If you’re invited elsewhere and want to bring something, offer to bring the ingredients for this dessert: the cake, ice cream and the pre-sliced pineapple.

The cake can be baked up to two days in advance. The recipe, from Tastefully Simple, makes 9 servings.

RECIPE: GRILLED PINEAPPLE RIGHT SIDE UP
CAKE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. If baking the cake, prepare recipe as directed. Cool and wrap tightly in plastic until ready to slice and grill.

2. Grill pineapple rings on each side until heated through; grill pound cake slices until lightly browned on each side.

3. Assemble by topping cake slices first with pineapple, then with ice cream. Garnish as desired and serve immediately.

Tomorrow: A recipe for s’mores on the grill.
 
 
Find more of our favorite cakes and cake recipes.

As a chef, I am typically pretty picky about my store-bought snack foods. Ritz crackers and Wheat Thins, though enjoyable in their own right, usually don’t make the cut when it comes to stocking my shelves. If I’m going to spend my money on something crispy to plunge into a container of whipped cream cheese (my go-to couch snack), it has to live up to a high standard.

The bar on this standard was recently raised when I discovered Raincoast Crisps.

Moreover (and this is not to be underestimated), Raincoast Crisps are hearty enough to withstand snapping in thicker dips. We’ve all experienced that frustrating moment when the bottom half of a potato chip breaks and is left to drown in the sour cream dip. Fret no more!

Raincoast Crisps will scoop even the chunkiest of condiments and stay strong to the last bite. They come in a number of different flavors, each of which has its own ideal pairings and toppings.

Best of all, they are quite delicious: Even though they make a superb base for any number of fruits, cheeses and condiments, you’ll have no problem devouring them plain.

Here are the flavor varieties, along with some suggested toppings/dippings. These are but a few suggestions; the real fun comes when you open your own refrigerator and get creative!

Cranberry Hazelnut Crisps: While dried cranberries are enjoyed year-round, these crisps and their festive flavors just scream “Holidays!” You can’t beat a wheel of baked Brie, hot out of the oven. Just put it on a plate, surround it with crisps and watch magic happen as it disappears. Sweeter toppings also work really well with these crisps: Try a little mascarpone cheese, some Nutella or ricotta, plain or lightly sweetened. Of all the Raincoast Crisps varieties, these ones seem to pair best with sweeter flavors.

Fig & Olive Crisps: Salty Kalamatas and sweet Adriatic figs populate these crackers, my favorite flavor. I love them with classic Mediterranean toppings such as goat cheese or crumbled feta. The saltiness of the feta, in particular, makes the flavors of olives and figs really pop. You’ll be surprised how well the sweetness of the figs works in savory applications.

Original Crisps: These guys are toasty and nutty, just as you want a hearty cracker to be, with hints of spice and a mildly sweet finish. The home-run pairing with smoked salmon & cream cheese is perfect for brunch, party canapés or even a light lunch. They are also an excellent dipper for paté or any flavor of hummus.

Salty Date & Almond Crisps: These crisps are for folks who want a saltier crisp. Dusted with sea salt, they pair well with white bean dip, fresh herbs and nutty, melty cheeses like Gruyère. I also think they are the best flavor for spicy toppings (try them with jalapeño jam!), as the salt helps to keep flavors and heat in balance.

MORE THAN A CRACKER

Beyond standard cracker usage, Raincoast Crisps are delicious enough that you may be interested more creative applications.

 
However you choose to consume Raincoast Crisps, don’t be surprised if your old go-to crackers start acting jealous… they have good reason to do so.

Find more about Raincoast Crisps on the company website.

You’ll encounter some sticker shock: a six-ounce box runs around $7.99 – $8.99, depending on the retailer. But if you like discovering the new and delicious, treat yourself to a box. Buy them on Amazon.com.
  

Coconut water + espresso = hydration with a
caffeine kick. Photo courtesy AriZona
Beverages USA.

The company is now rolling out a second flavor: CocoZona Coconut Water with Espresso. The drink blends 100% pure coconut water with coffee, and has 50mg of caffeine per bottle.

The idea for CocoZona Espresso was hatched when an AriZona executive added some of the original CocoZona to his iced coffee. He really liked the flavor, and realized that a combination of coconut water and coffee would create a hydrating beverage with a kick of energy.

When the idea was handed to the product developers, the goal was not to recreate a latte-like flavor, which is the style of other coffee-enhanced coconut water beverages.* Thus, there is no milk or cream, just coconut water and coffee.

However, the flavor of CocoZona Espresso is like a charming “latte lite.” The natural milkiness of the coconut water combines beautifully with the coffee (which plays out more like regular coffee than espresso). Even the aroma has a bit of milkiness.

*Other caffeinated coconut water blends include Blue Monkey Organic, Coco Cafe, Coconut Coffee and Zico Latte.

We like it even better than the original, plain, coconut water.

Coconut water is a naturally isotonic drink that contains key electrolytes, such calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium, are of which are essential for rapid fluid absorption. And with 50mg of caffeine per bottle, CocoZona Espresso has an added kick.

A 14.5-ounce aluminum bottle has 70 calories. The suggested retail price is $1.99 to $2.49 per bottle. The bottle, which which has an attractive tropical-themed wrap, is 100% recyclable and can be repurposed as a water bottle (we refill the bottles with water and stick them in the fridge).

Coffee lovers: Try it!

Typically, that means helping oneself from a platter of cheese, garnished with fresh or dried fruits, almonds and/or walnuts.

And typically, people eat far more cheese than they should. The suggested serving size is one or two ounces; we probably can put away six ounces before we know it.

The problem is not just the 100 calories per meager ounce of cheese (one slice of American cheese is an ounce—so imagine what that wedge you’ve carved off weighs). Cheese also has a high level of saturated fat (cholesterol).

Here’s one way to have your cheese plate and eat it too—with far less saturated fat:

Even if you think you don’t like it, try fresh goat’s milk cheese. It’s like tangy cream cheese, and doesn’t have the “goaty” flavor that some people dislike in an aged goat cheese. These days you can find a fresh goat cheese (chèvre) log in most supermarkets.

Goat’s milk cheese has fewer calories and fat* than cow’s and sheep’s milk cheeses:

 
*Category averages. Some cheeses may have more calories and fat.

Turn soft goat cheese into truffles rolled in chopped nuts—pistachios are a delicious pairing—and you’ll discover a new way to enjoy cheese.

RECIPE: GOAT CHEESE TRUFFLES

Ingredients

 
PLUS:

 
Preparation

1. Mash goat cheese in a bowl. Stir in minced cranberries.

2. Scoop with a teaspoon and roll into truffle-size balls, 1 to 1-1/4 inches in diameter. Set on wax paper.

3. Roll balls in chopped pistachios. Return to wax paper. Refrigerate until 20 minutes before serving.

Assembly

On a dessert-size plate, assemble the fruit, pistachios and 3-4 goat cheese truffles.

WINE: Enjoy with a glass of moscato.

LEFTOVERS: If you have extra goat cheese truffles, wrap them tightly in plastic film and serve them with tomorrow’s breakfast eggs or dinner salad. Add any extra pistachios, whole/shelled or chopped, to your salad as well.

Large brands typically come with expiration dates (and possibly, preservatives). If you purchase an artisan brand, it has no preservatives; but it may not have an expiration date, either. So here are the guidelines:

Find more of our favorite peanut butter brands, recipes and more in our Peanut Butter & Jelly Section.