Coconut Pineapple Banana Bread

After traveling on the road, skiing down mountains, and falling asleep under heavy comforters hours before normal, my weekend vacation has come to an end. It's a bittersweet affair. I love to run away from "real life" for a moment, reveling in the suspended time only travel can lend. Even so, all good things must come to an end and (unfortunately) that also includes vacations. Returning to reality jolts my senses and it takes me a moment to realize that this is home and I'm back where I belong. I feel a great sense of loss, but for what I'm never quite certain.

Nevertheless, after a day or two, I settle back into reality as if nothing had changed (and maybe nothing really had).

The anticipation and build up before the trip, the rush to pack everything, the early morning turn out of the driveway, the frantic screaming to stop the car!, the last minute dash back inside to collect forgotten items, and finally hitting the highway, leaving the familiar brush of reality behind—this is what I love about traveling. There are many more moments I have fallen for, but this is where they all begin.

Maybe my early start turns later than expected. Maybe, for once, I haven't left something behind. Maybe I make it all the way to the airport before I realize I've left my cell phone behind (which is only made more ironic after strongly asserting to everyone within earshot that if I didn't pack it, I don't need it). Sometimes the order of events is different, but it's the on ramp of the highway or the takeoff of the airplane that I look forward to most.

After coming home from my getaway and remembering once again that I do, indeed, like to bake, a loaf of banana bread with tropical flair seemed to fit my bittersweet mood just right. Pineapple and toasted coconut remind me of faraway places and the banana part of bread keeps me grounded. A balancing force for a Wednesday morning.

As I sit down to eat this bread, I can only dream of the tropical vacations to come...

This Coconut Pineapple Banana Bread combines the fruits of the tropics and dishes them up in a familiar experience. Pineapple chunks and coconut flakes are scattered throughout the bread, with a sprinkling of toasted coconut to round off the top. The bread is moist and flavorful on its own, though it pairs perfectly with a pat of butter. It's just the right combination of flavors to bring sunshine up an ordinary weekday.

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Tropical Vacation Cocktail

This summer I decided to take a break from working full-time in the kitchen and find a job where I could spend a little more time outside in the bright sunshine. I love the kitchen, but I'm still young and not yet tied down by that scary beast called a career. I've decided the kitchen can wait a few more months so I can have a little fun; it isn't going anywhere. But the warmer weather and summer breeze is something that will fade all too quickly.

My wish was granted and I was hired as a day camp counselor for the summer. Honestly, I couldn't be happier. I spend my days outside working with dozens of elementary aged children. This is the type of camp where television is strictly forbidden and "rain" is a 4-letter word. I love my job. Where else am I going to get paid to hike, swim, play games, and do arts and crafts?

Exactly.

While my days are usually a blast, a few moments sneak in there that test my patience. When one of the campers is having a rough day, a mini meltdown or two is to be expected. But when everyone is having a rough day at exactly the same time? Well, that only leads to trouble. Big trouble.

I had a bad day yesterday. A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. It was the sort of day where I was so frustrated, so furious, so emotionally drained from conflict after conflict after conflict, that I wished I could be put in time out just so I could have a moment's peace. It was the kind of day where I had to be reassured more than once that all children weren't terrible little monsters with sharp teeth and a good set of lungs.

It was the exactly the sort of day where the only thing that could possibly make it seem a little brighter was a cocktail.

So cheers to you, my friend, for the arrival of a much needed weekend, for cocktails, and the dreams of tropical vacations (even if they are only in your glass).

This Pineapple Coconut Rum Cocktail is like taking a mini-tropical vacation. If you close your eyes, lean back in your chair, and take a sip, you can almost smell the salty sea breeze and feel the sand between your toes. This cocktail combines pineapple juice, coconut rum, and a splash of triple sec to give it a tropical flair. The drink does not taste particularly strong, but it is deliciously fruity and gets the job done. Garnish with fresh fruit and serve in chilled glasses to make it extra special.

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Piña Colada Cupcakes

Today's post is going to be short, but sweet. Since I'm feeling a bit under the weather, I hope these cupcakes will help you to forgive me.

Coconut and pineapple have always been on my list of favorite fruits. I used to buy gallons of organic coconut pineapple juice at the store (which I would try not to drink in one sitting). For some reason it never occurred to me to combine this wonderful combination with alcohol. When this finally dawned on me a few weeks ago, I realized I needed a piña colada and I needed one now.

I love piña coladas so much I decided I needed to have this particular cocktail in a more... suitable container. Well, for a baker, pastries are the perfect delivery system for cocktails. Even if you aren't a baker, I don't think you will protest these piña colada cupcakes too much (if at all).

It's nearly summer, the sun is shining, and I think you deserve a little treat. Don't you?

These Piña Colada Cupcakes are a cocktail in cupcake form. No corners were cut on this recipe—you will find rum, coconut, and pineapple throughout. The cupcake is made with coconut rum, coconut milk, and pineapple juice, which gives the cupcake that great cocktail base. Shredded coconut and crushed pineapple are then folded into the batter to give the cupcake a little extra oomph. Of course, to keep this kid friendly, simply substitute the rum with coconut milk or pineapple juice.

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