Joey's Pineapple Peach Salsa

 

 Every summer, I always look forward to diving deep into the canning season, preserving all of my favorite Jersey produce. Of course I can never get enough of my Jersey corn and tomatoes, but the other favorite is PEACHES! I love to do jars of peaches in syrup, peach jam, spicy peach chutney, and of course I can't let the summer end without making jars of fabulous peach pie filling. 

 But just when I thought I was finished with all of my peach canning, I went to my favorite farmers market, and the peaches looked so gorgeous and so fabulous, I just knew I had to find yet another something to make. And then I thought, "wait.. why have I never canned peach salsa??" THIS was the thing I had been missing!!

 So then I wondered how I could switch it up a little, just to add a little spin to make it fun and new. I looked at a few of the other ingredients I happened to have on hand. And then I thought aha! Pineapple! Here's the thing.. I always like to keep fresh pineapple at the ready because I use it just ALL the time. Very often, when I'm making jam, I like to pair different fruits together, and the one fruit that goes with literally everything is .. you guessed it.. pineapple!! Not even kidding.. I've paired it with all kinds of berries, mangoes, tomatoes, and even fresh basil (yes, pineapple basil jam is amazing!) And so I figured... since I had made pineapple peach jam before, why not put them together again to make salsa! Perfect. 

 Next thing you know, I had a giant pot simmering on the stove, and it turned out to be one of my favorite things I've ever made! So much so that I ran out of it in less that two weeks, and needed to make another batch. Who knows, I might even need to make a third one! Either that, or I need to make bigger batches!

 So if you like a fruity salsa that's both spicy and sweet, give this one a try. It's great on everything! Yes, of course, you can serve it with a bowl of tortilla chips... or on a cracker with a schmear of cream cheese... but it's also fabulous on grilled chicken.. or pork chops... or better yet.. try it poured over some air fryer salmon. Absolutely DELICIOUS! Time for another trip back to my favorite farmers market!

 

 

 

4 cups fresh peaches, diced
2 cups fresh pineapple, diced
2 cups tomatoes, diced
2 cups red, yellow, and/or orange bell peppers, finely diced

2 jalapeño peppers, finely diced
1 red onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lime juice
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbs ground cumin
1 tbs paprika
2 tbs corn starch (or Clear Jel if canning)

Place all ingredients in a large stock pot over medium heat. 
Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. 
Let it continue to simmer for about 20 minutes. 

For canning:
Fill pint jars leaving 1/2 inch head space. 
Use the waterbath or steam canning method to process for 15 minutes. 
Note- this exact recipe was not officially tested, but was based on an officially tested canning recipe. 


Tips:
The peaches, pineapple, and tomatoes should be a slightly larger dice, the peppers and onions should be more finely diced, and the parsley and garlic should be very finely minced. I also included the jalapeño seeds. I just think it tastes better that way. But hey, you do you!
If you're canning, you definitely need to let it simmer for a good 20 minutes. It helps remove the air that is in the peaches, which leads to more successful canning endeavors. Also, cooking it down really mellows the heat factor. Time will do that too. After a while, the heat will dissipate quite a bit. So if you want to keep the heat, go a little heavier with the crushed red pepper flakes and maybe add a little cayenne pepper. 
Yes, I know I didn't explain all the canning how-to. If you'd like to learn, Youtube is your best friend. 
You can also read all you need to know from the National Center For Home Food Preservation. 

Pineapple Cole Slaw

 

Are you a cole slaw person? It seems to me that people are very divided when it comes to cole slaw. Either you love it or you don't. I happen to fall squarely into the first category. I absolutely LOVE it. I can even do some brands of store bought slaw, but extra points will always go to a restaurant that makes it home made. 

 When I was growing up, we always had a big bowl of cole slaw on our holiday table, and it was ALWAYS at every barbecue. It's sweet, tangy, creamy, and crunchy all in one bite. What's not to love? 

 Recently, I had bought a large head of cabbage for a smothered cabbage smoked sausage recipe, but I only needed half for the recipe. So what did I do with the other half? Cole slaw! But I thought, ok, what kind of a spin can I put on it? I had also recently baked a Hawaiian Banana Bread and still had lots of fresh pineapple, so I figured, why not? 

 This recipe is so easy, it's barely even a recipe. It's basically just a list of ingredients and it's ready in no time. And guess what?! It's delicious! It goes perfectly with a BBQ pulled pork, or grilled ribs, and it'll be right at home in your summer BBQ spread. It's slightly tweaked from a youtuber called Marcy Inspired. Make sure you have the recipe handy when you serve it because people are gonna ask you how you made it! Even if you're not usually a fan of cole slaw, give this one a try. It just might change your mind!

 

 

 

 

6 cups green cabbage, shredded
2 cups pineapple, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbs brown sugar
3 tbs vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

 

 

In a very large mixing bowl, simply stir all ingredients together until well coated. Cover and chill for about an hour. Give it another good stir before serving. Garnish with a little chopped parsley, if desired. That's all there is to it!

 

 

 

Tips:

The most important thing about this recipe is WHEN you make it. It's just not one of those recipes you can make days in advance. If you'd like to give yourself a head start, though, just have all your ingredients ready, and then mix them on the day or your event. I shredded and chopped everything fresh, but you could very easily just do a 20oz can of pineapple bits (drained) and a bag of cole slaw mix and call it a day.

 These ingredients are just guidelines. As my Mom used to say "If you like a lot, add a lot!" Would you like more pineapple? Go for it. Would you like it to be more tangy? Add a little more vinegar. Wanna add more carrot? You do you! 

 When you add the mayonnaise, you're immediately gonna think that it's not enough. RESIST the urge to add more! There will be plenty of dressing after it sits for a while in the fridge. However, if you do happen to inadvertently add too much mayonnaise, and your cole slaw is now swimming in dressing, you can easily just pour off the excess. Don't ask me how I know.

Joey's Hawaiian Banana Bread

 

 I recently found myself with a few extra bananas that were bordering on being over ripe. And what do you do with over ripe bananas? You make banana bread, of course! And since I can never leave well enough alone (as my Mom used to say), I decided to switch it up and have a little fun with the flavors. 

 So I began to think of which flavors I love to pair with bananas. Hm.. Chocolate? or maybe peanut butter?

 And then I remembered a cake I had made years ago called Dr Bird Cake which combined the flavors of banana and pineapple. (It's actually one of my all time favorite cakes, tbh). That sounds perfect! Actually, while I'm at it, why not go full Hawaiian and add coconut too? Boom. That's the answer. 

 I figured I could just use my go-to Banana Bread recipe and add pineapple and coconut to it, but it's always nice to try new recipes, dontcha think? This recipe is my version of a recipe I found on food.com. It's very light and sweet and definitely blurs the line between banana bread and banana cake, but either way it's absolutely delicious. It's perfect for a nice brunch, an afternoon tea, or just when you feel like a little sweet treat. 

Time to buy more bananas... I think I need to make this one again!

 

 

 

1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1 1/2 cups mashed banana
2 eggs
1 tsp rum extract
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup diced fresh pineapple

1 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Grease and flour just the bottom of a 9x5x3 loaf pan. Set aside.
Cream sugar and butter very well. Add bananas, eggs, and rum extract.
In a separate bowl, sift flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.
Blend flour mixture into banana mixture, making sure not to overmix.

Gently fold in diced pineapples and coconut.
Turn batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack.

 

 

 

Tips:

 People have asked why I specifically say to grease and flour the bottom of the loaf pans, but not the sides. The truth is you can grease the whole pan if you want to. But I find that your bread bakes up with a cleaner edge if you just do the bottom. If you're worried about it sticking to the sides, just run a knife around the side edges of the pan before you turn it out onto a wire rack for cooling. 

 You can serve it plain as it is, but if you want to get creative, trying toasting a slice then topping it with a pat of butter. HEAVEN. For a little more wow factor, drizzle it with a cream cheese glaze. 

 This recipe can easily be doubled. Bake two and freeze one!

 

 

Joey's Slow Cooker Teriyaki Beef

 

 

    I was in the mood for a slow cooker kind of beef something. You know, like when you let it cook all day in the slow cooker until it just falls apart? Yes, that. But I wasn't feeling my usual go-to beef stew with potatoes and brown gravy vibe. So, I thought, why not do something fun and new? To be quite honest, my original thought was to do something with lots of toasted spices, sort of in an Indian inspired direction... with lots of onions, garlic, ginger, and garam masala. But then I took a quick inventory of my pantry ingredients and decided that a fabulous teriyaki might be the way to go. Ok then! We have our heading!

  Now, of course, it would be easy to just open up a bottle of purchased teriyaki sauce and call it a day, but I always have more fun making it home made, Don't you? I must admit that I only had a general idea of what goes in a good teriyaki sauce, but I figured , how hard can it be? I knew I wanted it to include pineapple juice and soy sauce, and I absolutely love the flavor of toasted sesame oil. I also figured it would probably have honey and brown sugar, but this was as far as I could go on my own. So I did what I always do! I started with those ingredients, googled a few recipes, took what I liked from each one, and made my own! I took one taste and YES! It turned out beautifully! Don't you just love when that happens? And it was super easy too. I just threw everything into the slow cooker, gave a stir, and let it cook all afternoon. You can't get much easier than that, right?  I thought of browning the beef before throwing it in, which would absolutely be fine, but I just wanted a quick set up an no extra dishes to worry about. THIS was it.

  Just set it up in the morning for an easy week night meal, or do like I did and make it for a fabulous Sunday supper. Pour it over some cooked white rice and you're good to go! Hope you'll give it t a try!

2 cups pineapple juice

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs rice vinegar

1 tbs toasted sesame oil

2 tbs Hoisin sauce
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs fresh ginger, minced 

3 scallions, sliced

2-3 lbs beef chuck, cubed 

 

 

For thickening the sauce:

2 tbs corn starch

2 tbs cold water or pineapple juice 

 

Garnish:

More sliced scallions

sesame seeds

Add all of your sauce ingredients into the insert of your slow cooker. Give it a good whisk until it's all well combined. Now add the scallions and beef cubes. Give it another stir until the meat is well coated. Cook on low for about 8 hours, or on high for about 4 hours. 

 When the beef is tender, stir together the corn starch and water (or juice, if using). Add to the sauce, and stir. If your slow cooker is on low, turn it to high, and let it cook for about 15-20 more minutes, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened. This is the perfect time to make the rice, so that everything is done at the same time. To serve, pour your beef and sauce over a mound of rice, add veggies on the side, garnish with more sliced scallions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, if desired.

Tips:

 Be sure to adjust seasoning after it's cooked. Sometimes it needs more salt or soy sauce than you think it will!

  If you'd like to stretch the meal a little further, add some beautifully colorful steamed vegetables on the side. Some broccoli florets or sugar snap peas would be absolutely perfect. You can put them on for steaming around the same time as you cook the rice!

  You can use this same recipe for chicken as well. Just add your boneless chicken to the crock pot with your sauce, and cook it on low for about 6 hours. Then remove the chicken to thicken the sauce. While the sauce is thickening, you can shred the chicken and add it back to the slow cooker. Come to think of it, that would be FABULOUS in a lettuce wrap! Yum. 

  When you add the corn starch for thickening, be sure to stir it into COLD liquid (either the water or the juice) before adding it to a hot liquid. If you add it directly to the sauce, it will clump into little starchy blobs, and no one wants that!

Skillet Pineapple BBQ Chicken

 So, summer has come to a close, but you're not quite ready to let go of summer flavors, right? SAME! I still want some sweet saucey smokey BBQ, but I think all the grilling and cookouts are done for the year. So what do we do? Well, we could do oven BBQ chicken or ribs, but it's still kinda hot out for the oven. We could do slow cooker pulled pork, but that'll take all day. The next best thing? The skillet on the stove top!
 The recipe is super easy, really quick, and super delicious when you want a quick chicken dinner and a quick BBQ sauce. When I tell you that this recipe comes together in a snap, I'm not even kidding. Honestly, you can have dinner on the table in less than a half hour. This is my tweaked version of a recipe for strawberry chicken that I found on Taste of Home. I didn't have strawberries, but I had fresh pineapple, so I went with it. I've done pineapple with BBQ before, so I knew it would work. It turned out SO good! TBH, I've never met a pineapple anything that I didn't love, (yes, even pizza. Oh stop.), so I knew I'd love adding pineapple to the BBQ sauce. Oh, one thing... the original recipe turned out to be VERY sweet, which I'm fine with, but still, I decided to cut back a little on the sweet ingredients and add a little lemon juice to brighten up the whole party. Much better, I think! That's the beauty of a recipe! You make it the way YOU like it!
 So, if you're still thinking of BBQ, try this one. SO easy, and SO good. Serve it with some potato salad and baked beans, and summer is still here!



a couple glugs of oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 tbs butter
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup BBQ sauce
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs EACH of honey, brown sugar, and lemon juice
1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped

 Add oil to a large heavy skillet. Over medium heat, brown chicken pieces on both sides, until chicken almost cooked through, but not all the way. Remove to a plate and set aside. Add chopped onions and butter to pan. Saute a minute or two until the onions soften. Add all remaining ingredients to pan. Stir well to combine. Nestle chicken pieces back into the sauce in skillet. Reduce heat to low. Let simmer for about 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened.



Tips:
Don't have fresh pineapple? Use canned! I would add some of the juice too, because why not?
Not a fan of pineapple? Try a different kind of fruit! Like I said, the original recipe used fresh strawberries, but I bet you could use black berries, blueberries, diced apples, supremed oranges, any kind of fruit you like! or just leave the fruit out altogether. All good!
This recipe would also be great with pork chops instead of chicken. I mean, I've never tried it, but dontcha think? I'll let you know if, actually WHEN I try it! How can that not be good? In fact, it would probably be good on anything! Shrimp anyone? Don't throw away that extra sauce!
Btw, if your grilling season has NOT ended, go ahead and make this sauce recipe in a small sauce pot, then brush it on anything you're grilling! 

Ham and Pineapple Casserole

   My Mom used to say you get a lot of bang for your buck when you  buy a ham because you can serve it at any meal - breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Of course it's great as a fabulous Holiday Ham dinner, but what do you do with al the leftover ham? Well, you have ham sandwiches, you dice it and throw it into an omelette or a quiche, or you add it to a casserole!
 This casserole uses the classic pairing of ham and pineapple, and bakes it together with pasta and a creamy sauce. It's simple to throw together and you can vary it to your heart's content.
 So give this one a try the next time you have a little leftover ham. It's a great "round two" recipe to make sure you get the most bang for your buck!


1 lb ziti, or other cut pasta
1 small onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, any color, chopped
2 cups diced ham
1 8oz block of cream cheese
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups diced fresh pineapple
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
2 tbs butter, melted


Heat oven to 350ºF.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to directions until al dente.
Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, saute the chopped onions and peppers in a little oil. Saute until softened. Add diced ham. Continue to saute for a minute or two. Add cream cheese and milk. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. When pasta is cooked, add to saute pan along with pineapple. (or use a big bowl to better facilitate this). Toss everything well to coat with sauce. Place in a large casserole dish.
In a small bowl, melt butter. Mix with crushed crackers. Lightly sprinkle your buttered cracker crumbs over casserole. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes.


Tips:
To make sure your sauce is flavorful, you definitely want to give it a taste before you add the pasta to it. You could even add some sliced scallions to it, just to bump up the fresh flavor a bit.
Instead of using Ritz crackers, use whatever kind of buttery crackers you like! You could also use seasoned bread crumbs or even crushed potato chips.

Piña Colada Ice Box Cake

  If you follow my blog at all, it's very easy to see how obsessed with pineapple I am. I'm pretty sure I never met a pineapple I didn't like. It's literally the number one flavor of jam in my canning repertoire, and I've paired it in jam with everything from apples to berries and even fresh basil. I've also pickled it, which is my new favorite thing on the planet. It's just so good with everything! So, of course, anytime I see a recipe for a pineapple dessert, I have to try it.
 I made this "cake" for a family shindig a few weeks ago, and it was a big hit! It's the perfect time saver for any occasion because it's a 'must-do-ahead' sort of a thing, and then it sets up into a rich and creamy dish of fabulous that will always get rave reviews!
 Btw, the reason that I said "cake" is that it's really not a cake at all. The graham crackers soften to a cake like texture as it chills in the fridge, just like they do with the Eclair Cake that I shared a while back. Make sense?
 So there you have it. Sweet. Simple. Perfect. Love it. Definitely give this one a try!





1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
1 can (13.66 ounces) coconut milk, divided
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
15 whole graham crackers
1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted



 In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and extract until smooth. Gradually beat in 1 cup coconut milk. Add pudding mix; beat on low speed until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. 
 Pour remaining coconut milk into a shallow dish. Quickly dip half of the graham crackers into milk; allow excess to drip off. Arrange in a single layer in the bottom of a 13x9-in. baking dish, breaking to fit as needed. Layer with half each of the cream cheese mixture, pineapple, and coconut. 
Repeat layers. Refrigerate, covered, at least 4 hours before serving.

For golden color and a nutty coconut flavor, toast the 1/2 cup of coconut that goes on the top layer.

To toast coconut, bake in a shallow pan in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally.



Tips:
Instead of using canned, I used fresh pineapple. I just like it better! And most supermarkets sell fresh pineapple already prepped and cut into chunks. That makes it SO much more convenient! I also probably used more than you'd get from a 20 oz can. I probably added more coconut too.
More is more! 
 

Joey's Pineapple Chicken Salad

 I've always been a huge fan of pineapple, but it seems that lately, I just can't seem to get enough! I could say that it's only a summertime thing, but that's simply not the case. It's not uncommon for me to sit down with a big bowl of fresh pineapple chunks and that's dinner. So, of course, I'm always looking for ways to add it to other dishes. I've paired pineapples in jam with everything from basil to jalapenos to strawberries to apples. I've done pineapple baked beans, pineapple relish, and of course you know you can't go wring with pineapples and ham. And yes, for the record, I LOVE pineapple on pizza. But have you ever thought of adding it to chicken salad? It's fabulous! Especially when you add something that has some crunch to it, such as celery or bell peppers or chopped pecans. It's kind of like a riff on Waldorf Salad, which has apples and walnuts in it. My favorite way to serve it is on a croissant, but it's just as fabulous on your choice of any sandwich or hors d'oeuvres vehicle.
It's turns your same old chicken salad into something with a little twist! Yum.


2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
3 scallions, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup mayo
Salt and pepper

For the sake of making it quick and easy, I just used a store bought rotisserie chicken and then pulled all the meat off the bones, but you can certainly poach or roast a couple chicken breasts, then just dice or shred the meat. You could also just use leftover chicken. Easy!
Then simply mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
Taste and adjust seasoning. That's all there is to it!


Tips:
Chop each item to the size you like. I like larger pieces of pineapple, but I like finely chopped celery and scallions. You do you!
All of the ingredient amounts are just guidelines. If you think it needs more or less mayo, adjust it to how you like it. TBH, I didn't even measure the mayo. I just added it until it was the right amount. And the same with the other ingredients. If you like a lot of something, add a lot!

Pineapple Strawberry Skillet Buckle

 Have you ever heard of a buckle? Basically it's a kind of fruit dessert that sort of falls into the same category as many other baked fruit desserts, each of which has its own defining characteristics:
 A crisp or a crumble has fruit on the bottom and a streusel topping and is baked in the oven.
A grunt or a slump is basically the same as a crisp or crumble, but it is cooked on the stove top.
A brown betty is the same but it has a buttered bread crumb topping.
A pan dowdy has fruit on the bottom and pie crust on the top.
Cobblers require a bit more discussion, but most will agree that it's basically fruit on the bottom with a biscuit topping, giving it a cobbled appearance.
 But wait.. I've gotten off track.. I was about to tell you about a buckle, right? Yes, a buckle is similar to all of those other desserts, but it has more of a cake batter. The Boston Examiner defines it as a "single-layer cake with a streusel topping" saying "as the cake bakes, the dense batter sinks to the bottom of the pan, which makes the streusel buckle on top." Others describe a batter that collapses a bit or "buckles" as it cools.
 Basically, it's a fruit coffee cake, and it's absolutely DELISH! It's a cinch to throw together and it screams for a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I found this recipe on a blog called Afropolitan Mom and it was just the perfect thing to make when a gang of friends came over for a little baking fun.
It's not a huge dessert, so it's just the perfect thing for a Sunday afternoon tea or a light lunch with friends. Btw, usually when I try a recipe, I like to tweak it a little here and there. But with this one, it's perfect just as it is! Definitely give it a try!



2 sticks of butter, softened
1 cup of sugar 
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp of salt
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of buttermilk or milk
1 cup strawberry, diced
1 cup pineapple, diced

Topping:
1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
5 tsp of butter, room temperature


Preheat oven to 375°F.
Grease a 10″ cast iron skillet generously. Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Mix flour, baking soda, salt in a small bowl. Add to the butter mixture; mix well. Fold in the pineapple and strawberry. Pour batter into prepared skillet; set aside. For topping, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Cut butter into topping mixture until coarse. Sprinkle topping evenly over batter. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.




Tips:
Instead of buying buttermilk, make your own! Add 1 tbs of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup whole milk. Microwave it for about 30 seconds on high. It will make the milk curdle, which is exactly what you want! Don't have a microwave? Just sit your milk mixture on the counter until it comes to room temperature. It will eventually curdle. The microwave just speeds up the process!
 Don't have strawberries or pineapples? Use another kind of fresh fruit! Actually, it's traditional to use blueberries when making a buckle, but as you can see from this recipe, you don't always have to stick with tradition! Try it with diced peaches and raspberries! Yum.

Pineapple Raspberry Crumble

 One of my all time favorite desserts is any kind of baked fruit with a crumbly topping, topped with vanilla ice cream. Crisps, brown betties, pan dowdies, slumps, grunts, buckles, I love them all. (yes, they are all names of fruit desserts lol)
But here's the thing... I've always thought of crisps and crumbles to be the same thing, depending on what side of the pond you live. In America we say Apple Crisp, but say, in England, they would call it an Apple Crumble. But then I found this recipe on a blog called Pretty Plain Janes. It's a crumble, but it's not a crisp, so I stand corrected! It appears that all crisps are crumbles, but not all crumbles are crisps! Usually when I make a crisp, I add cinnamon, and oats, and brown sugar, but this crumble topping is just flour, butter, and sugar. And OMG it's freaking AMAZING. Why have I never thought to do this before? Game changer! I've already decided that this will be the topping for every crumb topped fruit pie in my future. FABULOUS.
 Oh, btw, I didn't do it exactly as it was listed in the original. (c'mon, you know me by now, right?) First of all, I used raspberries instead of strawberries. Why? Because I was cooking for my friend AJ who told me that he likes raspberries! It's all about playing to your crowd, people! Also, I didn't make it in an 8x8 pan (as you can see), and I may or may not have had a slightly heavy hand when measuring the crumble ingredients. More is more!
 So, give this one a try and let me know how you like it. It's perfect for your summer cookouts or BBQs. I promise you your friends and family will devour it! Oh! and don't forget the vanilla ice cream! It's a must!



4 cups chopped fresh pineapple
2 cups fresh raspberries
1 cup plus 2 tbs flour
1 cup plus 1 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter


 Preheat oven 375ºF. Grease an 8" square pan. Toss pineapple and berries in a bowl with 2 tbs flour and 1 tbs sugar. Pour into prepared dish.
Combine remaining flour, sugar, and salt in separate bowl. Add butter and combine with hands until a crumbly texture forms. Spread evenly on top of fruit. Place in oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden and your home smells like tropical cake. Let set 10 minutes before serving.




Tips:
For the crumble topping, the original stressed that you have to use your hands to combine the flour mixture with the butter. in order to get it just right. Being the rebel that I am (lol),  I just threw everything into a food processor and buzzed it until for about 20 seconds until it came together. It came out perfectly!
It seems to me that this would work perfectly with pretty much any fruit or fruit combination. Blueberries, peaches, mangoes, and yes definitely strawberries. Mix and matchn'em up however you like, and as always go for whichever fruit looks the freshest!
If you're feeding a crowd, just double the whole recipe and bake it in a 9x13 pan.

Pineapple Carrot Cake Trifle

 I was recently invited to dinner with a group of friends, and of course, my first question to Marie, (who is quite the hostess) was "what can I bring?" She said she wanted something chocolate. Perfect. So I decided I would make a deliciously decadent chocolate trifle with layers of cake and chocolate whipped cream. The perfect showstopper dessert! But then Marie said "I'd kill for caramel brownies." Ok, I'll make them, but they weren't the showstopper I was looking for. After taking a quick survey of the ingredients I had on hand, I thought OH! A carrot cake trifle!! Great idea! But baking an entire cake would have been more than I needed for the dessert. So then I found this recipe for carrot cake squares on a blog called Eat Cake For Dinner, and decided to layer them with spiced pineapple and cream cheese whipped topping. THIS was the showstopper I had been looking for! HUGE hit!!  Everyone loved it!
 Now, if you don't want to make a trifle, you can easily just make the squares, cover them with cream cheese icing and call it a day. They're fabulous all on their own! But if you're looking for a showstopper, this is it!

For the carrot cake squares:
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon pinch of nutmeg, opt. 2 eggs, slightly beaten 2 1/2 c. shredded carrots 3/4 c. packed light brown sugar 1/4 c. sugar 1/2 c. canola or vegetable oil 1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350ºF.  In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.  In a medium bowl combine the eggs, shredded carrots, brown sugar, sugar, oil, and vanilla and mix until well blended.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir together until just combined.  Do not overmix.  Pour batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan and spread out evenly.  Bake for 20 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

For the trifle:
Drain a 20oz can of pineapple chunks, then chop them up a bit smaller. Place them in a small bowl and add 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice and 1 tbs of sugar. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 large container of Cool Whip (or your favorite store brand non-dsiry whipped topping) and an 8oz package of cream cheese.

Now make layers in a trifle bowl or any high-sided glass bowl:
Start with a little bit of the whipped topping mixture on the bottom. 
Then do 3 layers of cake then pineapple then topping. (refer to the picture if you need to!)
Chill until ready to serve!

Tips:
Instead of using the spiced pineapple, you can just use a jar of pineapple preserves. Just add a tbs of water to loosening it up a bit. You can also use crush pineapple, or chopped fresh pineapple, or any combination. It will all work!
When you're making your layers, take extra care to make perfectly clean layers around the outside of the bowl. This will make it a showstopper!
Btw, when I made the carrot cake squares, I used pumpkin pie spice instead of just cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg. why? because I like it!!!

Hawaiian Style Sweet and Sour Roasted Veggies

Ok, so here's a deliciously easy recipe that is fresh and light and perfect if you want something that isn't too heavy. It's the perfect mid week dinner because it doesn't take long at all. Just toss everything together on a sheet pan and pop it in the oven. Easy! I recently made it for a group of friends and everyone loved it. The key to the dish, in my humble opinion, is the sesame oil. Total game changer! In fact, I would absolutely choose to make a different dish rather than make this dish without it. It's just that important! Also the brown sugar and lime juice are just the things to balance each other out. It's so flavorful, EVERYONE went back for seconds. No leftovers at all!
Oh, btw, I should point out... when I first discovered this dish, it was called Hawaiian Style Sweet and Sour Roasted Pineapple and Bell Peppers. Frankly, I think that name is TOO LONG, and since I decided to add other veggies, I decided to shorten it ever so slightly. I'm sure the folks over at Vegetarian Times won't mind that I tweaked their recipe just a bit! Enjoy!



3 cups cubed fresh pineapple
1 medium red bell pepper, cubed (1 1/2 cups)
1 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges (1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cups sugar snap or snow peas
1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 Tbs. dark or light brown sugar
1 Tbs. sweetened coconut flakes, optional
1 Tbs. lime juice



 Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange pineapple cubes and veggies on ungreased rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil and vegetable oil, sprinkle with brown sugar, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Toss to coat.
2. Roast pineapple mixture on center oven rack 30 minutes, or until lightly browned, turning once. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sweetened coconut flakes, if using, then drizzle with lime juice. Remove to serving bowl and toss well to combine. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Tips:
To make this a main course, I served this over rice with roasted shrimp. It was a huge hit! 
For a little added texture, sprinkle with chopped macadamia nuts, pistachios, or pine nuts.

The Easiest Pineapple Cake

 OK here's a quick recipe that TOTALLY lives up to its name. You literally just mix everything up and dump it into your baking pan. It SERIOUSLY doesn't get any easier than that, right? I bet you probably have most (if not all) of the ingredients already in your pantry! And it's absolutely delicious!
 Tbh, I have no idea where I got this recipe. I think it was probably in a video that was bouncing around social media. Basically, I saw and saved the recipe somewhere and then baked it for friends, all the while forgetting where I got it in the first place. Ah well. I guess it really doesn't matter. What matters is how it tastes, and I promise you it'll definitely be a hit! The cream cheese frosting just makes it all the better. If you're a fan of pineapple, then you simply MUST try this cake, and that settles that. MMM... come to think of it, I think maybe I should make it again! Enjoy!


Cake:
2 cups all purpose flour 
2 cups sugar 
2 eggs 
1 tsp baking soda 
1 tsp vanilla 
pinch salt 
1 - 20 oz can of crushed pineapple in it's own juice (not syrup), undrained 
1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Frosting
1/2 c butter or 1 stick 
1 8oz cream cheese softened 
1 tsp vanilla 
1 1/2 c confectioners' sugar

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350º F. 

Mix all of the cake ingredients together in a bowl. 

Pour into a greased 9X13 inch pan. 

Bake 35 - 40 minutes (until top is golden brown).

For the frosting: 

Beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla together until creamy. 

Gradually mix in powdered sugar. 

Frost cake with cream cheese frosting while still warm. 

Sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired.

Tips:
If you'd rather use fresh pineapple, go for it! Just blitz it a few pulses in the food processor before you add it to the other ingredients.
For an extra tropical variation, add a little coconut on top. You could even add a little Malibu Rum to the icing, or a little coconut extract to the cake batter. Because who doesn't love coconut with pineapple???

Crock Pot Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham

 Ok, so what if you want to prepare a nice holiday dinner for your family, but you have limited cooking experience. What do you do? You make THIS recipe, that's what you do! This is so easy, anyone can do it! You just throw everything into the crock pot and turn it on. If you can open a can of pineapple, you can do this. And your family will be SO impressed by the delicious holiday ham that YOU made for them!
 I saw this in a video from Incredible Recipes that my friend Joshua posted on FB, and immediately decided that this would be the dinner I make for the next group hang at my place. Since this was gonna be a holiday hang anyway, I knew it would be perfect! And the fact that it's in a crock just makes it all the more easy. It frees up your oven for other things!
 So, thank you Incredible Recipes for living up to your name, and thank you Joshua for posting it! I think now this just might be my go-to ham recipe. It's pretty tough to beat!


1 ham, pre-cooked, spiral cut - bone-in or boneless, either will work
3 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 20 oz can pineapple tidbits or chunks - do not drain


 In a large crock pot, (over 6-quarts or larger) cover the bottom with 2 cups of the brown sugar. Place ham on top of the brown sugar, open the slices slightly with your hands. Pour the honey evenly over the ham. Add the pineapple around the sides (with the juice) and some on top. Top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar, making sure it is evenly distributed over the entire top of the ham.
Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.


Tips:

-The original recipe said to cook it for 4 1/2 -6 hours. I've made this recipe a few times, and I find that I don't like to cook it for that long. The ham is already cooked, so leaving it in the slow cooker for that long really over tenderizes the meat, at least for my liking. The longer you cook it, the more it will fall apart. I like ham to still maintain its integrity (no one likes mushy ham!) so I only cook it for 3 or 4 hours.

If you need to be away from your slow cooker for longer than 4 hours, then go ahead and cook it for longer, but don't add the pineapple until the last hour of cooking. It's an enzyme in the pineapple that breaks down the ham, making it too mushy. Science!

-Yes, yes, I know there's a huge amount of sweet ingredients going on here. But the ham is quite salty, so the sweet glaze goes nicely with it. To further balance all of that sugar, choose side dishes that are not sweet. For example, in this case, I would not serve applesauce, cranberry sauce, or pineapple stuffing as I might usually do with a regular ham. Instead, choose a savory vegetable such as green beans or broccoli and a starch such as mashed potatoes or mac and cheese.

-I used fresh pineapple instead of canned, just because I like it better. I didn't even measure. Just pulsed of bunch of fresh pineapple chunks in the food processor to chop 'em up a bit, then went ahead with the recipe as directed. If you like a lot of pineapple, add a lot!!

-I've never tried it, but I bet you could substitute maple syrup instead of honey, just for a little maple hit. I'm sure that would be heavenly!

Joey's Pineapple Cream Cheese Pie

OK, so this recipe sort of happened by accident. I realized at the last minute that March 14th is PIE DAY, (3.14 = Pi!), but I didn't have any pie recipes ready to share. So I did a quick pantry inventory and came up with a new recipe idea! I was gonna do a regular pie crust, but then decided I wanted a shortbread crust instead. And I always have home made jams and jellies on hand, so I figured a pineapple cream cheese pie would be pretty amazing. And guess what! It TOTALLY is! It was seriously easy to throw together, and it's so light and fluffy, it's just the thing to hit the spot.
A perfect pie for pie day! Hope you like it!


Crust:
2 cups flour
2 sticks butter
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Filling:
8oz pkg cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup pineapple jam, homemade or store bought
1-2 tbs sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 cup heavy cream, whipped


Heat oven to 425ºF.
For the crust:
Place all crust ingredients into a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse for several seconds until the dough just begins to pull together into a ball. Do not over process. Press dough into a 9" deep dish or pyrex pie plate. Press the dough up the sides and slightly higher than the edge of the plate. Pinch the dough between your fingers all the way around the plate to make a decorative edge. Place a sheet of parchment paper or foil into the plate over the crust, then fill with dry beans or pie weights. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment, then place back into the oven for an additional 3-5 minutes or until golden. Cool completely.

For the filling:
Mix cream cheese, pineapple jam, and sugar with a mixer. Fold in whipped cream. Pour cream mixture into cooled crust, smoothing over the top. Chill at least a few hours or until set. Pipe additional sweetened whipped cream on top, if desired.

Tip:
I like a really thick shortbread cookie crust, but if you prefer a thinner crust (or if you're using a regular pie plate instead of a deep dish pie plate, go ahead and cut the crust recipe in half).
For an easy shortcut, just use a ready made store bought graham cracker crust. Bake according to package instructions, then fill as directed.
For an easy variation, use any other kind of jam. Strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, peach, apricot, even orange marmalade would work!

Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

  Usually, when you think of a Pineapple Upside Down Cake, you usually think of a sheet cake with pineapple rings, and a cherry in the center of each one, correct? Well how about making it in a bundt pan instead? Clever, huh? No, this is definitely not my own idea, but it's too good not to share! Actually, I'm not even sure where I originally saw it. (probably a video on Facebook).
 So, I decided to look into it, but it seems MANY recipes use a cake mix to start. Am I the only one who still prefers to bake a cake from scratch? I mean, seriously, baking a cake from scratch is really only one or two steps more than a boxed cake mix, and the results are just SO much better!  Well, I FINALLY found a couple recipes that looked pretty good, and this was the one I picked. (Actually, I was originally gonna try a different one, but then discovered that included corn starch in the cake batter. Any idea why one would add corn starch? If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them) Anyway, this is a tweaked version of a recipe that I found on a blog called Bundt Cake Season. It uses basic ingredients that you probably already have on hand, it turned out perfectly and it got rave reviews! And of course, it's a showstopper. Just look at how beautiful it is! It's just the thing for a special occasion, but simple enough for any Sunday supper. For an added treat, try serving it with a scoop of coconut ice cream. YUM.
If you're a fan of pineapple, then I KNOW you'll love this one!


Topping:
1 (20oz) can pineapple rings, drained
16 maraschino cherries

Cake
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter (softened)
1 3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 tbs vanilla
1 cup whole milk 
1/4 cup pineapple juice from can

Caramel:
1/2 cup butter
1 tbp corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar

Heat oven to 350ºF.
Drain pineapples reserving 1/4 of the juice. Slice pineapple rings in half. Set aside.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Beat butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the sugar. Beat on medium speed until mixture is fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Add vanilla and pineapple juice to milk. Add sifted four mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, beating well after each addition.
Coat bundt pan generously with a baker's cooking spray that includes flour.
 Make the caramel by combining the butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the mixture is smooth. Pour into bottom of prepared pan. Stand half rings on end in the pan, then place a cherry in between each one, as shown.

Very gently spoon the cake batter over the pineapples, making sure they're still standing upright.  Bake for about 60-70 minutes or until an inserted tooth pick comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for a good 20 minutes before inverting the cake onto a serving platter.

Tips:
-When you make the caramel, it will be SCREAMING hot. Please please please be careful not to burn yourself!
-Be sure to let the cake cool in the pan for a good 20 minutes. If you invert it right out of the oven, the caramel will spill out all over the place, which is potentially dangerous and not at all what you want. At the same time, you don't want to let it cool completely in the pan, because then the caramel will stick to the pan, and your design will be ruined. You want to find that sweet spot where the caramel has set up but is still soft enough to come out of the pan in one go. 20 minutes worked perfectly for me!
-If you dump all the batter into the pan at once, you'll knock over all the pineapples like dominoes. So that's the reason for spooning it in a little at a time. Just take your time, spoon some of the batter in between each slice of pineapple, right over the cherries. Then you can go ahead and pour the rest of the batter over everything. The cherries will also help to keep everything standing up straight.
-The caramel will bubble up the sides of the pan while it's baking, so be sure to put a sheet of foil or even a baking sheet on the rack below, in case any of it bubbles over. Easy clean up!

Joey's Pineapple Baked Beans

 When I think of pork, there are usually two things that come to mind. If it's a delicious Glazed Baked Ham, I immediately think of pineapple, and if it's Pulled Pork or BBQ Ribs, I'm thinking of my fabulous and famous Baked  Beans. And why not? They're classic flavor combinations!
 Now maybe it's because I just returned from a tropical cruise (which was fabulous, btw), but right now I'm still in the mood for pineapple. So why not put the two together? Pineapple and baked beans??? ABSOLUTELY! Served with a delicious ham or with pulled pork, it all works! This is a slightly tweaked version of a recipe I saw on Justapinch.com. It's not as sweet as you think it might be, but it's absolutely sweet enough, and the pineapple definitely comes through. DELICIOUS!
Serve it up for your next BBQ. I betcha there won't be any leftovers!

5 strips bacon, cut into lardons
1 small onion, chopped
2 28oz cans baked beans
1 20oz can pineapple chunks
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbs mustard
2 tbs ketchup
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
S & P to taste

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until some of the fat renders. Add the chopped onion and continue to saute until the bacon is a little crisp and the onions are slightly caramelized. In the meantime, drain the pineapples* and chop them up a bit.
 Drain any excess fat from the skillet and add the bacon and onions to a large bowl along with the remaining ingredients. Pour into a casserole dish and bake uncovered for about 40-45 minutes.

*I like to reserve about 1/4 cup of the drained juice and add it along with the other ingredients just for a little extra pineapple flavor, but it's entirely optional!


Tips:
If you'd prefer to use chopped fresh pineapple, go for it! It'll be roughly about 1 1/2 cups!
You can absolutely use crushed pineapple instead of the chunks, but I like to buy the chunks and then chop them down. You get smaller chunks, but not as small as the crushed.
Once again, the amounts are just guidelines. If you like a lot of something, add a lot! Like a lot of onions and/or bacon? Sure! Want more pineapple? Absolutely! You could even add a bit of chopped jalapeno for a little kick. Make it your own!

Pineapple Paradise Cookies

The first time I ever tried these cookies was many years ago when someone gave me the Mrs. Field's Cookie Book. I was searching for new and different holiday cookies and these sounded delicious, so I went with it. Of course they lived up to their name and have remained one of my favorites ever since! It actually sort of surprised me to realize I never posted them! Well, better late than never, I suppose.
 Now, the recipe only calls for a little coconut to be sprinkled on the top of each cookie, but I like to add a whole bag of coconut right into the batter. More is more! But if coconut is not your thing, feel free to leave it out. They'll still be fabulous! They're chewy and rich and they go perfectly with a tall glass of ice cold milk. You absolutely must try them!


3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup salted butter, softened
1 large egg
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
one 8-ounce can crushed pineapple OR 1 cup fresh finely chopped pineapple, well-drained
1 tablespoon pineapple juice
1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Heat oven to 300°F.

In a medium bowl combine flour and baking soda. Mix well with a wire whisk. Set aside.

In large bowl with an electric mixer beat sugars. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add egg, crushed pineapple and pineapple juice and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the flour mixture and blend at low speed until just combined. Do not overmix. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Sprinkle lightly with shredded coconut, if desired. Bake 22-24 minutes or until cookies begin to turn lightly brown at edges. Transfer immediately to cool flat surface with spatula.

Tips:

Be sure to really drain the pineapple. Too much moisture can make your cookies spread out too much, and they won't crisp up as well. Chilling the batter for a bit will also help to keep the cookies from spreading too much on the baking sheet.

To make perfectly round and perfectly sized cookies, use a tablespoon to measure the chilled cookie batter, and then roll each into a ball. Then when they bake, the will all be the same size and perfectly shaped. Easy!

Joey's Hawaiian Chicken

I recently invited a few friends for dinner, but wasn't really in the mood for a huge project in the kitchen. I just wanted something that was quick and easy, but still deliciously comforting and satisfying. Based on a few of the ingredients I already had on hand, I Googled a few recipes, made a few changes and here we are!
 I must say this recipe FAR exceeded my expectations. It turned out perfectly! Just the right amount of sweet and savory and garlic and soy sauce and colorful vegetables. And it was ready in a snap!!!
 It doesn't happen all the time, but this one was perfect right on the first try. It's just the thing for a warm summer day when you don't feel like turning on the oven. You should definitely try this one!!


1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
flour for dredging 
salt and pepper
a few glugs of peanut oil (or other nut oil, or regular vegetable oil)
1 (20-oz) can pineapple chunks in pineapple juice 
2 tbs soy sauce 
2 tbs honey 
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tsp fresh ginger,grated
2 tsp fresh garlic, minced 
pinch crushed red pepper flakes 
drizzle of toasted sesame oil
1 bunch of broccoli, cut into florets 
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 tbs corn starch
2 tbs water
Scallions and sesame seeds to garnish, optional

  Place flour in a bowl with a little salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour until lightly coated. Shake off excess. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Working in batches, add chicken to the skillet. Cook until slightly browned on all sides, but not cooked all the way through. Remove to a plate.
In the meantime, combine pineapple chunks and juice, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, pepper flakes, and sesame oil in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Add pepper slices and broccoli florets to the skillet and stir fry until crisp tender. Add pineapple mixture and chicken to the pan and turn to high heat. Give everything a good stir and bring it to a boil.

 Combine corn starch and cold water in a small bowl. Pour over chicken mixture in skillet. Toss everything to combine and cook until the sauce thickens to syrup-like consistency. Serve over rice. Sprinkle with chopped scallions and sesame seeds over top, if desired. 

 

Tips:

I served this over Jasmine rice, but you can choose any favorite rice. For extra flavorful rice, cook it with chicken broth instead of water! 

I think next time I make this, maybe I'll add some sugar snap peas. Just sayin!

If you're cooking for guests, get a head start before your guests arrive: Yes, partially cook the chicken as directed, but also do the same by steaming the vegetables for a bit, and also mixing the sauce ingredients. Just have everything at the ready until your guests arrive. Then you can just throw everything into a hot wok. By the time the sauce thickens, the chicken and veggies will be perfectly cooked!

Piña Colada Cheesecake Squares

Ok, so, when I asked My sister, Cathy, what I should make for Casey's graduation party, she said "How the pineapple cheesecake squares that Terri always makes?" And I thought..."wait, how do I not know about this recipe?" So, I called Terri. Apparently she found this recipe in a newspaper years and years ago...like, maybe 15 years ago.. and for some reason I missed them somehow. We were talking and laughing about it at the party, and Kim even said "Don't you remember a couple years ago when I called you and asked if you had that recipe?" And I said to her "And I said NO, right? Because I had no idea what in hell she was talking about! Well, Anyway, here they are. I FINALLY made them and OMG I love them! They were actually called Pineapple Cheesecake Squares, but since there's coconut, I figured this was a better name, don't you think? I suppose you could leave the coconut out, but that just makes no sense to me. Give them a try!

Crust:
2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. butter or margarine

Combine until fine.
Pat into ungreased 13x9 pan.
Bake at 350 until golden around edges, 14-19 minutes.

Filling:
2 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese
4 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. milk
2 eggs
16 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

Blend cream cheese, sugar, milk & eggs w/ mixer.
Blend in drained pineapple by hand.
Spread over baked crust.

Topping:
2 tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
3/4 c. flaked coconut

Blend butter w/ coconut & sprinkle over top.

Bake for 17-20 minutes at 350.
Cool before cutting into squares.
Refrigerate cut bars until ready to serve.

Tips:
Because there's a LOT of butter in the crust, it'll become very soft and bubbly when you bake it. Just let it bake until it because golden around the edges. Oh, and no need to cool it before spreading the filling on top.
Make sure you let it chill in the fridge for a few hours before you cut it into squares.
When it's time for cutting, I like to loosen the whole batch from the bottom of the pan as much as I can with a large spatula, and then remove half of the batch from the pan at a time. It's just easier to place it on a cutting board and then cut it with a large very sharp knife.