Maple Roasted Bananas with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

I have begun a lifelong love affair with maple syrup. It started with pancakes, gravitated towards desserts, and found its way to savory foods (maple syrup is just fantastic on asparagus). But today we aren't talking about pancakes or savory foods. We are talking desserts. And this one is certainly a doozie.

When I set out to make these maple roasted bananas, I had no idea of the surprises in store for me. When you start to invent your own recipes, a little surprise here and there is bound to happen (though you never anticipate it). It started out innocently enough, with beautifully cut bananas drowning in maple syrup and brown sugar. What can I say? I let my guard down. So I put them in the oven, set the timer, and started putting away ingredients. About 4 minutes in, I smelled burnt sugar and rushed to the oven. The bananas were perfectly fine, oh yes they were, and I let out a brief sigh of relief. But the extra sugar in the pan had decided to boil and burn something awful. So, being completely practical, I turned on the broiler to harden the sugar on the bananas.

The fire alarm forced me to stop my experiment.

My bananas turned out perfectly despite this. My pan may be charred black, but who can care about that when these gorgeous bananas are staring you in the face? Some sugary syrup had been spared, so I drizzled this over the roasted bananas and added a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream. Oh. My God. I ate more than my fair share and licked my plate clean. Licked it spotless.

The cinnamon whipped cream keeps the sugar in check, so it is not overwhelming. Both the maple syrup and banana flavors shine. I could gush longer about how good this is, but I think its better if you just find out for yourself, don't you?

(Don't worry, I adjusted and tested the recipe so your baking venture will be a little less exciting).

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Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I am slowly learning I cannot be trusted around food. Particularly anything with carbs. And especially those with sugar. When I made whole wheat baguettes, I ate an entire baguette in one sitting, two days in a row. When I made bittersweet chocolate pear cake, I ate the entire cake, by myself, in less than 36 hours. And when I made these cinnamon chocolate chip banana bread loaves, I couldn't help myself from eating an entire loaf right out of the oven. I have no idea what the word "restraint" means.
As I know myself too well, I immediately froze three loaves so they could not tempt me (or so I thought). Every time I stand next to the freezer, I remember they are in there. I can sense them. I can smell them. I can taste them. I may have given in once.
And so, I ask you dear reader, how do you exercise this foreign concept known as willpower? I need advice. I need tips. I probably need to go to the gym.
This cinnamon chocolate chip banana bread is moist, dense, and absolutely delicious. We all know chocolate and bananas go well together, but when you add the cinnamon? That just makes it even better. There is no doubt about it, this is a dessert bread. I want to see if you can exercise restraint when you eat this. Consider it a challenge.

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Grilled Peaches

Grills were made for summer and summers were made for barbecues. Last weekend, my family and a few friends gathered to feast on as many grilled meats and vegetables as we could stand. Which, it turns out, is quite a bit. The mushrooms were absolutely to die for. I managed to eat nearly all of them by myself, stealing as many as I could from the serving platter before anyone noticed (and then, again, after they did). When it comes to grilled vegetables, I have no shame.
After such a perfect summer meal, only a grilled dessert could complete the picture. And so, grilled peaches it became. They are sweet, juicy, and practically melt in your mouth. Topped with brown sugar and cinnamon, they pose as crust-less peach cobblers and pies. Add a side of vanilla ice cream and you will have yourself the perfect dessert to bring your barbecue to an end.

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