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After the cold and cloudy days we’ve had lately let’s think about a fruit that is yellow, juicy and sweet. It’s not a lemon, it’s the pineapple. Bud and I had the opportunity to vacation in Hawaii with some of our family and while there we visited a pineapple plantation. What an interesting sight! There were rows and rows of different size plants, from baby plants to larger plants with pineapples ready to pick. We had the opportunity to sample different types of food that include pineapple—ice cream, cake, candies. We learned how to remove the skin and slice the pineapple. To remove the “eyes” that at lie diagonally around the fruit make v-shaped cuts along the spiral row of eyes and lift out the strips, taking out a row of eyes at one time. This is an easy way to remove the eyes with little waste. Then cut the pineapple in half or quarters vertically or cut it horizontally into slices.

PINEAPPLE AND HONEY CHICKEN
1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices in juice
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp. lime juice
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. cornstarch
Grated lime peel for garnish

Drain pineapple, reserve 1/3 cup juice. Rub chicken with garlic, sprinkle with salt. Brown chicken in oil. Add 1/4 cup reserved juice. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Combine remaining pineapple juice, honey, lime juice, soy sauce and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir until blended. Cook, stirring until mixture boils and thickens. Add pineapple to sauce. Cook until heated through. Spoon sauce and pineapple over chicken. Sprinkle with lime peel.  Serves 4.

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PINEAPPLE
AMBROSIA
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks in juice
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges
1 banana, peeled and sliced
1-1/2 cup seedless grapes
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup chopped almonds, toasted
1 carton (8 oz.) vanilla yogurt
Drain pineapple, reserve juice for a beverage. Drain mandarin oranges. Combine pineapple, oranges, banana, grapes, marshmallows, coconut and almonds. Fold in yogurt. Chill. Serves 6.

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PINA COLADA CAKE
1 cup coconut
1 pkg. Pillsbury Plus white cake mix
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup rum*
4 egg whites
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup sugar

Frosting
1 can Pillsbury ready to spread vanilla frosting supreme
1 tbsp. rum or 1/2 tsp. rum extract
1/2 cup reserved toasted coconut



Heat oven to 350 degrees. Toast 1 cup coconut for 5-7 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup for frosting. Grease and flour 13x9 inch pan. In a large bowl blend cake mix, water, 1/2 cup pineapple juice, oil, 1/4 cup rum and egg whites at low speed until moistened; beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes.

In small saucepan heat 1/2 cup pineapple juice and sugar to boiling. Using a fork, prick cake at 1/2 inch intervals. Pour hot pineapple mixture over cake. Cool completely. In a small bowl blend frosting and 1 tbsp. rum. Frost cake; sprinkle with 1/2 cup reserved coconut. Serve chilled. 12 servings.

*To substitute for rum, use 1/4 cup water and 1 tsp. rum extract.


Thought for the Day: When asked how she still appears young despite her difficult lifestyle, Mother  Teresa replied, “Sometimes a good feeling from inside is worth much more than a beautician.”

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