Mixed Drink Money: Pineapple Cooler

Despite my reluctance to buy a fresh, $5 pineapple in Hawaii, I really like good, fresh pineapple.  (Just today Luke told me he wants to go to Hawaii after seeing one of our framed pictures from there.  Even remembering the name to tell Matt at supper.  Don't we all son, don't we all.).  This drink was made with fresh pineapple...sort of.  I bought a whole pineapple from Aldi last year sometime.  I chopped it up and froze it.  Have gradually been using it for smoothies.  And now this drink.  Partially because I really like pineapple but also because I'm trying to get our deep freeze pretty empty before I start freezing new produce this summer.  BUT...mostly the "I like pineapples" thing. Something about them is just so summery, even though I will buy them year-round when Aldi has them on sale for $1.  I mean, $1 for a whole pineapple.  I will take that.

I had initially planned to make this drink at the lake to kick off summer...then looked at the ingredient list and decided I didn't want to take all that to the lake when we are always tight on cooler space and usually tight on fridge space there, when we aren't there alone.  So it got pushed back and we enjoyed it on a very rainy day at home (was not good weather for the lake or the drive-in). And it was still good.  And easy.

Pineapple Coolers
serves: probably one but we split into two
Ingredients
-4 cups frozen pineapple
-1 cup ice
-2 ounces (1/4 cup) coconut milk
-1 ounce rum 
-1 ounce lime juice

Directions
Put everything in a blender and blend until smooth.

My Thoughts
I don't normally make mixed drinks with coconut milk and it added a nice creaminess.  Plus coconut + pineapple is one of my favorite summer combos (I would have used coconut rum if we had it or I realized before I was making this at 10pm that we didn't).  We did make these weak but it was the night after our church festival beer tent and a night of too little sleep (having nothing to do with the amount of beer we did or did not consume) and weren't really up for drinking a whole lot.  Mostly due to tiredness.  BUT...I wouldn't hesitate to make these stronger on a different occasion.  Honestly, I liked these a lot.  The lime added a nice touch and the coconut and pineapple was a perfect ratio.  It was basically drinking a good smoothie and calling it a mixed drink.  Maybe my favorite kind of drinking.  I already want to make these again.

Source: modified from Pizzazzerie

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In the summer I aim to make a new drink every week and share them all here, good or bad!  See them all in chronological order by following the "Mixed Drink Monday" tag here or check out my favorites by scrolling down to "Mixed Drink Monday" on my recipes page!