I made two recipes today that both used canned pineapple. That doesn’t sound all that good, but both were exceptionally tasty. One was a rice salad and the other was a maple and molasses-sweetened pineapple upside-down cake. Here are the recipes. Let me know if you try these. I think you’ll like them.
California Rice Salad
1 can or jar (20 oz.) DOLE Pineapple Chunks 4 cups brown or white rice 1-1/2 cups packed arugula or spinach ½ lb. bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled (I left this out, but I could have used turkey bacon and I’m sure it would have been very tasty) ½ cup red onion, sliced 1/3 cup olive oil 1 tbsp. Dijon-style mustard Salt and pepper to taste 1 small can chopped green chilies (I added this since I didn’t use the bacon and I needed more flavor)
Drain pineapple; reserve ¼ cup juice. Combine rice, pineapple chunks, arugula, bacon and onion in large bowl. Whisk together olive oil, reserved juice and mustard in small bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour over rice mixture; toss to evenly coat.
Serves 4 – 6.
Pineapple Upside-Down Gingerbread
1 Tb. melted butter 1/3 cup packed maple sugar 1 Tb. lemon juice 9 rings water-packed pineapple
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup corn starch 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/3 cup molasses 1/3 cup maple sugar 1/4 cup canola oil 1 large egg 1 cup evaporated skim milk
Preheat oven to 350°.
In a small bowl, stir together butter, maple sugar, and lemon juice and spread into a 9″ x 9″ x 2″ pan. Carefully arrange pineapple rings in a single layer on top.
Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, spices, soda, powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the molasses, sugar, oil, and egg. Stir flour mixture into wet mixture alternately with milk until barely blended.
Spread batter evenly over pineapples in prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for five minutes on a rack, then invert on a serving platter.
Serve warm.
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