Grilled Pineapple Cake Delight - The New Way to Serve Dessert

Nothing would beat a nice dessert after a good meal - ice cream, cakes, pies and other sweets is an awesome choice. Everyone enjoys a tasty dessert, unless you are diabetic. Ending the meal with a desert is a tradition practiced by almost everyone. The word desert came from the old French language desservir; originally practiced by the western culture but due to foreign influences, no longer it is exclusive to western meals. We are truly blessed with the wide variety of sweet delights, which is present in the food business. If you haven't noticed, people have been paying attention to sweets served to them after their meals. Grilled desserts are starting to get the attention of the public; most are intrigued with the taste and nutrition of such a food. A recipe called grilled pineapple cake delight is starting to be noticed by many.

We will need
One can sliced pineapple, at least 20 ounces
One teaspoon butter
Half teaspoon brown sugar
One-fourth teaspoon vanilla extract
One-eight teaspoon ground cinnamon
One-eight teaspoon ground nutmeg
Six sliced pound cake
Vanilla ice cream
Caramel ice cream topping

How to prepare
Drain the pineapple; set aside six ring slices and one-third cup juice (the remaining pineapple juice should be saved for other usage). Mix the brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and reserved pineapple juice in a bowl. Grill the pineapple rings and cake for at least 1 to 2 minutes. You must not forget to apply the mixture occasionally. Make sure that the color of the pineapple is golden brown. When it is done, put the cooked pineapple in a serving plate, together with a caramel topping and one scoop of ice cream. This is good for 5 to 6 servings.

More and more people are starting to be aware of the food they eat; this is a nutritional move on their part. Desserts are the reason why we stay longer on the table after a meal. Seldom would we see a person skip a good dessert. Though it is not required in our meal, we all would demand for it; nutrition experts are advising us to consume minimal sweets. They know we cannot control ourselves, once a tasty treat is being served on the table.

Mediterranean Grilled Lamb, Feta Cheese and Kalamata Olive Salad

Because the Mediterranean contains many cultures in close proximity, national cuisines have influenced each other over the centuries. In common they share a love for healthy colorful ingredients, a wide use of seafood, grilled lamb, cheeses, olive oil, olives, and flavorful breads.

The Mediterranean diet is healthy, and equally as beneficial for well-being is the custom of long family meals taken together and enjoyed with good wine.

Traditionally, lamb has been served at Easter, Passover, and in general in spring in many cultures around the world. This grilled lamb salad is a substantial meal in itself. An easy to prepare light desert, and suggested wine pairing follows:

Ingredients:

1 lb. cubed lamb sirloin
9 T. good quality olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste

4 cups baby spinach
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 small basket ripe cherry tomatoes
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
2 T capers
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 T red wine vinegar
2 T finely chopped mint

Instructions:

Place the cubed lamb, one-third of the oil, oregano, basil, garlic, salt and pepper into a bowl. Mix well to coat the lamb with the spices and oil. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

-Preheat grill. Arrange lamb on skewers and grill, turning occasionally, until medium. Set aside on a plate.

-For the dressing whisk together 6 tablespoons of oil, vinegar, mint, salt and pepper.

-On four plates arrange the spinach, feta, tomatoes, cucumbers, capers and olives, top with the cooked lamb, and drizzle the dressing over each salad. Serve with crusty warm rolls or scalloped potatoes. And lemon bars for desert.

Lemon Bars:

Crust:

1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour

Filling:

4 beaten eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Beat the butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Add the salt and flour and mix well. Press into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake 20 minutes.

While the crust is baking, mix the filling ingredients together, then pour onto hot crust and bake an additional 20-minutes until set. Remove from the oven and cool.

Mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice glaze ingredients together until smooth and drizzle over top of lemon bars. When set, cut into 15 squares.

Wine pairing suggestion: Syrah 2005 Sonoma County from Tamayo Family Vineyards: http://tamayofamilyvineyards.com

This delectable Syrah won the Double Gold Best of Class winner at the 2008 North of the Gate Wine Competition. 91 points from Wine Enthusiast Buying Guide August 2008. Gold Medal from Best of Appellation Awards. Silver Medal from San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition 2008. Silver Medal from the World Wine Championships 2008.

Grilled Pineapple - The Perfect End to Your Barbecue

Grilled pineapple is a perfect dessert for your barbecue. It is tasty, easy to do, great looking, and your guests will love it. Grilling brings out an intense flavor that is delicious.

Make sure to get a ripe pineapple. Look for one that has a nice smell and has crisp green leaves. Prepare the pineapple by cutting off the top and outer skin and coring. Cut into ¾ inch rings or slice into quarters lengthwise (top to bottom) and slice each quarter into four pieces to create wedges.

Make a glaze to be used on the pineapple. You can put it on prior to cooking or use it as a glaze after cooking. If using prior to cooking, brush each side of each pineapple piece with the glaze (you can also marinate overnight in a zip-lock bag). Here are some suggestions for glazes:

3 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice

1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon ginger

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, ½ cup honey, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon soy sauce.

4 tablespoons molasses, 4 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoon lime juice

½ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1 can coconut milk, 1 ½ cups sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon

A variation on the glaze method is to dip the pineapple rings in a mixture of melted butter and lime juice and then into a mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon. Shake off the excess sugar and they are ready to go on the grill.

Spray the grill with non-stick cooking spray. Put the pineapple on the grill and cook for about 4 minutes on each side. Cook only until the outside starts to turn brown and grill marks appear. Don't overcook or it will turn mushy. Remove from the grill and brush with glaze one last time. Serve as is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fruit sorbet. It doesn't get much better than this!