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Hello, foodies…

In almost every corner of America, it’s easy to find fresh spring, summer, and fall produce at the local supermarket any time of year. But I’m often underwhelmed by strawberries if I purchase them in December. Or tomatoes when I buy them “fresh from the vine” in April. There’s nothing like a fresh, ripe, juicy local peach in August. Or a beautiful butternut squash in October. During the holiday season, pantry staples—like canned pineapple, green beans, and sweet potatoes—find their way into so many of our homes because we know they were preserved at the peak of freshness. And from coconut cake and candied yams to pineapple casserole, these are our Christmas staples. The holidays just wouldn’t be the holidays without them.

So as we continue to prep for and think about the busy season ahead on In the Kitchen with David(R), I wanted to make a recipe—in your slow cooker, of course—that contains some of those pantry staples but is something new for your holiday table. Here’s my homemade Slow Cooker Tropical Tapioca.

Slow Cooker Tropical Tapioca

Serves 8–10

Go to David’s Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup small pearl tapioca
• 3 cups whole milk
• 2 (13.5-oz) cans light coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-1/3 cups sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh or canned pineapple, cut into 1/2" cubes
• 2/3 cup sweetened coconut flakes, toasted

Preparation:

1. Lightly grease the inside of a 6-quart slow cooker with oil spray. Place the tapioca, milk, coconut milk, and salt into the prepared insert and stir to combine. Set the slow cooker on high, cover, and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Thoroughly whisk together the sugar, vanilla, and egg in a small bowl. Temper the egg mixture by stirring in 1 cup of the tapioca. Then, stir the tempered egg mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for an additional 20 minutes, stirring a couple of times. Turn off the slow cooker. Stir the pineapple into the pudding.
3. Transfer the tapioca to a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Allow the pudding to cool at room temperature for 1 hour and then chill it in the refrigerator for several hours, or overnight. Sprinkle toasted coconut on top of each serving.

Make sure you chill this recipe until it’s cold because the heat from the slow cooker can impart an almost bitter flavor, which comes from the citrus/dairy combination. So if you plan on making this for Christmas Eve, a holiday party, or your next family get-together, I would make it the day before and give it lots of time to cool down in the fridge. Plus, the longer it sits, the more the flavors will marry.

And speaking of flavors marrying…there’s nothing that tastes better the next day than pasta, which I’m eating as I type. I had a craving for my Creamy Pasta Bake with Chicken and Broccoli the other night and luckily, the recipe feeds an army. Here are a few action shots to get your tummy rumbling…and keep an eye out for that beautiful Le Creuset baker…it’s coming up on QVC as a TSV(R)!

I’ll see you Sunday at Noon ET for In the Kitchen with David®. Enjoy your weekend—it’s supposed to get chilly here around West Chester, PA. Be sure to cover your mums if you have them outside.

Keep it flavorful!

—David