Fruit Salsa

Fruit Salsa

Makes about 2 1/4 cups

1 Cup Chopped papaya or mango
1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
1/4 cup finely slivered red onion
1/4 cup slivered yellow, orange, and green sweet pepper.
3 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro
1 tsp finely shredded lime or lemon peel.
2 tbsp lime and lemon juice
2 to 4 tsp finely chopped fresh jalapeno pepper
1 tsp grated fresh ginger.

• In a medium bowl stir together the Papaya, pineapple, red onion, Sweet Pepper, Cilantro, Lime or lemon peel, Lime or lemon juice. Jalapeno, and Ginger.
• Cover and Chill Salsa for 8 to 24 hours

Note: Because Hot chili peppers, such as jalapenos, contain volatile oils that can burn your skin, lips and eyes avoid direct contact with chiles as much as possible. When working with chili peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the chili peppers, wash your hands well with soap and water before touching eyes and face.

Homemade Jamaican Seasoning

Homemade Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a bowl combine 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground thyme, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
Spread on top off any meat or vegetable.

Jamaican Shrimp

Makes 10 -12 servings

2 pounds of fresh or frozen large Shrimp.
1/4 cup Salad oil.
3 tbsp. White wine vinegar.
2 tbsp Lime Juice. 
1 fresh scotch bonnet chile pepper or fresh jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped. 
1 tbsp Honey. 
2 tsp homemade Jamaican jerk seasoning or bought jamaican seasoning. 
1 medium Mango, peeled, pitted, sliced and halved crosswise. 
1 small red Onion, quartered and thinly sliced. 

• In large saucepan cook shrimp, uncovered, in lightly salted boiling water for 1 to 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. 
• Drain immediately and cool.
• Peel shrimp leaving tails. 
• Place shrimp in heavy plastic bag.
• For marinade in a screw top jar combine salad oil, whit wine vinegar, lime juice, scotch bonnet or jalapeno chili pepper, honey and the homemade jerk seasoning.
• Cover and shake well and mix.
• Pour over shrimp in plastic bag. 
• Seal bag. 
• marinate in the refrigerator about 1 hour. 
• turn bag occasionally. 
• To serve drain shrimp, reserving marinade.
• In large bowl layer shrimp, mango, lime slices, and onion, repeating until all is used.
• Drizzle with reserved marinade

Homemade Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

In a bowl combine 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground thyme, 1/2 teaspoon ground all spice, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

Food Safety

Food Safety

• Before handling any food, thoroughly wash your hands in hot soapy water.
• Make sure all cutting boards, work surfaces, knifes and any other utensils have been cleaned in hot soapy water. 
  After Handling raw food clean hands and utensils in hot soapy water before reusing. 
• Cutting boards can be sanitized with a mixture of 1 teaspoon of bleach water in sink. soak for several minutes. 
• Dont cross contaminate foods. Which means allowing the juices of raw meats, poultry and fish come in contact with other foods. 
• Keep all foods at the right temp. if food is hot then keep hot if food in cold than keep cold. 
  hours the the max for foods to be sitting out in room temperature if not properly maintained. 
  warming trays, slow cookers, and chafing dishes to keep hot foods. 140degree temps. 
• Use Ice bowls for chilled foods
• Always cook foods to the proper temperatures

Cracklin Corn Bread

Cracklin Cornbread

Makes up to 8 Servings

1 cup Self rising Cornmeal 
1/2 cup Self rising Flour
2 large Eggs - beaten 
1 1/3 cups of Buttermilk 
1 Tablespoon Shortening or Butter - Melted 
1 1/2  Cups Cracklings

• Preheat oven to 400 f degrees. 
• Spray a 9 inch iron skillet with nonstick cooking spray. 
• Place skillet in oven while preheating.
• In medium bowl, combine cornmeal and flour. 
• Stir in eggs and buttermilk until well blended.
• Add shortening and cracklings. 
• Pour into hot skillet and bake for 35-45 minutes. golden brown.

Cracklings are crunchy pieces of either pork or poultry fat that has been rendered or the crisp skin of fried or roasted pork. Package cracklings are sold in some supermarkets. 

All about eggs

Egg


 Fill an empty eggshell with soil and seeds. when a sprout appears, plant the shell, which will become compost.
 When a recipe calls for an egg, usually it is a large egg that they are referring to.
 When whipping egg whites, make sure the beaters and bowl are free of greasy residue, or the white won't whip.
 For more volume when beating egg white, let the whites stand to room temperature before beating. use a glass or metal bowl not plastic with a tapered bottom and wide top. Egg whites expand six times when beaten, so be sure the bowl is large enough.
 To prevent yolks from mixing with the whites, separate the eggs in a small bowls before adding them to your large mixing bowl.
 Pasteurized eggs have been heated to a temperature that destroys disease producing bacteria but does not cook the eggs. These eggs are safe for eating without additional cooking. Each egg is marked pasteurized in carton.

Sherry Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Sherry Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Makes 6 Servings

3 Large Sweet Potatoes or Yams
6 Slices Canned Pineapple
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Sherry 

• Preheat oven to 375 f degrees.
• Boil Potatoes with skin on. For about 20 - 30 minutes or until tender.
• Drain and allow to cool. 
• Peel and cut lengthwise into halves. 
• Arrange slices of pineapple in a single layer in a greased shallow baking dish.
• Place potato half (cut side down) on top of each pineapple slice.
• Heat butter, brown sugar, and sherry together until sugar is dissolved. 
• Pour over potatoes and pineapple. 
• Bake for 30 minutes. 
• Bast often with syrup dish.