Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

This frosting is terrific over Pineapple Coconut Muffins - or spread over anything else you want - including your tongue.

 Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting:

One 8 oz. (250 g) pkg. brick-style cream cheese, softened

10 mashed pineapple chunks, well drained 

2 tsp. (10 mL) pineapple juice

3 c. (625 mL) sifted icing sugar (“confectioners” or “powdered” sugar)

Beat cream cheese with pineapple chunks and juice until well blended. Chunked pineapple will break into small pieces that flavor the frosting. Gradually add icing sugar until frosting is smooth and creamy. 

Pineapple Coconut Muffins

How do you spell “yummy”? Because that’s what these muffins are: Delicious and outstanding! Fast and easy to prepare, they  make an excellent gift for a friend - or a treat for you!

Pineapple Coconut Muffins

1/2 c. (125 mL) butter or margarine, softened

1 c. (250 mL) granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 c. (125 mL) coconut milk (see Note)

1 tsp. (5 mL) coconut extract (optional)

1-1/4 c. (310 mL) sweetened, flaked coconut, divided

1-1/4 c. (310 mL) all-purpose flour

2-1/2 tsp. (12.5 mL) baking powder

1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) salt

1 c. (250 mL) canned pineapple chunks, drained

Preheat oven to 375 deg. F. Insert 12 paper liners into standard-sized muffin pan. Using electric mixer in large bowl, beat softened butter, gradually adding sugar until “fluffy,” about 5 min. 

Add eggs, one at a one, beating until well combined. Beating on low speed, add coconut milk and 1 c. (250 mL) coconut. In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to batter while continuing to beat on low. Slice each chunk of pineapple in half, hand-stirring into batter. Divide batter evenly into muffin cups, topping with remaining coconut.

Bake 20 min. or until golden and toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. (No worries! Coconut topping will not - I repeat, not!) burn. Frosting is optional. Cool in pan 5 min. before transferring to wire rack to cool. Makes 12-to-13 (see Tip).

Note: I use canned coconut milk, stored at room temperature. Open both ends of the can, pouring into medium mixing bowl, gently stirring to combine watery milk and fat. Store remainder in fridge.

Tip: Muffin cups should be 2/3 full. Don’t overfill. If you use metal measuring cups, add remaining batter to paper-lined 1 c. (250 mL) cup, baked alongside muffin pan.

Note: If you prefer, leave off the coconut and top with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting. 

Succotash

You’ve heard of it. And now you have the recipe! 

Succotash is a nutritious, colorful, meatless dish - especially in this difficult time of sky-high food prices and ever-more scarcity. A little goes a long way with economical Succotash - especially with a chunk of homemade bread. 

Hands up, those of you who remember a cartooned Sylvester the car complaining about giving up his regular diet of birds and living on (you guessed it) Thuffrin’ Thuccotash! If you don’t have this or that in the kitchen cupboard, try that or this. So here’s your starting point. Whether you add your own favorites or keep it as is, this recipe is infinitely flexible and enjoyable.

Succotash:

1 tbsp. (15 mL) olive oil

1 tbsp. (15 mL) butter or margarine

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1/2 c. (125 mL) each red and green bell peppers, seeded and diced into 1/2 in. (1.3 cm) pieces

1 celery stalk, sliced lengthwise into half or thirds and then into 2-in. (5 cm) pieces

3 green onions, sliced into 1/2 in. (1.3 cm) pieces

1 c. (250 mL) canned corn niblets, drained, or fresh, pre-cooked corn, sliced from the cob

1/2 c. (125 mL) canned pinto beans or black beans or red kidney beans, rinsed several times and drained well

Canned, sliced, drained jalapeño peppers (optional), to taste

1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) cayenne powder, or to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

Handful of fresh cherry tomatoes, sliced into thirds

1 tbsp. (15 mL) fresh lemon or lime juice

2 c. (500 mL) fresh cilantro, stemmed and coarsely chopped

Sour cream (optional)

Have all ingredients prepared and arrayed in advance. In large cast iron skillet on medium heat, combine oil, butter, garlic, bell peppers, celery, and green onion, stirring until slightly softened. Add corn and beans, combining well and heating through, about 5 min. 

Stir in jalapeños and seasonings, as desired (It’s these ingredients that give this dish its traditional “kick,” so consider reducing, rather than omitting them).

Toss in cherry tomatoes, stirring just until heated through, about a minute. Sprinkle with juice and toss with cilantro. Serve at once, directly from the skillet.

 

Note: While the prep time for this low-fat, high-fiber recipe is long, its cooking time is short. I sometimes prepare the ingredients in the morning, serving it as a salad with a light vinaigrette. If I’ve been a little too heavy-handed with the jalapeño peppers, sour cream cools it down nicely. As an outstanding dish for a dinner party, a buffet, or a family get-together, I serve it often.