Memorial Day weekend is upon us and I have a perfect, easy drink recipe for you! I have no idea from where it originated (except for from my mother-in-law) but whoever came up with it is a genius! I love trying out different and/or special drinks when I'm having company over, but sometimes I end up having to buy like 5 different kinds of alcohol and spending as much on them as I did on the food! Plus, it can really stink to have to be reading the recipe, measuring, reading again, mixing, reading again...ugh! This is one you could put your 5-year-old in charge of. Well, not mine of course because that's just not right -- she spills every liquid she can find and then that would be such a waste of a great drink! ;) With just four -- that's right -- FOUR simple, you-can-find-all-of-them-in-your-local-grocery-store ingredients, it's an easy drink to add to your party without much fuss.
~Leah
Pineapple Coconut Rum Slush
Recipe Type: Beverage
Author: Leah
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10-12
Ingredients
1 (46 oz) can pineapple juice
1 (15 oz) can cream of coconut
Rum
Lemon-lime soda
optional garnishes
Fresh pineapple
Maraschino cherries
Lime
Oranges
Instructions
Pour all of the pineapple juice and cream of coconut in a medium to large mixing bowl and stir. Fill the can from the cream of coconut with rum and add that to the pineapple/coconut mixture and stir well.
Cover the bowl and freeze overnight, stirring very few hours (don't set your alarm or anything! :)) to create a slush.
When ready to serve, scoop the slush to fill whatever cup you're using 1/2 to 3/4 full and pour lemon-lime soda over the top to fill the glass.
Place the unused slush back in the freezer for refills.
Notes
Cream of coconut can usually be found near ethnic foods...Thai, Hispanic...if you can't find it, just ask...it's most likely your store carries it and you just haven't seen it before! It's best to make this the day before a party to give it ample time to freeze. I usually try to make it before lunchtime the day before so I can get some stirs in throughout the day before I go to bed. Then I get up, give it another stir, and voila!
I'm not sure why coconut is so polarizing, but apparently it is. People either seem to love it or hate it. I am firmly in the "love it" category. I'm also a super-fan of pie, pretty much any type is good by me. I almost always have a few of those premade pie crusts in my freezer, just in case the mood strikes. I know, I know...homemade is SO much better. And there are TONS of homemade pie crust recipes out there that promise to be the best ever. I typically don't have patience time for that though. The best pie-maker I know is my Aunt Lisa. She makes a banana cream pie that is legendary, every part is from scratch. Maybe one day I'll sweet talk that recipe out of her for our blog. Until then I'd like to present you with this any-fool-can-make-it Coconut Cream Pie. It only calls for 6 ingredients and requires about 10-15 minutes of active cooking. Its a fantastic dessert for Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Wednesday... Its so easy you can make it on a weeknight when your sweet tooth is screaming at you. I don't know about you, but that's my kind of dessert! There are two little things that make this pie taste homemade.
1. Toast the coconut. DO NOT SKIP THIS PART. It adds so much more flavor.
2. Use real, full-fat heavy whipping cream. Not Cool Whip or ReddiWhip or any other kind of premade "whip" you can find.
Sugar Free Version- I may have mentioned that I gave up sugar for Lent. (I'm sure I've mentioned it, its the only thing I've been able to think about for the past month). So I had to find some desserts I could make sugar-free. This was one that was relatively easy to convert. If you want to omit the sugar in this recipe simply use a sugar-free version of the vanilla pudding mix, use honey to sweeten the whip cream instead of sugar and use unsweetened coconut flakes (you can find them at Trader Joes/Whole Foods). It tastes VERY similar to the normal version!
~Wendy
Coconut Cream Pie
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Wendy
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding
1 3/4 c. coconut flakes
1 3/4 c. milk
2 c. heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp sugar
1 premade pie crust
Instructions
Bake your premade pie crust according to the package instructions for a cream filled pie. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
In a skillet over medium heat cook the coconut, stirring frequently until slightly browned. Remove from heat and cool completely. Be sure to stir frequently as the coconut can burn very quickly.
Using a stand mixer or hand held mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream and sugar together until it forms soft peaks. Set aside.
In another large bowl combine the instant pudding and milk. Stir with a whisk until the pudding has reached a thick consistency.
Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the toasted coconut, reserving the remaining 1/4 cup for later.
Fold one cup of the whipped cream into the pudding/coconut mixture until combined.
Transfer the pudding mixture to the prepared pie crust. Use a spatula to create a smooth, flat top.
Top with the remaining whipped cream and toasted coconut.
Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Notes
If you don't have time to refrigerate the pie for an hour, put it in the freezer for 20 minutes. You can add 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract to the whipping cream before its whipped for additional flavor.
