Pineapple Honey Pepper Frozen Yogurt

I feel very fortunate to be able to help organizations in our community. 
Recently my husband and I hosted a principal cast member from
Shreveport Opera’s production of “Rigoletto” for 3 weeks.  When departing,
he left behind some well appreciated food gifts.  Along with a gift of fresh pineapple shared by my Mother-in-law, I decided to challenge myself and
create a recipe featuring those ingredients.  You know…like as if you
were on one of those cooking competition TV shows. 
Well except for the wine, which I am saving, I used all of the other gifts
in this creation; pineapple, pepper jelly made with ghost peppers and
honey with honeycomb.  The contrast of flavors is off the charts.  
When thinking about them together at first…you can’t imagine it working,
but just imagine creamy honey frozen yogurt with pineapple tinged slightly
with heat strewn throughout and topped with honeycomb, drizzles of
pepper jelly and more pineapple.  Thanks to all for the gifts… they inspired
me to come up with this unlikely creation and the next time you are
feeling a little adventurous, I say go for it.  Enjoy!       

Pineapple Honey Pepper Frozen Yogurt

Yield: 1 quart

Ingredients

1.5 c fresh pineapple, cut into tidbits
1 T unsalted butter
4 T honey (divided)
1 t hot pepper jelly, plus additional for garnish (I used one made with ghost peppers)
Dash of salt
2 c plain whole-milk yogurt
2 c plain nonfat or reduced-fat Greek yogurt
.5 c Splenda
Honeycomb for garnish

Method

·         Melt butter into a pan; add 1T honey and pepper jelly and salt stir until combined.

·         Add pineapple, stir and continue cooking until all liquid is absorbed.

·         Place pineapple on a Silpat covered sheet pan (or non-reactive pan) and into a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes, let cool.

·         Meanwhile whisk yogurts, Splenda and honey syrup in a bowl until combined.

·         Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

·         Divide pineapple, rough chop two-thirds; reserve the remaining third for garnish.

·         Add the chopped pineapple to the frozen yogurt.

·         Transfer the pineapple frozen yogurt to a covered container and freeze for up to 2 hours.

·         To serve, scoop desired amount into bowl(s), garnish with reserved pineapple, additional pepper jelly and honeycomb.

 Inspiration from Food Network’s recipe – “Almost-Famous Frozen Yogurt”

~CGJ

OMG Granola - (Oh My Goodness)

My family loves granola.  I love it too, but not the price.  I’ve thought for a long time that I could make it as good as or even better than what we have available at the grocery store and probably for less.  Well, last night I decided to put it to the test, but sorry to say that my data is incomplete and can't make the call on whether or not it’s cheaper because… we ate it before I could measure the yield.  Between my testing, Neil testing, Sara testing, Lori Baynham testing, Neil taking to friends and all of us coming back again and again, it’s almost gone.  So while the goal of making it better has certainly been achieved, I’ll have to get back to you on the cost savings…but as Lori said,         

"When it’s this good, who cares about the cost”.

OMG Granola – (Oh My Goodness)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Spray 2 half sheet pans with cooking spray

Mix together the following, divide and place on sheet pans

4 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

2 cups chopped Pecans

2 cups Flaked Unsweetened Coconut

1 cup quartered dried Mediterranean Apricots*

1 cup Craisins*

½ cup Toasted Wheat Germ

½  cup Flax seed

1 cup Honey

½ cup Brown Sugar

Place in preheated oven and stir every 15 minutes for 1 hour.

If there is any left, store in an airtight container.  Enjoy!

*For less dry fruit, add and stir in halfway through cooking