Meals on our family vacation this summer have featured quintessential New England fare: fresh seafood and farm stand veggies and fruit. Meals have been no-fuss, no-muss - just the way I like it when I'm on vacation. Sure I have more time to meal plan and cook without the daily distractions of home. But that just cuts into time at the beach and naps!

So here's a simple side dish that will make you feel as if you're on a tropical vacation thanks to Alton Brown. Make yourself a fruity drink with an umbrella and you're at your beach-side cabana.


Tropical Mash
Adapted from Alton Brown, "I'm Just Here for the Food."

INGREDIENTS:
4 small sweet potatoes, perforated in several places with a fork or knife
1 large banana, perforated
1 cup light coconut milk
2 tablespoons butter
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook potatoes until soft (Alton calls for grilling them over indirect heat for an hour. I was short on time so cooked in the microwave and finished in the oven).
2. Grill the banana over direct heat until the peel is black and the inside is very soft. Let the potatoes and banana cool.
3. In a small saucepan, heat coconut milk and butter. Peel the skin from the potatoes and the banana and put them in a mixing blow. Pour in some of the coconut milk and mash the potato and banana, adding liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. 

The Good: Easy to prepare with few ingredients. The boys loved this and asked for more.

The Bad: The mash did not come out as smooth as I would have liked. Will try grilling the potatoes or roasting in oven longer.

Grade: B+. A sweet (but heavy) side dish perfect for the summer.