Banoffi

This Irish dessert was introduced to me by my mother in law after she lived there for three years. I like to make it in a pie dish and put the crust up the edges (like a pie) but it can also be made flat with a square dish, with the crust just on the bottom (not up the sides).

Just layer the following into the dish:
1--Crumb crust (I use a graham cracker crust, although I used 2/3 graham crackers and 1/3 almonds--just toss them into the food processor, first process the almonds, then add & process the crackers, then add the butter and a half portion of sugar because banoffi does not need any extra sugar in the crust!)
2--1 can of sweetened condensed milk which has been cooked into dulce de leche (put the unopened can into a pan of boiling water, cover, and simmer for about 90 minutes, checking periodically to add more water so that it does not boil dry. Lay the can on its side so it can roll, if you put it on its end the contents will scorch on that end.)
let it cool before adding final layers
3--sliced bananas
4--whipped cream (I whipped about 1 cup of cream, and added a few Tbs of sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla)
5--top with chocolate shavings (or smashed/processed chocolate chips ☺)

Put it in the fridge for at least a couple of hours to set up before serving. This is a great make-ahead dessert, and was the finale of our Irish Feast for St Patrick's Day this year.

Monkey French Toast

OK, so we'll start with the up-front honesty and just admit that I mostly stole this from Rachel Ray.

This is a stuffed french toast--that means you make some goomp to put in the middle, then squish it between two pieces of bread, then dip the 'sandwich' in the eggy stuff and fry it up...

MONKEY GOOMP (the stuffing part)
2 bananas
1/3-1/2 c peanut butter
a large drizzle of honey (maybe 1/4 c?)

Mix it together--a food processor works well, or an electric mixer...don't put it in the blender like I did the first time. You will regret it. Trust me. And mashing by hand won't get it very smooth.

If you're feeling health conscious, put it on wheat bread. If you're me, remind yourself that it's french toast, and supposed to be light, and put it on sprouted wheat or even *gasp* white. :-)


I should mention that I do not like bananas, nor most things with peanut butter in them...but I like this.