triticale - the wheat / rye guy

Banana Split French Toast

My wee wifey loves what we persistantly call nanny splits. Once upon a time decades ago when we were coming back from a road trip, she spotted said desert on a truck stop menu and ordered it. They didn't have any bananas so I went to the grocery down the street and bought a bunch. She was pleased of course, but all the truckers who were getting ready to start their runs (it was breakfast time) were grossed out.

Here's a way to serve a banana split which is much more suitable for a brunch, and easier to prepare before the meal when one is serving company.

10 ounce canned maraschino cherries
16 thick slices of bread (around here they sell loaves labeled "Texas Toast" but I don't know what they call it in Texas)
8 ounces cream cheese -- softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces crushed pineapple -- drained
1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
4 small ripe bananas -- halved lengthwise
2 cups frozen whipped topping -- about 2/3 of an 8-ounce container thawed
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Maple syrup -- warmed

Cut 4 maraschino cherries in half; set aside for garnish. Chop remaining cherries. Blend cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed 3 to 4 minutes, or until creamy. Stir in pineapple, chocolate chips and chopped cherries by hand until evenly distributed.

Spray a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine eggs and milk in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Dip one side of 1 bread slice into egg mixture. Place on baking pan, dipped side down. Gently spread with 1/8 of cream cheese mixture; top with a banana half. Repeat with 7 more slices.

Dip one side of each of the remaining 8 bread slices in egg mixture. Place, dipped side up, on top of banana Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 35 to 40 minutes, or until tops are light golden brown and centers are set.

To serve, top each serving with 1/4 cup whipped topping, 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped pecans and 1 reserved cherry half. Serve with maple syrup.

Makes 8 servings.

Posted by triticale at March 10, 2007 09:45 AM | TrackBack