CARIBBEAN PORK STEAKS & TOASTED CREAM CHEESE CROUTONS with MIXED GREEN SALAD and GRAM'S VINAIGRETTE & MAGIC MARSHMALLOW CRESCENT PUFFS with a TWIST

I want to make sure you know that this weekend Chris from Nibble Me This is hosting a Valentine's Romance weekend over at OUR KrAzY kitchen and Dave from My Year on the Grill who hosts I CAN COOK THAT! at OUR KrAzY kitchen has been running a Romance series on his regular day where he tells us what men really want for Valentine's Day. Now my hubby would tell you that Dave is so right as far as the dilemma between moink balls and flowers and chocolates. The recipes below are what hubby would prefer I serve for Valentines. Of course LOL he would also prefer it be served in bed by me already naked.

CARIBBEAN PORK STEAKS

Now I had to do these inside with the broiler this time, but they are sooooooooooooo much more impressive with the grill marks from the BBQ, yet it doesn't change the flavor much.


2-3 pounds of pork, 4 chops or 2 steaks
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup pineapple sundae topping*
1 teaspoon Caribbean jerk seasoning
pineapple slices
  • In a small bowl whisk together the pineapple topping, red pepper, Caribbean jerk seasoning and garlic. Set aside.
  • Salt and pepper the chops on both sides.
  • Grill or broil chops until they are no longer pink near the bone.
  • Brush with glaze on both sides of pork chops and pineapple slices and return to the grill or broiler until the glaze bubbles and the pineapple is heated through.
  • Garnish with grilled pineapple slices.
*apricot pineapple preserves substitutes really well.

TOASTED CREAM CHEESE CROUTONS with MIXED GREEN SALAD
I found the recipe for the croutons in some magazine. It was from Kraft, but fell in love with it and immediately adapted to our favorite salad. You can also make lots of the cream cheese croutons in advance and just pull out as many as you need each meal.

Romaine hearts, chopped
grape tomatoes, halved
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
English cucumber, sliced & chopped
kiwi, chopped
pomegranate seeds
Philadelphia cream cheese
walnuts, finely chopped (I used my mini food processor)
cream cheese croutons

  • Cut the cream cheese into 1/2 inch cubes.
  • Coat cream cheese cubes with the walnut pieces.
  • Freeze overnight or up to 2 months.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Prepare salad.
  • Spray cookie sheet with PURE.
  • Remove as many cream cheese cubes as you need 5 minutes before baking them.
  • Spread out the cream cheese cubes.
  • Bake for 5 minutes until golden brown.
  • Toss salad with vinaigrette and top with croutons.
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green onion, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lime
3/4 cup olive or peanut oil
  • In a dressing bottle combine the garlic and onion. sugars, salt and pepper.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, oil, sugars, salt and pepper.
  • Pour over the garlic and onion.
  • Shake well to combine until well blended.
MAGIC MARSHMALLOW CRESCENT PUFFS with a TWIST
The original recipe that won the Pillsbury Grand Prize Winner of $25,000 in 1969 seems to be surfacing everywhere lately. I have finally decided to give it a try by adding my own signature twist.

This recipe was the Pillsbury Grand Prize Winner of $25,000 in 1969 for a very good reason, it really is magical. The cinnamon-sugar marshmallows melt away during the baking, leaving an ooey-gooey caramel center behind. And while they are delicious warm from the oven I defy anyone seeing a baked one for the first time to identify the inigredients that made the whole or to resist even a cold one especially now that they leave an ooey gooey caramel chocolate center behind. The BIG trick is making sure that the marshmallow is wrapped really well inside and sealed tight.


1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2-8 ounce cans Pillsbury Refrigerated Quick Crescent Dinner Rolls
16 large marshmallows
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup chopped nuts
16 cherry HERSHEY'S KISSES*
crushed walnuts, optional
  • Combine sugar with cinnamon.
  • Separate crescent dough into 16 triangles.
  • Push a cherry Kiss into the center of each marshmallow
  • Dip marshmallow in melted butter and then roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture.
  • Wrap a dough triangle around each marshmallow, completely covering marshmallow and squeezing edges of dough tightly to seal.
  • Dip in melted butter and place in regular sized muffin cups.
  • Roll in crushed walnuts.
  • Repeat with remaining marshmallows.
  • Place pan on foil or on a cookie sheet during baking to guard against spill-overs in the oven.
  • Bake puffs at 375 degrees for 10 - 14 minutes until golden brown.
  • Wait a minute or two, then remove from pans and drizzle with glaze and sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired.

GLAZE PREP
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 teaspoons milk
  • combine powdered sugar, vanilla and milk, and mix well.
  • drizzle
*Also good with other flavor HERSHEY kisses.

2 comments:

Velva said...

Awesome meal! Very nice. I have enjoyed Dave's post and I am looking forward to Chris's.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Martha said...

This all looks so good!! Wow! Yummy and thanks for the excellent recipes.