My Creations- Week of October 9th, 2005

Chocolate & Banana Pancakes

Category: Crepes/pancakes
Rating: Good

The recipe title calls them pancakes, I call them crepes. Looking at the three aspects of this (cocoa infused crepes, orange juice marinated bananas, dark chocolate sauce) it is strange to say this is a light tasting meal. All the better so you don’t feel like you’re having dessert for breakfast!

BANANAS
3 large bananas
8 tablespoons orange juice
grated rind of one orange

CHOCOLATE SAUCE
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 Tablespoons milk
1 ½ ounces dark chocolate
1 Tablespoon butter
½ cup light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

PANCAKES
1 cup AP flour
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1 egg
1 teaspoon oil (sunflower, canola)
1 ¼ cups milk
oil, for frying

Serves 4

Place slices of banana in a dish with orange juice and rind.

Mix cocoa powder and cornstarch, and then stir in milk. In a saucepan add chocolate broken in pieces, butter and corn syrup. Heat on low stirring until well blended. Add cocoa mixture and bring to boil over gentle heat. Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

For pancakes sift flour and cocoa into mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Add egg and oil and gradually whisk in milk until batter is smooth. Heat oil in skillet. Pour batter tilting pan to coat. Cook over medium heat until browned, flip.

Fill pancakes with bananas and fold into halves or fourths. Top with reheated chocolate sauce.



French Bean Salad

Category: Side
Rating: Fair

As a follow up to last week's ‘stupid easy’ this one even shares two ingredients. (Hey, I’m trying to empty the freezer). Mix 2 cups French style green beans, 2 Tablespoons chopped onion, 3 strips cooked and chopped bacon and ¼ cup ranch dressing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.