For many years the port of New Orleans was the capital of entry for bananas.
This dessert of sauteed bananas and sugar is classic New Orleans.
After one visit to New Orleans I was addicted!!
You will be too, I promise.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 TSP cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1/2 TSP paste vanilla or liquid extract
1/4 cup banana liqueur
3-4 bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced
1/4 cup dark rum
4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Directions;
Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a skillet.
Place the pan over low heat on the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan.
When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum.
Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum if you want to put on a show. Otherwise, just let the rum simmer.
When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream.
Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.

Carrot Cake

Ingredients;

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 TSP baking soda
2 TSP ground cinnamon
1/2 TSP salt
1/2 TSP Allspice or ground ginger
3/4 cup mayonnaise, full fat variety
3 eggs
8oz can crushed pineapple in its juice, undrained
1 TSP vanilla extract
2 cups fresh finely shredded carrots

**optional…  add 1/2 cup chopped pecans or just use whole pecans for decoration as pictured.

Directions;

Preheat oven to 350.
Grease and flour 2 nine inch cake pans or use liners in a 12 large cupcake pan.
Stir all dry ingredients together. Set aside. Mix together the eggs, mayo, vanilla and pineapple with the juice and add it to the dry ingredients. Mix for about 3 minutes. Stir in the carrots.
Mix in the nuts if you choose that option.
Split the batter evenly into the two 9″ pans or into 12 large cupcakes.  I use a large ice cream scoop to measure the cupcake batter evenly.
Bake for about 25-35 minutes  until a toothpick comes out clean.
Frost with my cream cheese icing to complete this most delicious dessert.

These Toffee butter chocolate chunk cookies are so flavorful and rich.  Most people say “OMG” when they bite into one.
Nearly impossible to just eat one!!

You can also freeze the dough for baking later. Place it in a container. Just scoop out balls the size you want and bake when the dough is at room temperature.

Ingredients;
1 cup (2 sticks ) of butter
2 cups unbleached flour
1 TSP baking soda
3/4 TSP kosher salt
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 XLRG eggs
2 TSP vanilla paste is preferred but extract can also be used
1 TSP powdered espresso
2 toffee bars like “Heath”, chopped into 1/4″ pieces
1 1/2 cups 72% chocolate wafers or a bar cut into wafer like pieces
Parchment paper

Directions;
Preheat oven to 375.
Have all ingredients at room temperature.
In a med sauce pan melt and lightly brown the butter.  This takes about 8 mins. Let it cool a few minutes.  Mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. Add the sugars to a mixing bowl and blend adding the butter for about 1 minute.  Add the eggs, vanilla and espresso powder. Mix a few minutes until the batter lightens . Add the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated.  Add the chocolate/toffee with a spatula.  Let the batter sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes as it thickens.
On a parchment lined cookie sheet make 1 1/2″ balls placed about 3″ apart. Do not flatten them. Bake at 375 for about 9-11 minutes until the edges are just browning. Sprinkle the tops with a little salt if you like a sweet and salty taste.

I thought I’d publish this Cherry Pie recipe in honor of our first President. It’s so juicy and full of flavor. A hit at any time of year !!

Ingredients;
Make my perfect pie crust recipe or buy pie crust rolls
4 cups fresh(pitted) or frozen tart cherries
1 cup sugar
4 TBLS cornstarch
1 TSP almond extract
Dash nutmeg
1 TBLS butter, to dot
1 TBLS coarse sugar, to sprinkle

Directions;
Preheat oven to 375.
In a medium saucepan place over med heat. Cover. After the cherries lose considerable juice, which may take a few minutes, remove from heat. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cornstarch together. Pour this mixture into the hot cherries and mix well. Add the almond extract, nutmeg and mix. Return the mixture to the stove and cook over low heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and let cool. If the filling is too thick, add a little water, too thin, add a little more cornstarch.
Prepare your crust. Divide in half. Roll out each piece large enough to fit into an 8 to 9-inch pan. Pour cooled cherry mixture into the crust. Dot with butter. Moisten edge of bottom crust. Place top crust on and flute the edge of the pie.
Make a slit in the middle of the crust for steam to escape.
OR
Cut lattice strips and place over pie. Sprinkle the crust with coarse sugar.
Cover the pie crust edge with strips of foil to keep them from browning too much.  Remove the foil strips after 30 minutes of baking.
Bake until crust is lightly browned, about 50 minutes.

Here is a different take on the traditional s’moores…
Use ginger snap cookies and jarred lemon curd with the toasted marshmallow.
OR
use graham crackers and peanut butter cups sliced with the toasted marshmallows !!!

Wow, talk about a flavor explosion!! The cherry, creamy cheesecake and rich chocolate flavors unite and explode in these cherry cheesecake brownies. So easy since part of the recipe is from a premixed box brownie. The 9×13 tray easily serves a crowd and freezes well.

Ingredients/Directions;

One 18oz-20oz boxed brownie mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup water
1 TSP instant espresso powder
1 TSP vanilla extract, I prefer vanilla paste
Mix the above together and beat for 2 minutes.
Spread the batter in a 9×13 greased baking pan and set aside.

One 8oz cream cheese, at room temp
5 TBLS unsalted butter, at room temp
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 TBLS flour
1 TSP vanilla extract
One 21oz can of cherry pie filling
Preheat the oven to 350.
Mix the above except cherry filling, until fluffy. Drop tablespoons full into the pan of brownies and use a knife to gently cut through the batter to pull the cream cheese into a marbled pattern.
Spoon tablespoons of cherry filling on top of the cream cheese/brownie pan about 1 inch apart.
Bake 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool for an hour before cutting into squares.