Jamaican Jerk Pasta Salad

 For Pasta Salad:

-3 Jerk chicken breasts cubed or shredded
-1-1.5 box multi colored rigatoni pasta cooked and cooled
-1 large mango diced
-1/4 C chopped sun dried red pepper
-1-2 Tbsp reserved jerk marinade (depending on spice level)
-1 tsp white pepper
-1 tsp ground allspice
-S&P to taste
-juice of 1 lime
-2 tsp garlic powder
-1/8-1/4 C diced green onion
-2 Tbsp olive oil
Otional- 1/4 c edible flowers for garnish

Dressing:
-1/4 cup Lychee juice or pineapple
-1/3 cup mayo
‐2 Tbsp red whine vinegar
-tbsp salt
-tsp pepper
-1/4 c brown sugar
-1 tbsp reserved jerk marinade
-2 tbsp olive oil


Marinade: (Alternatively you could use a store bought marinade)
- 1/2 Red onion coarsely chopped
-4 green onions chopped
-1/4-1/2 C chopped sun dried red peppers
-2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
-1tbsp fresh ginger diced
-6 closed garlic, chopped
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tbsp ground allspice
-1 tsp nutmeg
-1 Tbsp white pepper
-1/8 c brown sugar
-1/4 c honey
-2 tbsp Maggi or soy sauce
-2 mangos chopped
-juice of 2 limes
-juice of 1 large orange
-2 to 4 habanero peppers
-2 tbsp olive oil

Using a 1 gal plastic bag pound the chicken breast to an even thickness (its easiest to just do this with the side of your fisted hand).

Combine all marinade ingredients into a blender of food processor and pulse a few times, marinade should still be chunky, with onions, etc being about a fine dice.
Marinate the chicken for 3-6 hours.

Grill the chicken, and salt and pepper both sides during first turn, also adding scoops of marinade at each turn. Achieve a good char on the chicken, and cook to at least 165 IT. You want to be delicate with your turns so you don't loose all the chunky marinade goodness. Make sure the chicken cooks a bit after the last time you baste with marinade as it had raw meat in it).

Cool the chicken and dice or shred. Refrigerate.

Cook pasta, and cool under running cold water and drain. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and toss. Refrigerate until ready to combine.

Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing and wisk thoroughly. Pour the dressing over the pasta, and combine all all other ingredients, and toss well. S&P to taste. Garnish with edible flowers (optional).

Tev's Skillet Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Tev's Skillet, Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

-- Topping --

1/2 cupButter

1 cupBrown sugar; firmly packed

1 20-oz canSliced unsweetened pineapple rings,; drained and dried, reserving juice

-- Batter --

1 1/2 cupsAll-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoonsBaking Powder

1/2 teaspoonSalt

1/2 teaspoonCinnamon

1 stickUnsalted butter; (4 oz) softened

1 cupGranulated sugar

3 largeEggs; at room temperature

1 teaspoonVanilla extract

1/4 cupReserved pineapple juice

1/2 cupMilk; at room temperature Place oven rack in middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. To make batter: In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately in batches with the milk and pineapple juice, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and beating well after each addition. Set batter asside, and make topping. To make the topping:  For the topping, melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet placed in the hot or heating oven. When melted, remove skillet from oven, swirl to coat evenly with butter, then spread brown sugar evenly over the butter. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Pat pineapple slices very dry between several thicknesses of paper towel. Cut pineapple slices in half, reserving one whole slice. Place whole pineapple slice in center of skillet, then arrrange half-slices in spoke fashion around whole slice in center. Add batter as follows while skillet is still warm. Spoon, or carefully pour batter over brown-sugar-pineapple topping in bottom of skillet, and spread evenly. Bake until top is golden and toothpick inserted into cake center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cake cool in skillet on a rack for 5 minutes, run a thin knife around edge of cake to loosen from skillet. Place serving platter over skillet, carefully invert cake onto platter. Let stand for 1 minute before carefully lifting skillet off. Replace any pineapple stuck to bottom of skillet, scrape any remaining glaze from skillet onto cake. Cool on platter on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cake is best immediately after making, but can be placed in the refrigerator over night. Store left overs in the fridge as well. *You may bake this in a regular baking dish, but if you dont have a cast iron skillet, try to either buy or borrow one, as it really is much better that way! Makes one 10-inch cake, for 8 to 10 servings.