Nut Butter Easter Eggs

Of course we made some pineapple ones at a recent family gathering!!! Anne

 

Nut Butter Egg Filling:    1¼ cup natural, runny peanut butter (no sugar added) or substitute with almond or cashew butter; ¼ cup maple syrup; ¼ cup icing sugar; ⅓ cup almond flour; ½ tsp vanilla extract; pinch of salt

Chocolate Coating:    1½ cups white chocolate melts; 2 tsp coconut oil; ½ tsp food colouring or for a natural bird’s egg look ½ tsp blue spirulina + ¼ tsp matcha powder (or use a 2:1 ratio of any blue and green food dye)

In a mixing bowl, beat together the nut butter, maple syrup, icing sugar, almond flour, vanilla extract & salt until well combined. Portion the nut butter filling into 2 tblsp portions. Roll each one into a ball using your hands, then use your hands to shape the ball into an egg shape. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet & cool in the freezer while you prepare the coating. 

Add the white chocolate & coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15-20 second intervals, stirring well between each interval, until fully melted. Whisk in the food colouring (or spirulina & matcha) & adjust colours as desired. Pour into a short drinking glass or a similar vessel.

Coating the eggs works best when they are semi-frozen. This helps the chocolate coating firm up quickly. Stick a toothpick in the bottom of an egg, then dip into the chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip off. Wait until the white chocolate is mostly hardened, then return to the parchment paper & immediately remove the toothpick. Happy Easter.

Pineapple, cheese and ham pinwheels

https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipes/ham-pineapple-pinwheels-recipe

Ingredients:  2 sheets ready rolled puff pastry thawed; 450 g (crushed) canned pineapple; 4 tbs tomato paste; 8 slices ham (deli); 100 g mozzarella shredded; 1 cooking oil spray

Method:

Spread tomato paste over the pastry sheets, leaving approximately 1 cm gap at the top end of the pastry.

Top with ham, then pineapple and cheese.

Gently but firmly roll up like a jam roll, rolling the pastry towards the end with the gap. Place the join underneath.

Cut roll into approximately 1½ cm slices.

Place cut side down on an oven tray pre-sprayed with cooking oil, allowing a small amount of room for each one to spread.

Bake at 220⁰C for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Pineapple dried fruit roll

 The Food Saver's A-Z: The Essential Cornersmith Kitchen Companion, Alex Elliott-Howery and Jaimee Edwards, Australia 2022

1 cup dried fruit, (I used pineapple, raisins, prunes, cranberries) ¼ cup nuts (I used walnuts & almonds), 1/3 cup grated choc or cacao nibs – blend to paste, roll into a log, roll in desiccated coconut, wrap in baking paper, store in fridge. Cut into slices. OR roll into balls, then coconut OR add cinnamon or favourite spices. Store in airtight container in fridge 2-3 weeks.

Pineapple, rice noodle and chicken salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

100g rice noodles; 1 large barbecue chicken; 650g fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, diced; 1 small iceberg lettuce, cored, thinly shredded; 1 cup fresh mint leaves, shredded; 3/4 cup Thai dressing or mayonnaise; extra mint leaves, to serve

Place noodles in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Set aside for 10 minutes or until just softened. Drain.

Meanwhile, remove and discard skin and bones from chicken. Shred chicken.

Place noodles, chicken, pineapple, lettuce, mint and dressing in a large bowl. Using tongs, toss until well combined. Serve with extra mint leaves.

Pineapple fruit cake

Ingredients

250g Brazil nuts; 125g raw cashews; 125g raw almonds; 125g glace apricots; 125g glace pineapple; 125g glace cherries; 125g dates; ¾ cup caster sugar; ¾ cup plain flour; ½ tsp baking powder; ½ tsp favourite spices mix ie cinnamon, nutmeg; 3 eggs; 1 tsp vanilla essence; 

Method

Chop all fruit and combine with the nuts.

Add dry ingredients and mix well.

Beat eggs till light and fluffy, then add vanilla and stir well into mixture.

Line a bar tin with greased foil or baking paper. Spread batter evenly in tin.

Bake for 2 hours at 165°C.

Cool on a wire rack and slice very thinly to serve.

Highly recommended, Anne.

Pineapple dried fruit relish

The Food Saver's A-Z: The Essential Cornersmith Kitchen Companion, Alex Elliott-Howery and Jaimee Edwards, Australia 2022 

In medium saucepan warm ½ cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup water, ¼ cup raw sugar, ¼ tsp each s & p, 1 tsp dry mustard, pinch cayenne pepper, 1 tblsp grated fresh ginger. Add 1 cup dried fruits. I used pineapple, raisins, cranberries.

Remove from heat, sit 15 minutes. Return to heat, simmer stirring til thick but not dry. Once glossy, cool & ar. Stir through cous cous or brown rice.

Pineapple and mayo sandwich

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/pineapple-mayonnaise-sandwich

Well, that was one delicious sandwich, you should try it.  Supermarket bread, supermarket mayonnaise, Golden Circle pineapple of course.  I drained the pineapple on paper towel, and possibly overdid the mayo. Some nice ham would have been a good addition. I should say it was a bit messy to eat, but delicious, Ann.

Tropical chicken on a baking tray

Adapted from Easy Family Recipes facebook page

2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless; 1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned); 1 red or green capsicum, sliced; 1/2 red onion, sliced; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes; salt and pepper to taste: fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). 

In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, soy sauce, honey or maple syrup, ground ginger, chili flakes, salt and pepper. 

Arrange the chicken breasts on aluminium foil on a sheet pan and pour the marinade over them, ensuring they are well coated. Scatter the pineapple chunks and capsicum around the chicken on the pan. 

Roast for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C) and the vegetables have softened nicely. 

Before serving, you can sprinkle some fresh cilantro or parsley on top for a touch of brightness.

I've also seen this done in individual chicken packages, Anne

Pineapple Punch

Adapted from South African Recipes facebook page

Ingredients:

2 cups pineapple juice; 2 cups orange juice; 2 cups ginger ale; pineapple and orange slices, cranberries for garnish; 2 cups of cranberry juice (optional)

Directions:

In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine juices.

Stir in ginger ale just before serving to keep the fizz.

Garnish with fresh pineapple and orange slices, and cranberries for a festive touch.

Pour over ice, serve and enjoy!

Caribbean pork with pineapple rice salad

https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/caribbean-pork-pineapple-rice-salad-recipe/t318v875

Ingredients

250g (1 1/4 cups) white long grain rice; 1 small pineapple, peeled, quartered and cored; 1 red onion, finely chopped; 1/3 cup shredded mint, plus extra to serve; 1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced; 1 red capsicum, chopped; 80ml (1/3 cup) lime juice 2 tbsp peanut oil; 500g pork mince; 2 tsp ground allspice; 2 tsp dried thyme; 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper; 2 tsp brown sugar; 250g cherry tomatoes, halved; 2 tbsp chopped salted roasted peanuts

Method

Cook rice for 8 minutes or until just tender (don't overcook). Drain in a large colander and cool slightly, separating the grains with a fork to release the heat. Meanwhile, chop 3/4 of the pineapple and finely dice remaining 1/4. Combine the finely diced pineapple, 1/4 of the onion and 1 tbs of the mint in a small bowl and set aside.

Combine the remaining pineapple, onion, mint, cucumber and capsicum in a large bowl. Drizzle with lime juice and 1/2 the oil, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Use a large metal spoon to gently fold mixture together.

Heat remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add pork. Cook, using a wooden spoon to break up into bite-sized lumps, for about 5 minutes or until pork changes colour and most of the liquid evaporates. Reduce heat to medium. Add the spices and sugar and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomato and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until tomato has softened slightly. Season with salt.

Mix the rice with the pineapple and capsicum mixture. Spread rice salad onto a large platter or shallow bowl. Pile the mince mixture on top, then scatter with the pineapple salsa and peanuts. Serve immediately.

Pineapple Rightside Up Sugar Biscuits

from https://middleeastsector.com/pineapple-upside-sugar-cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies: 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons milk

For the topping: 8 -10 pineapple rings (fresh or canned), drained and cut into halves or quarters; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 10 maraschino cherries, stems removed

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and milk, and beat until combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them into balls. Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Gently press the dough balls down slightly with the back of a spoon to flatten them. Take half of a pineapple ring and place it in the center of each cookie dough ball. Sprinkle each pineapple ring with a small amount of brown sugar. Place a maraschino cherry on top of each pineapple ring.

Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

These cookies are best served fresh, but you can store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Pineapple Casserole

Ideal for incorporating festive season leftovers. Adapted from

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/214024/southern-pineapple-casserole/

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped & fried lightly in 1 tblsp butter; 1 cup chopped leftover meat ie ham, chicken or turkey; 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese; 2 tblsp pineapple juice;  ⅓ cup all-purpose flour; pinch chili flakes; ground black pepper to taste; 40 savoury crackers, crushed; ½ cup butter, melted;

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 175°C

In a large bowl mix together chopped, fried pineapple, leftover meat pieces, cheese, flour, juice chili flakes and black pepper.

Pour into a casserole dish.

Mix cracker crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl; sprinkle over pineapple mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Pineapple Quick Bread

from Delicious Discoveries on Facebook

Ingredients: 2 cups flour; 1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks (drained, reserving 2 tablespoons juice for the glaze); 1/2 cup sour cream; 1 cup sugar; 3 oz cream cheese (softened); 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 3 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 egg (beaten)

For the glaze: 1⅓ cups powdered sugar; 2 tablespoons pineapple juice (reserved from the can)

Directions: Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl cream together softened cream cheese and sugar.

Mix in the beaten egg and vanilla extract. Add sour cream, ensuring a smooth blend.

In another bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually combine these dry ingredients with the wet mixture.

Gently fold in the pineapple chunks, setting aside 2 tablespoons for the glaze.

Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan, leveling the top.

Bake for approximately 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow the bread to sit in the pan for 10 minutes, then move it to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.

Combine powdered sugar with the 2 tablespoons of reserved pineapple juice until smooth.

Generously drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled bread. Allow a few moments for the glaze to set.