pineapple

Coffee cakes, upside-down cakes, crisps and cobblers are cozy recipes full of memories. This version takes on a bit of tropical flavour with fresh pineapple and juicy cherries.

Serve with recipe and a green salad for an easy chicken dinner.

Many years ago, we made a family trip to Hawaii, grandparents and all. Our memory banks are still filled with giggles as we rolled with Granny in the waves, sang Ukrainian songs, strolled along the streets of Honolulu, snorkelled in Hanauma Bay, and enjoyed endless meals together, laughing so hard we would all cry the whole time. It was, and remains, our happy place. One bite of these piña colada pancakes takes us back to those blissful stress-free days together where the only thing that mattered was which one of us was going to wear Grandma’s epic sparkly shirt that day. You can make these as individual pancakes if you don’t mind the extra work, but this easier sheet-pan version makes our busy hearts happy. — Jillian Harris and Tori Wesszer

Instant party: Vancouver's Shangri-La Hotel concocted this sexy and sweet-tart summer cocktail just for us

This tropical fruit may be prickly and peculiar-looking, but it's quite simple to prepare. Watch this video to learn our quick and easy technique.