Recently, I ran across this recipe for Banana Pina Colada Muffins. Since I had some ripe bananas that needed to be used, I decided to give the recipe a try. They’re a nice change from the typical banana muffin. I don’t think they tasted anything like a pina colada, though. The name must be referring to the ingredients used (dried pineapple and coconut) instead of the flavor. So even if you don’t like the famous tropical beverage, you could still enjoy the muffins.

I followed the recipe except that I ran out of wheat flour so I used 1-1/2 cups wheat flour and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. I also found that I only had about 1-1/4 cups of mashed banana so I spooned in a few tablespoons of plain yogurt to bring the amount up to 1-1/2 cups. The muffins turned out moist and not-too-sweet, and make a great afternoon snack!

For more recipe ideas, check out Foodie Friday , Food on Fridays  , Friday Food or Finer Things Friday.

Banana Pina Colada Muffins
-recipe from kingarthurflour.com

Coconut and pineapple team beautifully in that famous rum drink, the piña colada. The two play just as nicely together in this whole-grain muffin. Banana adds pleasingly moist texture, and an additional taste of the tropics.

1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) butter
1/2 cup (3 3/4 ounces) brown sugar, light or dark
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon coconut flavor or rum flavor (optional)
1 1/2 cups (13 1/2 ounces) mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium to large bananas, about 22 ounces before peeling)*
1/4 cup (3 ounces) honey
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) King Arthur 100% White Whole Wheat Flour, organic preferred
3/4 to 1 cup (4 1/2 to 6 ounces) diced dried pineapple**
generous 1/3 cup (1 ounce) shredded or flaked coconut, sweetened or unsweetened, for topping

*Did you guess wrong and find yourself a bit short of 1 1/2 cups mashed banana? Rather than cut a chunk off another banana, top off the measuring cup with applesauce, if desired.

**Don’t use canned pineapple; it’s too juicy and will make the muffins soggy. If you like, substitute another dried fruit: chopped dates, raisins, or chopped apricots are all good choices.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin cups, and grease the cups.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla, and coconut or rum flavor. Add the bananas, honey, eggs, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt, beating until smooth. Stir in the flour, then the dried fruit. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Sprinkle each muffin with coconut.

Bake the muffins for 25 to 28 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Remove from the oven, and as soon as possible tilt each muffin in its cup, to allow air to circulate and prevent the bottoms from steaming. Serve warm, or at room temperature. Yield: 12 muffins.

Tags: banana, coconut, dried pineapple, Muffins, pina colada

Chewy and delicious, these gussied-up chocolate chip cookies have a few bonus ingredients thrown in for kicks (oats, coconut, raisins and/or pecans). You can have fun changing up the add-ins each time you make them. Add more chocolate chips if you don’t like raisins or pecans. Anyway, you get the picture…just make ‘em how you like ‘em!

I followed the recipe except I used coconut instead of pecans. I also threw in extra chocolate chips. The combination of chocolate chips, raisins and coconut was great! A few of these cookies and a cold glass of milk might just make your day…it’s worth a try!

John’s Kitchen Sink Cookies
-recipe from marthastewart.com

Makes 24
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated. Gradually beat flour mixture into butter mixture just until combined.

With a rubber spatula, fold in chocolate chunks, raisins, pecans, and oats.

Drop 2-inch balls of dough, spaced 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets. Flatten dough balls slightly. Bake 12 to 16 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned, rotating sheets halfway through.

Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

From Everyday Food, March 2008

Tags: chocolate chip, coconut, John's Kitchen Sink Cookies, oats, pecans, raisins

Here’s a quick curry-flavored soup that is delicious and easy to make. You can even change up the flavors each time you make it by using different curries. I used curry powder this time (doubling the amount called for); next time I’ll try red, green or yellow Thai curry paste.

Although the soup would be great as is, I decided to add some stir-fry veggies (Napa cabbage, broccoli, snow peas, bok choy, celery and carrots) to the simmering soup for extra flavor and some crunch. I served the soup over fragrant steamed jasmine rice. Yumm…a tasty dinner in no time!

Chicken Curry Soup with Coconut and Lime
-recipe from epicurious.com

Here, lime juice replaces the traditional lemongrass, which can be hard to find. The result is a quick, authentic-tasting Thai-style soup. If coconut milk is unavailable, substitute 1 3/4 cups half and half mixed with 3/4 teaspoon imitation coconut extract. Serves 4.

1 14 1/2-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
1 13 1/2- to 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1 jalapeño chili, seeded, minced
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup freshly cooked white rice
Lime wedges

Bring chicken broth, coconut milk, curry powder and chili to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add chicken and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Mix in lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer soup to bowl. Sprinkle green onion and cilantro over. Spoon rice into each bowl. Ladle soup over. Serve, passing lime wedges separately.

Tags: Asian, Chicken, cilantro, coconut, curry, lime, soup

My first attempt at making granola was a few years ago around the holidays. I gave a sample of it to a few friends to try and they both liked it so much they made it themselves to package up and give out as teacher’s gifts for Christmas. I’d say that’s a hearty stamp of approval!

The recipe calls for rolled oats (the old-fashioned kind not the instant) and REAL maple syrup. You can use pretty much any dried fruit and nut combination that makes you happy (I used dried cherries in the above photo). Be sure to add the dried fruit AFTER the granola comes out of the oven.  

For other recipe ideas, check out Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Granola
- adapted from an Alton Brown recipe – www.foodnetwork.com
Makes 6 servings.

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 to 2 cups dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, blueberries, etc.)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, cinnamon and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add dried fruit and mix until evenly distributed.

Tags: coconut, dried cherried, dried cranberries, dried fruit, granola, nuts, oats, pecans

Everyone needs a dessert recipe they can turn to that is quick and delicious. This recipe for moist and chewy Coconut Blondies is one of those. I think they’re really good exactly as written, but extra good with 3/4 cup of chocolate chips added to the dough. The recipe calls for toasted pecans but I don’t bother with that; I just use regular pecan halves and chop them in my handy nut grinder (see my post for the nut grinder under Cooking Gadgets).

Coconut Blondies
-recipe from Gourmet Magazine - epicurious.com

Yield: Makes 32 (2-inch) squares

2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pecans (6 ounces), toasted and cooled
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, divided

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 13- by 9-inch baking pan.

Melt butter in a 3-qt heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, until smooth. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. Whisk in brown sugar and vanilla. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time until mixture is glossy and smooth.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt, then whisk into butter mixture. Stir in pecans and 1 1/2 cups coconut.

Spread in pan and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup coconut. Bake until a pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool completely.

Tags: bar cookies, coconut, coconut blondies, pecans