Now that the kids are returning to school, days can feel like a dreadful grind. But "Top Chef" All-Star and author Antonia Lofaso knows that back-to-school season has its sweet moments, too. From the smell of freshly sharpened pencils to the mere idea of having a fresh start, Chef Lofaso has added her banana "pudding" recipe to the traditional back-to-school scramble.
The mom of 15-year-old daughter Xea has teamed up with Breyers ice cream to develop a fun and easy dessert. For Lofaso, understanding the quality and tradition of the food she feeds her family and teaching it to her daughter is an important part of cooking.
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"When it comes to cooking, it's all about food memories," she said. For example, banana pudding, which has long been around (it has deep roots in the South), is special because "people respond to it in ways that can make them smile; they can relate to it."
There are many ways to make back-to-school enjoyable; sometimes all we need is simply a cool, sweet treat at the end of a long school week. Try the recipe below yourself, inspired by Chef Lofaso's banana pudding with a little walnut twist, and enjoy a moment with the kids.
RECIPE: Ice cream with Sautéed Bananas
Serves: 2
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 large ripe banana, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp turbinado sugar
- 1 tsp spreadable butter
- 1 cup Breyers Natural Vanilla Ice Cream
- 4 vanilla wafer cookies
- 1/3 cup walnuts
Directions
- Sprinkle flat sides of banana pieces with turbinado sugar.
- Melt butter in a small nonstick skillet. Place bananas sugar side down for 90 seconds and sauté. Flip and let cook for another 90 seconds.
- Place banana slices on a separate plate to let cool.
- Sauté walnuts in the same pan for about 2 minutes.
- To assemble each, scoop vanilla ice cream into a small bowl.
- Wedge 2 Nilla wafer cookies on either side, then top with sautéed bananas and walnuts.
