"Everyday Cooking"- Grilled Pineapple

A side dish as easy as breeze...or a dessert you can make in minutes...how good does that sound??? Grilled pineapple can be served as a side dish to any of your menu or serve it as a simple fruit dessert or use it to top it with Ice cream.....even better huhh???
We had planned a 'Chinese' menu for 'G' 's parents. So the usual Fried Rice,Veggie Stir Fry, soup, Noodles etc were all there. So this turned out to be the extra 'special' side dish..which everyone(even the kids) loved...the Juicy pineapple...with hint of sugar and salt and those gorgeous grill makes....won over everyone!!!

You can either grill it on your outdoor grill or just on the a Stove top grill pan...just like what I did!

Ingredients:
1 Can of Pineapple Slices ( In Juice)
salt
sugar (very little- or you can skip it)
Non stick Cooking Spray

Method:
1) Drain the pineapple juice from the can well.
2) Heat the Grill pan.Spray with Cooking spray
3) Place the pineapple slices on the hot grill pan.
4) Sprinkle salt and sugar
5) When you see grill marks on one side, flip to the other side.Done!!!
6) Serve warm/ Cold....as is for a side dish.....or with ice cream for dessert!

'Sweet Treats"- Sugar Cookie truffles in Ice cream cones

Kids love all that ...is sweet..chocolaty and looks like...ICE CREAM!!!  I had tried .."Cake Pops" before..and had thought that they were too labor intensive. First of all.....you bake a gorgeous cake..then you break it and mash it up....to make pops .And....It's hard to get those pops to stay on lollipop sticks.
My friend 'A' had made 'Oreo Truffles" for her son's birthday. On the similar lines...I tried these Sugar cookie Truffles ( Because I had quite a few Sugar cookies in the pantry!!)
They were very very easy..believe me! Crush..Mix....Roll..Chill...Assemble...DONE!!

Ingredients:
20 Store bought Plain Sugar Cookies (Or bake your own sugar cookies.Do not let them brown!!)
3tbsp Cream cheese
1tbsp Vanilla frosting

10 Small size (Kids cones) ice cream cones

1 cup Chocolate chips
Sprinkles
Cookie Icing
M and M's

Method:
1) Crush the sugar cookies in a blender till coarse powdered.Bring cream cheese to room temperature.
2) Mix the room temperature cream cheese and icing with the powdered cookies. Roll into small balls to fit onto the small size ice cream cones.

3) Refrigerate the  for 30 mins.
 4) Melt the Chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave. Drizzle on the truffles in desired patterns.
5) Decorate with Sprinkles, M and M's and cookie icing

6) Refrigerate the truffles..till ready to serve.  To serve...simply place the Truffles on top of the cone!

"Appetizers"- Red Bell Pepper and Broccoli Pinwheels

Little kids love colorful finger foods....They love these tiny pinwheels with Veggies....so tasty, so colorful, with their favorite cream cheese and so easy to handle for their Teeny-Tiny fingers!!
These were one of the snacks for 'E'' and 'A's Dinosaur themed birthday party last week.
These pinwheels are so versatile..you can put almost anything in cream cheese and roll these up!
I have had...Spinach-Jalapeno pinwheels, Black beans and Salsa pinwheels, Onion and green chili pinwheels.....and they all tasted delicious!!!
I went ..the colorful route..I used the vibrant Red Bell Pepper and the fresh Green Broccoli!!!Together they looked so pretty in the white cream cheese and the tortillas background...

Ingredients:
8 white/wheat tortillas

Veggie Cream Cheese
1(8oz) package of Philadelphia plain cream cheese
3/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
3/4 cup finely chopped broccoli
1tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp red chili powder
2tsp olive oil
salt

Method:
1) Heat 2tsp olive oil.Add cumin,ginger garlic paste, red pepper,broccoli and salt.Saute till tender and cooked.Let it cool.
2) Bring cream cheese to room temperature.Mix red chili powder and the sauteed veggies.Mix well
3) Spread a spoonful of cream cheese-veggie mixture on the tortilla.Roll tightly into a roll.
4) Roll the Tortillas rolls and chill in refrigerator till ready to serve.
5) Cut each roll horizontally into 6 pieces. Serve at room temperature.