Posts Tagged "bananas"

Alton and Mom Make Bananas Foster

Dear Kid,

Sometimes blog inspiration arrives in a burst. Sometimes it arrives by carrier pigeon. Sometimes it doesn’t really arrive at all. And sometimes it arrives in the form of the word “magnanimous.”

Last night, when Pi and Tal got home, they (and by “they” I mean Pi) bellowed upstairs. “Hi, Mom!!! Tal and I were thinking that if you were feeling magnanimous, you might want to make us dessert.” “What kind of dessert?” “Whatever you feel like making.” “Be down in a minute.”

Tal asked, “What is this word ‘mag, maj, mananim’?”

Whereupon we set out to teach her the word “magnanimous” to much giggling. It’s a fun word to teach to someone who does not speak English as a first language. To her credit, she learned it really quickly.

Since I was feeling rather magnanimous, I decided to make bananas foster. My way, not the way it’s supposed to be made.

Here are both recipes for your edification.

Bananas Foster (version Mom and version Alton Brown)

Before I continue, let me point out that I think Alton Brown is the Chief Chef, the cherry on the sundae, the Most Amazing Food Person In Our Time. So obviously his version is Right. My version is just what gets made in our house.

Let me also point out that Minions Love Bananas. And doesn’t that just make my little heart happy?

Alton: Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over low heat.

Mom: Find non-stick pan. Move the drying pots off the stove so there is room to work. Turn up the heat to Reasonably High and melt a bunch of vegan butter (what with Pi not doing cow at the moment). Encourage the vegan butter to get on with melting. Put a tortilla in the pan to brown on both sides. Decide you’re not going to wait for any of this browning nonsense and settle for warming it up. Remove warm, buttery tortilla to a plate. Add more butter stuff to melt.

Bananas for Bananas Foster. Recipe from Alton and DearKidLoveMom.com (take your pick)Alton: Add 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg and stir until sugar dissolves.

Mom: Add about-that-much brown sugar and stir. After reading Alton’s recipe (we’re good friends, so I can call him by his first name) decide cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg might be a good addition next time. Laugh mightily at the idea of grinding fresh nutmeg.

Alton: Add 1 tablespoon banana liqueur and bring sauce to simmer. Add 2 under ripe bananas, sliced in half lengthwise and cook for 1 minute on each side, carefully spooning sauce over bananas as they are cooking.

Mom: Trip over the puppy trying to get the bananas. Giggle as puppy looks expectantly at the bananas. Giggle harder as puppy stares hard enough at the bananas to get them to jump out of their skins voluntarily. Peel and slice bananas into rounds (“coins” as Dad calls them). Share 2 pieces with a grateful dog. Put the bananas in the pan and stir. Laugh at the notion of being careful while doing this.

Alton: Remove bananas from pan to a serving dish. Bring sauce to a simmer and carefully add 1/4 cup dark rum. If the sauce is very hot, the alcohol will flame on its own. If not, using stick flame, carefully ignite and continue cooking until flame dies out, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. If sauce is too thin, cook for 1 to 2 minutes until it is syrupy in consistency. Add 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest and stir to combine. Immediately spoon the sauce over bananas and serve. Serve with waffles, crepes, or ice cream.

Mom: Spoon most of the banana/brown sugar yumminess over half the tortilla. Fold tortilla over and spoon the rest on top. Cut in half if you are serving to two people (which you would only do if you don’t have enough ingredients to make two whole servings. Which reminds me, we need to get more tortillas, bananas, and brown sugar.).

NOTE: If you are me, do not even consider the whole “light on fire” thing since it would doubtless turn into a “light the entire kitchen on fire” thing. And while we do have a fire extinguisher (never used, I’m glad to point out), I don’t think foam is a good addition to this particular dessert.

Serve to incredibly happy teenagers.

Hope you have a sweet day, kiddo.

Love, Mom

 

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Puppy Conversations and the Joy of Quirkiness

 Dear Kid,

Thoughts from His Furriness, in all his wonderful quirkiness.

Puppy: You’re eating carrots
Me: Yes, I am
Puppy: Carrots are my favorite
Me: I thought your favorite was peanut butter or cheese
Puppy: You’re not eating peanut butter or cheese
Me: True
Puppy: Which means carrots are my favorite right now
Me: Ah, I see
Puppy: You’re not very good at taking hints, are you?

 

Puppy: I heard that, I’m coming!
Me: You were sleeping at the other end of the house! How could you possibly have heard me break a banana off the bunch?
Puppy: I have super sensitive banana hearing ears
Me: I guess you do
Puppy: So I’m here
Me: I couldn’t possibly eat an entire banana by myself. Do you suppose you could help me?
Puppy: I guess I’m not too busy for that

 

Puppy: Throw the toy
Me: You never bring them back
Puppy: Throw the toy
Me: You just chase the toy and chew on it
Puppy: Throw the toy
Me: Will you bring it back?
Puppy: Throw the toy
Me: OK….I knew it. You’re just chewing on it
Puppy: But you threw it really well

 

Me: You want to play?
Puppy: I love to play, of course I want to play, let’s play!!!
Me: Ok, go fetch the toy
Puppy: I got the toy, I got the toy, I got the… I have to go look out the back window for a while
Me: I thought you wanted to play?
Puppy: I am guarding the house. Much more important.
Me: Ok, if you’re sure
Puppy: You’re not going to wait for me to come back?

 

Hope you have a wonderful, quirky day!

Love, Mom

For more puppy conversations see Puppy Conversations and Food Observations, Spring Puppy Conversations, New Puppy Conversations, Winter WonderPuppy | Baby It’s Cold Outside,  Puppy Conversations Translated for the College Kid, and Puppy Conversations and FIFA World Cup Soccer

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