Bake in oven for 40-45 minutes and golden brown.  Set aside to cool.
Serves 6

Guava & Pineapple BBQ Meatballs

Guava & Pineapple BBQ Meatballs
A Great Recipe For The Next Potluck!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 hours

 Ingredients
1 lb. ground round beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup water
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp minced parsley + garnish
1 egg

Cooking Tools
Large mixing bowl
Parchment lined sheet pan
Slow Cooker

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 Degrees F.  In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and knead well.  Make golf ball size meatballs and place on sheet pan and bake for 35 minutes.  Transfer into the slow cooker with the Guava Pineapple BBQ Sauce (recipe below). Cook meatballs in the slow cooker on high for 4 hours.  Place in a serving bowl and garnish with parsley.
Yields 24

Guava Pineapple BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
4 cups Passata (strained tomato sauce)
4 cups BBQ sauce
1 cup guava paste
3 cups fresh pineapples, chunks
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions
Place all ingredients in a slow cooker on high, mix well.

Watermelon Granita

Watermelon Granita
How Refreshing Is This In The Summer!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required
Freezing Time: 4-5 hours

Ingredients
1 baby seedless watermelon
5 mint leaves + garnish
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar

Cooking Tools
Blender
Shallow glass baking dish
Fine mesh strainer 

Directions
Cut watermelon in half and scoop out the watermelon, leaving decorative edges. (You will use the watermelon halves as bowls).  Place in blender watermelon, mint leaves, water and sugar and blend on high for 30 seconds.  Strain watermelon liquid through a fine mesh strainer as your pouring into the baking dish.  Place dish in freezer for an hour then pull out of freezer and using a fork, scrape ice to create ice crystals.  Place back in freezer and scrape every hour until frozen.  Serve in the decorative melon bowls and garnish with mint leaves.

Serves 4

 

Salty Pecan Caramel Panna Cotta

Salty Pecan Caramel Panna Cotta
Salty, Sweet, Creamy And Crunchy!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Cooling Time: 4-5 hours

 

Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 packet gelatin
3/4 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean pulp
whipped cream
basil leaves, garnish

Cooking Tools
2 medium saucepans
Dessert bowl 

Directions
Pour cream, sugar and vanilla bean pulp into a saucepan and cook on simmer until sugar has dissolved. In a bowl, dissolve gelatin in 1 cup milk.  Place milk and gelatin in with the heated cream and stir, and take off heat.  Pour into dessert bowl and let come to room temperature before chilling in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours.  Before serving make the Salty Pecan Caramel Sauce (recipe below).  Let caramel come to room temperature before topping the Panna Cotta.  Dollop with whipped cream and garnish with basil leaf.

Serves 4

Salty Pecan Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup cream
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp salt

Directions
In a deep saucepan over low heat, add sugar and water and cook until sugar turns a copper color. (approx. 20 minutes) With caution, add cream and whisk until smooth.  Add in chopped pecans and salt and stir.  Set aside to cool. Sauce with thicken upon standing.

 

Edamame Slaw With Peanut Dressing

Edamame Slaw With Peanut Dressing
Perfect Side Dish for Any BBQ!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required

Ingredients
2 cups edamame, shelled & cooked
1 1/2 cups match stick carrots
2 cups bean sprouts
1/2 cup red onion, sliced thin
1 cup green onion, sliced
2 cups sugar snap peas
2 cups broccoli florets
3/4 cup peanuts
4 cups arugula 

 Cooking Tools
Food processor
Large mixing bowl

Directions
Place all ingredients except the arugula in a mixing bowl and pour Peanut Dressing (recipe below) and coat and toss the ingredients.  Place arugula in the bottom of the serving bowl and place the ingredients and sauce on top.
Serves 4

Peanut Dressing

Ingredients
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup Mirin
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp mayonnaise
salt
pepper
Directions
Place ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

 

Mini Greek Pitas

Mini Greek Pitas
How Simple Is This To Make For Your Next Get Together!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
12 mini pitas
1 container Hummus (homemade or pre-made)
1 tomato, diced
1 cup lettuce, shredded
3/4 cup Feta cheese crumbles
1 tsp dried Greek oregano
1 tbsp minced parsley
olive oil for drizzle
pepper

Cooking Tools
Parchment lined sheet pan

 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.  Place mini pitas on sheet pan and spread 1 tbsp of hummus on pita. Place some diced tomatoes on each pita and sprinkle with oregano, pepper, parsley & Feta cheese crumbles.  Place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes.  Remove from oven and top with shredded lettuce and drizzle with olive oil.
Yields 12

Italian Beef Stew With Creamy Polenta

Italian Beef Stew With Creamy Polenta
An Italian Twist On An American Classic!
Difficulty: easy
Prep Time:30 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours+

Ingredients
1 1/2- 2 lbs beef stew meat, cubed
1 cup flour
canola oil
3 cups rainbow carrots, peeled, cut 2" diagonal
8 oz. cipollini onions, peeled
2 cups celery, cut 2' diagonal
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 cups Passata tomato sauce
8 basil leaves
1 cup beef stock
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup Chianti wine
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 box Polenta
Parmesan cheese
salt
pepper
minced parsley for garnish 

Cooking Tools
Large Dutch oven with lid
Medium stock pot

Directions
Preheat Dutch oven on stove on high heat, add enough oil just to coat bottom of Dutch Oven.  Dust stew meat with flour, salt and pepper meat.  Sear and brown meat in the oil in small batches.  Remove meat and set aside.  Place carrots, celery, garlic and onion into the pot and saute and add color to the vegetables, about 10 minutes.  Place meat back in the pot and add Passata, beef stock and wine.  Place lid on pot and reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 2 hours, stir occasionally. After 2 hours, add the basil leaves, sugar and the tomato paste and stir. Cook for additional 30-40 minutes with the lid off or until beef is tender, season to taste.  Cook polenta according to directions.  Place polenta into a serving bowl and top with the Italian Beef Stew and garnish with Parmesan cheese and minced parsley.
Serves 4