pineapple

Looking for a new fruit salad recipe? I've found one! This scrumptious salad combines the sweetness of tropical fruits with creamy avocados, peppery arugula, crunchy pistachios, and tart shallots. Once all of the fruit has been prepped, this salad is easy to make. If you have never cut a pineapple, don't fret it, just follow these simple steps. The vinaigrette is wonderfully complex. It's a blend of champagne vinegar infused with shallots, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. Ready to try a new take on an old classic? Keep reading for the recipe.

National Rum Day isn't until next Tuesday, but why not get the party started now? After all, it's the end of a work week, and there is no better time for a rum drink than Friday afternoon. There are tons of mojito variations out there, but the one I've been sipping lately is this refreshing and potent pineapple version. It's like a mojito that's decided to go on a tropical vacation!

The pineapple provides a nice sweetness, so no extra sugar is necessary. There's four ounces of alcohol in this drink, but thanks to the pineapple juice, it doesn't taste too strong! If you prefer a mojito with a little effervescence, top it off with sparkling water or soda. You've got to make this beverage: here's the recipe.

Need a sweet but healthy treat to start off your weekend? This recipe for vegan pineapple pancakes that reader onthevedge posted in the Healthy Recipe community group may be just what you need.

Nothing transports you to the islands faster than this instant sandy beach breakfast recipe for pineapple upside-down pancakes. They're unbelievably airy and blonde, but bring something special to your day . . . kind of like Brittany from Glee. This tropical spin on pancakes is miles away from your ordinary chocolate chip or blueberry stacks. Reach for these sunny vitamin C cakes instead, boosted with a "choose your own citrus" cream. I chose lime because I know it pairs so well with pineapple. I am obsessed with this lime cream and you will be, too. All of your spoons will disappear, it's that good.

See the recipe when you read more

We aren't the only ones who've discovered this fruity cupcake garnish — so has reader kpolacek.
These flowers are actually pineapple slices dehydrated in the oven. They made adorably delicious cupcake toppers for a tropical-themed bridal shower.

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I'm fresh off the plane from Maui, and my first visit was so fantastic that I'm already plotting my return. There, the fruits of the sea were so abundant that I had fish at virtually every single meal, in fresh preparations from spicy tuna poke to seared, sesame-encrusted steaks. One of my favorite ways to enjoy local catch like ono was in a Hawaiian-style ceviche with a tropical coconut marinade. I missed the dish so much that when my sunburned self returned to overcast San Francisco, it was the first meal I prepared for myself at home.

Incidentally, this recipe is from The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, the resort that I called home for an all-too-brief period of time. It's been the best stand-in for a beachside vacation — that is, until I find my way back to the island. For the recipe, read more.

A preserving party is an event where you and your guests will acquire new skills. You'll learn how to make pickles and jam, and the proper technique for sealing the jars, so why not take it one step further and have everyone make their own cocktail? Designate a special space to be the bar and set out all of the ingredients for this beautifully hued drink, a hibiscus punch. Write out the recipe on cardstock, place the necessary measuring tools and mixers on the table, and stack glasses nearby. Fill buckets with other drinks — water, soda, wine, beer — and ice, and slide under the drink table. Then, invite everyone to make their own concoction. To get the recipe I recommend, keep reading.

Get excited: tomorrow is National Piña Colada day! Since the piña colada is the only blended drink I enjoy, I wanted to share my favorite recipe. I first made these coladas back in 2005 when I lived in Spain. After a long day at the pool, I craved the tropical combination of pineapple, coconut, and rum. Since I couldn't order it in a bar, I found a recipe that calls for fresh pineapple. It's a simple concoction that results in a sublime cocktail. It's thick, frothy, fruity, and potent. Leave out the rum and you've got a special treat for the kiddies. While you make the drink, I highly recommend listening to "Escape/The Piña Colada Song" — it will get you in the mood! (I may have listened to it while writing this story . . .)

This way for the recipe! Happy weekend.