Fresh Pineapple Sweet and Sour Chicken

I learned to make this tasty dish when I lived in Hawaii. I make it in a wok, but it's also great cooked in an electric skillet, stove top, or on the grill outside. When I cook with my wok, I like to cook in stages, that way the wok doesn't cool down too much. When you're cooking in a wok you want to cook the food quickly at a high temperature, so cut the food into large, bit sized pieces before cooking and don't over crowd the pan.



This dish is versatile (and gluten free), so add or subtract the foods that you do or don't like. For instance, for a vegetarian meal, subtract the chicken and add extra veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, bok chow, mushrooms, snow peas, or any that you prefer.

Marinade
14 oz Chicken Tenders (breast or boneless thighs also work well)
1 T Onion - chopped
2 cloves Garlic - smashed
1/4 cup Pineapple Juice
3 T Soy Sauce
1 T EVOO
1/4 Serrano Pepper
Splash of Water

Slury
1/3 cup Pineapple Juice
1 T Brown Sugar
1 T Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 T Soy Sauce
1/4 t Tomato Paste
1 T Cornstarch

Vegetables
5 Cloves of Garlic (split) 2 cloves sliced (optional) and 3 chopped
2 small or 1 large Carrot -sliced
1/2 Green Bell Pepper - diced
Serrano Pepper - very thinly sliced or finely chopped (optional)
1/2 Onion - diced
2 Roma Tomatoes - diced (seeds removed)
1/ fresh Pineapple - diced (skin/rind and core removed)

You'll also need cooking oil and a 1/4 cup of chicken stock or a combination of stock and sweet white wine.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This one's for you Auntie M!



I know this cake has been done before, it's not super original, just my version. It's cooked in a cast iron pan. I guess that's because I'm a Texan, and that's how we do it in the South. If you don't have a cast iron pan, you should get one. Until then, you can melt the butter in a small pot and then pour it into a cake pan. Continue the recipe the same from there.

1/2 cup unsalted Butter
1 cup firmly packed Brown Sugar
1 20oz can crushed Pineapple - drained, liquid reserved
3 Egg Yolks
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Flour
1 t Baking Powder
1/2 t Salt
1 t Mexican Vanilla
2 Egg Whites



Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat a ten inch cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the butter, let it melt, and then turn the heat off.



Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter.



Evenly place the pineapple over the brown sugar. Use your fingers to gently press the fruit up to the sides of the pan.

Swordfish with Pineapple and Tomatoes

This is a quick gluten free meal with few ingredients and lots of flavor. I served it with potstickers. Yum!



2 T EVOO - divided
2 T Butter - divided
1 steak Swordfish - cut into large cubs
S/P
Tomatoes - cut into large chunks
Pineapple - cut into large chunks
splash of White Wine or Chicken Stock
Chives - finely sliced
Soy Sauce - less than a 1/4 cup
1 spoon Corn Starch

Heat half EVOO and half of the butter in a sauce pan. Add onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally till the onion is clear. Then, add the tomato, pineapple, s/p and wine. Cook for about 5 minutes.



In the mean time, heat another pan with the remaining EVOO and butter. Season the fish and cook it in this pan. Flip the Swordfish several times to insure even cooking.





When the fish is firm to the touch, lower the heat and add the tomato pineapple mixture. Be sure to loosen any brown bits on the pan left from cooking the fish. These are concentrated bits of flavor!



Bring the sauce up to a boil. Next, stir in your cornstarch, soy sauce slurry and lower the heat. Let the dish cook on low for a couple of minutes and then serve over rice.