Paula Deen's Jerk Wontons with Caribbean Salsa

So I've been trying to find recipes that use minimal amounts of processed foods, but are jam packed with flavor.  Well...I sure found that in this recipe!  I took it to work today, because I didn't think it would be one my family would embrace, if ya know what I mean.  lol

This recipe is really refreshing and would be perfect for a 90 degree day, drinking margarita's served by a nice, hot cabana boy. Come on....this is a Paula Deen recipe and you KNOW she would agree with this.

Here are the wontons.

And here is the salsa...D.E.L.I.S.H.!

Of course, I had to do a yummy close up.

Salsa:
3 cups diced fesh pineapple
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
1 seedless cucumber, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
3 TBS frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
2/3 tsp ground black pepper

In a large bowl combine everything except the oil, juice, S & P.  Mix together, then in a separate bowl, mic oil, juice S & P and add to the pineapple mixture, tossing gently to coat.  Cover and chill for 4 hours.  Serve with Jerk Wontons (recipe below)

Jerk Wontons
25 wonton wrappers, cut in half diagonally
1/3 c butter, melted
1 TBS Caribbean Jerk Seasoning, recipe follows

Caribbean Jerk Seasoning:
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed Scotch bonnet pepper (I didn't have this, so it was omitted)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Caribbean Jerk Seasoning:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl until well-mixed. Store in an airtight container.

Jerk-Seasoned Wonton Chips:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the wonton wrappers in a single layer on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle each evenly with jerk seasoning. Bake until lightly browned and crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Cool completely on parchment paper. Serve immediately, or store chips in an airtight container up to 1 week.

You can also find this recipe on Paul Deen's website here.

If you try this, let me know what you think.
Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I'll give you your choice.

This

 

Or this
 
 
 Yep...
Next to my hubby
Gerard Butler
Is the next best thing.

Happy Dreams!!
xoxo

Roasted Garlic

Here's what I'm trying today.

Compliments of Simply Recipes

 

Roasted Garlic Recipe

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Method

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2 Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic.


3 Place the garlic heads in a baking pan; muffin pans work well for this purpose. Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.

4 Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Use a small small knife cut the skin slightly around each clove. Use a cocktail fork or your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.
Eat as is (I love straight roasted garlic) or mash with a fork and use for cooking. Can be spread over warm French bread, mixed with sour cream for a topping for baked potatoes, or mixed in with Parmesan and pasta.

I'll let you know how I do with this.  I'm using this to make a homemade creamy garlic dressing for a salad I'm preparing tomorrow.  More to come on the salad after it's done!

Enjoy!
xoxo

I'm a Winner!!

Check this out!

So...my friend, Kym, had this great giveaway to honor the anniversary of her shop.
Which you know I LOVE.
Because I mention her often in my blog.

SURPRISE!!

I won some fabric!!!
And check out the cute flower clip!

I'm pretty excited and the colors are getting me ready for spring!  

It's so nice to see something other than white!  

Thank you, Kym!

You made my day!!

xoxo

Sharing

My  husband's uncle passed away a couple weeks ago.  Elmer was his favorite uncle and was a man of great humor.  After his funeral you walked away wanting to be a better person, so people would feel your beliefs as strongly as they felt Elmer's.  I can honestly say that I've never been to a funeral where I laughed just as much as I cried.  I wanted to share a little poem that was written in the program:

When I come to the end of the road

And the sun has set for me,

I want no rites in a gloom-filled room

Why cry for a soul set free?

Miss me a little - but not too long

And not with your head bowed low,

Remember the love that we once shared

Miss me - but let me go.

For this is a journey that we all must take

And each must go alone.

It's all a part of the Master's plan

A step on the road to home.

When you are lonely and sick of heart

Go to the friends we know,

And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds

Miss me - but let me go.

Elmer was 87 when he went home. 

From the testimonies read at his funeral

there was no doubt he lived life to the fullest.

Each day be thankful.

Each day appreciate what you have

and pay no attention to what you don't have.

By choosing to be thankful for all the blessings

that are right in front of you

you are living.

So in the words of the prior pastor of my church,

"Keep on keeping on"

Move forward.

Live.

Doll Quilt Swap Sneak Peak and a Recipe of Course!

Well here it is!  The fabric I have picked out for my swap partner, Kris.  I hope she likes it!  Kris...if you see this and don't care for this color pallet, please let me know.  My stash is large and I can change this up with no problem!  :o)

And for those of you who aren't into sewing, I won't leave you out!  Below is a new recipe for you.  It will be a good one for the Super Bowl tomorrow.  Super Bowl day is one of my favorite days of the year!  Though my favorite team (Vikings...don't be a hater) didn't make it this year, I'm still going to root for the Packers.  Mainly because I love cheese. (Wisconsin Cheeseheads...get it??)  LOL!

Super Bowl Salsa

What you'll need:
- 2 lbs. of ripe tomatoes (diced - Roma tomatoes work well)(I like to use Roma tomatoes)
- 1-1/2 to 2 cups "Mexican Blend" cheese or shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can black beans, drained (or 2 cans if you like)
- 2-3 green onions (chopped)
- 1 cup Italian dressing
- 2 to 3 tbsp. of chopped cilantro (optional) 
What to do:
Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld and then serve with your favorite chips. Garnish with additional cilantro. How easy is that?

I found this recipe here.  So check out the site to see if there's others you'd like to try!

Enjoy....and GO PACKERS!!

Postage Stamp Quilt Top is Done!

There are good things that come from being snowed in.  Here is my completed postage stamp quilt top!  I just ordered my backing and binding yesterday, so I'm going to quilt it myself once the rest of the goodies get here.

 

I really enjoyed doing this quilt and it's the first top I've completed in 2011.  There were so many gorgeous quilts done!  To add to this fun quilt-along was a drawing for gift certificates to the Fat Quarter Shop.  If you completed the quilt top by the deadline, your name was put into a drawing. Unfortunately, I wasn't the lucky winner for that, but I WAS a lucky winner of some fabric from Fabric Fascination!!   How exciting is that??  As I've mentioned before, Kym is one of my favorites.  I will always highly recommend her store.  Stop by and tell her I said hello!

Enjoy!

Cindy

2011 Blizzard

Gotta love Iowa winters.  Today I will just let the pictures talk.  I have no idea when we will be able to get out.  It will be interesting!!  :o)