Tropical Fruit Salsa

Stir together the following ingredients and serve with pork, chicken or even chips:

1 Papaya, peeled and finely diced

1 Mango, peeled and finely diced

1/3 cup white onion finely chopped

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice

1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice

1 Jalapeno chile, minced

Cuban Pork Tenderloin

Mix together in a gallon baggie: a marinade of ½ cup fresh orange juice, ¼ cup fresh lime juice. ¼ cup dark rum, 1 sliced onion, 5 minced garlic cloves, 2 Teaspoons Oregano, 2 Teaspoons Cumin, 2 Teaspoons salt, 1 bay leaf crumbled, 1 Teaspoon black pepper. Add two pork tenderloins. Refrigerate overnight. Remove from marinade and grill.

Chicken Empanadas

2 boneless chicken breasts cut into ½ inch cubes

¼ cup chopped onion

¼ cup chopped red bell pepper

¼ cup chopped tomato

¼ cup water

2 T. green olives, pimento stuffed, chopped

2 T. raisins

2 T. parsley

1 T. tomato paste

1 clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon cumin

2 T. dry breadcrumbs

25 pot-sticker wrappers (or use wonton wrappers cut into 3-1/2 inch rounds) – look in the produce section

Mix first 11 ingredients and cook in skillet for about 5 minutes. Grind coarsely in a food processor. Add breadcrumbs. Refrigerate mixture for about an hour. Place heaping spoonful of mixture in center of each wrapper and fold in half to make a semi-circle. Use egg yolk to seal edges if needed. Heat about 2 cups of canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Work in batches and fry empanadas until golden brown – about 30 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

Macaroni Pie

8 ounces of macaroni – cooked

¼ cup butter, melted

8 ounces of cheddar cheese, grated

1 minced onion

½ teaspoon dry mustard

Salt and Pepper and paprika

1 cup milk

2 eggs beaten

Mix everything and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until golden brown. Slice and Serve.

Roti

8 cups Flour

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

2 Cups Water

1 Cup Clarified Butter, or half Vegetable Oil

Mix flour, baking powder, salt and water. Cover and let rest for one hour. Divide into 8 parts, shape into balls and roll each into a 6 inch circle. Spread 1 T. butter on each circle. Reshape into a ball and left rest for 20 minutes.  Flatten each buttered dough ball on a floured surface and roll into a 6-7 inch circle.  Heat frying pan over medium heat and cook each Roti for 2 minutes - turn over and butter. Cook until golden. Then turn over again and butter other side. Cook until golden. Turn cooked roti out onto a plate, then hold in one hand and let go - catch with other hand using a clapping motion to separate layers. Use the way you would a tortilla.

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

1 pound chicken breasts, boned and skinned

3 slices bacon

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups picante sauce

1 16-ounce can black beans, undrained

1 each red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup green onion, sliced

12 each flour tortilla

1 1/2 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, sour cream

Cut chicken into short thin strips. Cook bacon until crisp and crumble. Sauté chicken and garlic in bacon drippings for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup picante sauce, beans, pepper, cumin, and salt. Simmer 7 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in onion and bacon. Spoon 1/4 cup of mixture down the center of each tortilla, top with 1 T cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in lightly greased baking dish. Spoon remaining picante sauce over. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake until melted (3 minutes). Add toppings and serve.

Rum Cake

This is one of the best that I’ve ever tasted – it’s from Carole Woods (“Le Reve”) who is a fantastic chef. She “cooks by taste” rather than recipe.

Oil an angel food cake pan and sprinkle with 1 cup chopped pecans. Mix the following and pour in pan:

1 Box lemon cake mix

1 lemon or orange (grate – use all - including rind)

6 Eggs

1 Cup water

1 Regular Size package of lemon Jello

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup Rum

½ cup shredded coconut

Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. While the cake is baking, make the following glaze.

½ cup rum

4 tablespoons melted butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 lime (grate – use all – including rind)

¼ teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Take cake from oven and while it is still warm, pour as much glaze over the top as the cake will absorb. Cool for about a half hour. Turn the cake out onto a dish. Spoon the remaining glaze over the top.