Pineapple Lime Chicken

Menu: Pineapple Lime Chicken, White Rice, Fresh Strawberries

Pineapple Lime Chicken:

2 lbs. chicken tenders

1/2 T. galric salt

1 T. oil

20 oz. can pineapple rings

1/4 c. honey

2 T. lime juice

2 T. soy sauce

1 T. corn starch

Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt. Brown in heated oil in skillet. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Add 1/4 c. of the juice to chicken in pan. Cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Remove chicken.

Add honey, lime juice, soy sauce, remainder of pineapple juice, and corn starch to skillet and bring to a boil. Add chicken back to pan. Serve over rice.

Rating: We both really likes this. I did it as a freezer meal so I really can't tell if it was easy to make or not. All I did last night was put it in the skillet to heat it up. Overall, a good dish.

Cuban Chicken with Black Beans

COMBINE:
2 T. oil
1 T. vinegar
½ t. ground cumin
¼ t. salt

ADD & MARINADE FOR 2 HOURS OR MORE:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb.)

DISCARD MARINADE, COOK CHICKEN 4 – 5 MIN. EACH SIDE IN A SKILLET. MEANWHILE, SAUTE’ FOR 4 MIN IN 1 t. HOT OIL:
1 small, red onion, finely chopped

ADD AND SAUTE’ FOR 1 MIN.:
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

ADD AND COOK 5 MIN.:
1 can black beans
2 t. lime juice
¼ t. ground cumin
¼ t. ground pepper
1 t. chopped cilantro
2 drops hot-pepper sauce

ADD WATER, IF TOO THICK.
SERVES: 4

Ryan's Review: Just like Nicaragua. Brace yourselves for an ethnic delight (he's a dork).
Renee's thoughts: This was SO good. I did things a little different though. While the chicken was marinating I made the back beans. I then put on the rice. When I knew the rice only had about 8 minutes, I did the chicken. It was so easy and so yummy. we loved it, and so did Isabel.

Apple Pie and Banana Cream Pie

The other day I made two yummy pies. They weren't for dinner, but I could have eaten both as a meal. They were yummy!

Apple Pie:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
dash of salt
8 cups thinly sliced apples (about 7 apples)
3 Tbs. butter or margarine

Heat oven to 425*. Prepare pie crust. Stir together sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Mix lightly with apples. PLace in prepares pie shell. Dot with butter. Cover with top crust which has slits cut into it, seal and flute. Cover edge with a 2-3 inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning. Remove foil last 15 minutes. Bake 40-50 minutes or until crust is nicely browned and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust. This is for a 10 inch pan.

Banana Cream Pie:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup plas 2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 tsp. salt
4 cups milk
5 egg yolks, slightly beaten
3 Tbs. butter or margarine, softened
1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. vanilla
whipped cream
2 Bananas

Bake pie shell according to directions. In a saucepan blend sugar, conrstarch, and salt. Stir milk into egg yolks. Stir egg mixture slowly into dry ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly. SImmer medium heat until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat, blend in butter and vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto pudding mixture in saucepan and cool to room temperature. When cooled, slice 2 bananas into baked pie shell in layers. Pour cooled filling on top. Chill for at least 2 hours, keeping plastic wrap on top. Just before serving remove plastic wrap and top pie with whipped cream.

Renee's thoughts: I am no expert on pies, but these were to die for. The banana cream was the best I have ever had. Look out Marie Calendar, there's a new girl in town!

Note from Contributor Emily

So between the play and not feeling well I haven't really been making dinner all that often lately. I promise that by the end of June I will be back on the cooking band-wagon!!!! So, wait for it....wait for it.....

In the meantime we will have to depend on Renee's extraordinary meals to wet our palettes and inspire culinary greatness!

Spanakopita (Spinach Pie)

1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbs. dried dill
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 lb. feta cheese
3 10 oz pkg. frozen spinch, thawed and all the moisture squeezed out
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup scallions (I used green onions)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup milk
4 eggs, at room temperature

In a large skillet, heat oil and saute onion and scallions 5 minutes. Add spinach, dill, parsley, salt, pepper, and cook for 10 minutes. Scrape the spinach into a large bowl and add milk. Cool to room temperature and add the eggs and cheese, blend well. Preheat oven to 375*. Can be cooked in a regular pie crust or a phyllo dough crust. Bake in the middle shelf of the oven for about 1 hour, of until the crust is cripsy. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Ryan's Review: I always like this! This is really good.
Renee's thoughts: I grew up eating this and just love it. It is quite easy to make, even though it doen't sound like it. I like it with phyllo dough layers on the top and bottom. If you do it with pie crust don't have a top crust.

Foil-Pack Taco Chicken

4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts halved (I used them whole)
4 tsp. Taco seasoning
1/2 lb. potatoes peeled , thinly sliced (I did not peel mine), I used one large potato for both of us
1/2 cup Salsa
3/4 cup shredded cheese
sour cream, optional

preheat oven to 400*. Spary 4 pieces of foil with non-stick spray. Place potatoes on foil. Sprinke potatoes with a little salt and pepper. Coat chicken with taco seasoning and place on top of potatoes in the center of the foil pieces. Top chicken with salsa and cheese. Fold foil up to cover chicken and potatoes, leaving the foil somewhat roomy for air ciculation. Place on a baking sheet. Bake 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let it stand for 5 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

Ryan's Review: interesting. I liked it, but it was different. Chicken was yummy.
Renee's thoughts: It looks weird, but I thought it was quite tasty. It was a really easy meal to throw together, so that made it better for me. I like it!

Fragrant Chicken Curry

I forgot to take a picture, so here are the spices I used for this dish: cayenne pepper, curry powder, cloves, cinnamon. and ginger

2 Tbs. curry powder
1 tsp. groung ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (I used an 1/8 tsp. and it was not very spicy)
2 Tbs. veg. oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 rotisserie chicken, skinned and boned, meat pulled into large chunks (I always use 3 chicken chicken breats. I boil them and then cut them into large chunks)
1 (13.5 oz) can light coconut milk (I use regular, not light)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
fresh cilantro
cooked rice

Directions:
Mix spices together in a small bowl. Heat oil in a large pot over med-high heat. Add onions and saute until golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, saute about 30 seconds. Add spices, toast until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken, stir until completely coated with spices. Add coconut milk, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a simmer, cook uncovered until flavors blend and stwe is thick, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle with fresh clinatro and serve over hot rice.

Ryan's Review: Very good. I liked it last time she made it when she used all the cayenne pepper. This was good too, but I like it hotter.
Renee's thoughts: This is really easy to make and has a great flavor. This is one of the best currys I have ever had. I served it with fruit salad and it was a big hit. My in-laws ate with us and really liked it. If you like ethnic food, try this!