Pineapple Chicken Fajitas (from Megan)

THIS IS A GUEST BLOG ENTRY FROM MEGAN -- WENT TO HER HOUSE FOR DINNER ON SATURDAY AND THIS IS WHAT WE COOKED. THANKS MEGAN!!

Ingredients

8 6 inches flour tortillas 4 1 inches slices peeled fresh pineapple (about half) 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 2 small red or orange sweet peppers, seeded, cut in strips 2 teaspoons Jamaican jerk seasoning 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon cooking oil Fresh cilantro and lime wedges
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap tortillas in foil and heat in oven. Meanwhile, coat a 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high. Add pineapple slices; cook 4 to 6 minutes, until browned, turning once. Remove.

2. Cut chicken in strips; toss with sweet peppers; jerk seasoning, and pepper. Heat oil in skillet; add chicken and peppers. Cook and stir over medium-high 4 to 6 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink. Core and chop pineapple. Serve with chicken, tortillas, cilantro, and lime. Makes 4 servings.

Banana, Nut and Choc Chip Cake

Cake
1/2 cup butter (I use applesauce)
3/4 cup sugar (I use half splenda, half sugar)
2 eggs (I use egg beaters)
1 1/4 cups self rising flour
1 tsp soda
2 tbsp milk
3/4 cup mashed banana
1/4 cup pecans (chopped)
1/2 cup choc bits (I use dark chocolate)

Cream Cheese Icing
1/2 cup cream cheese (I use fat free)
1/4 cup powdered sugar (I use half sugar and half splenda)
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp cream (I use milk)

Preheat oven to 350
Spray bundt pan with cooking spray
Using electric mixer beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add eggs gradually beating after each addition. Using a metal spoon fold in flour and soda alternately with milk. Stir through banana, pecans and choc bits until just combined.

Spoon mixture in to prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 mins or until passes the toothpick test.

To make frosting beat together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and cream until smooth.

Once cooled top cake with cream cheese frosting. Then sprinkle with cinnamon and top with pecans if desired.

Enjoy!!

Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

1 medium onion (chopped)
1 green pepper (chopped)
2 cups chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans drained
1/2 lb shrimp
1/2 lb polska kielbsa sausage (I use turkey variety)

Cook onion and pepper in frying pan over medium heat. Once transparent add shrimp and sausage. Once shrimp is pink add chicken broth, tomatoes and garbanzo beans.

If you prefer your sauce thicker you can add a little cornstarch to thicken.

Coat over medium heat for 30 minutes.

Serve over rice (I prefer brown).

Enjoy!!

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Cupcakes

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour (half whole wheat, half regular)
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup milk (I used fat free milk)
3 large eggs (I used egg beaters)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter, softened until easily spreadable (I used applesauce)
2 cups dark brown sugar (I used half splenda, half brown sugar)
6 apples (peeled, cored and cubed) -- I used fuji apples

Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a metal or disposable foil 9-by-13-inch pan. Whisk dry ingredients and spices in a large bowl. Mix milk, eggs and vanilla extract in a 2-cup measuring cup.
Beat softened butter into dry ingredients, first on low, then medium, until mixture forms pebble-sized pieces. Add about 1/3 of the milk mixture and beat on low until smooth. Add remaining milk mixture in two stages; beat on medium speed until batter is just smooth. Add the sugar; beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Pour batter into cupcake pans (fill about 1/2 way). Add a few chunks of apple to each cupcake. Fill cupcakes the rest of the way with batter.

Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cake's center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the pan perimeter and turn cake onto rack. Let cool.

Frosting
Ingredients
1 package cream cheese (I use 1/3 less fat)
Softened 1/2 cup butter softened (I used I can't believe its not butter)
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (I use half splenda, half sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Once frosted drizzle with caramel sauce.

Enjoy!!