Tropical S'Mack and Cheese

So I've been gone from blogging for a YEAR!...A COMPLETE YEAR!...well actually more than a year if I'm going to be technical.... more like a year and just shy of 4 months!..If I want to be completely honest it wasn't a year and four months of  feeling relief, feeling free and happy..no baking, no writing, no photo taking, no new ideas!...Nope it was a year and four months of pure torture!...Because baking, writing, photo taking just simply creating is my outlet, it's what I love, what makes me smile, one of the things that helps me distress. I love to come up with no ideas and share them with all the super sweet people who read my blog and whomever is eager to listen and better than that try out some of my recipes and comment back to me how much they loved them!...I can go on forever and ever because more than 365 days of pint up anticipation of this moment is upon me and a new year brings new motivation. Right?! So here I am...back where I love to be... doing what I love to do...create and share!  I can not take any responsibility for the complete "genius" of this recipe..

.I was warned I'd be outted if I did. My right hand girl who at 5 years old would slip me sheets of white paper filled with cake flavor and design ideas during the time I made baking a real business. She hadn't shared her visions with me for a while so I felt like it was she and I both on the verge of a comeback. I will however take credit for a few minor details.1. giving the person who dreamed up this recipe Life {pretty awesome gift, huh!} and 2.tackling the relenting crowd in our local grocery store to collect the ingredients needed for my blossoming chef. I did no cooking...and cough, cough no cleaning...but I did do a lot of high-fiving (I'm so old school) at the thought of her creative genius..

AndI may have danced around the kitchen in anticipation at the tasting, while asking the rhetorical  universe "Who Made You?!, Who Made You! (ok, so I'm a little cringe worthy at times too but whatevs!)

A La Cocina !

INGREDIENTS

1 box of elbow macaroni

1 can of sliced pineapples (save 1/2 cup of pineapple juice)

3/4 cup of coconut flakes

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk

3 eggs

½ cup unsalted butter

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded and divided

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled

1 cup provolone cheese, cut into small pieces

½ cup smoked Gouda cheese, shredded

4 teaspoons salt, divided

2 teaspoons black pepper



PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350˚F .

1.In a large pot or dutch oven, boil macaroni according to package directions, add 1 tsp of salt to the boiling water. Drain and return to the warm pot.

2.Add butter to warm macaroni and mix until melted. Season with the remaining salt and pepper.

3.Add 1 cup of cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, Gouda, and feta cheese. Mix well.

4.Add eggs and evaporated milk, mix until fully incorporated.

5. Pour in your 1/2 cup of pineapple juice and mix in the 1/2 cup of coconut flakes.

6. Transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish and top with the remaining cheddar cheese, coconut flakes. Spread a layer of pineapple rings on top before baking.

7. Bake in a preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, until the top has nicely browned.

Enjoy! A Tropical Smack to the Tongue