Nuthin’ Says Lovin’ Like Being Dutch Ovened…and other Valentine’s Day memories…oh and there’s a recipe for Banana Bread Pudding with Bourbon and Caramel Sauce in there, too.

                                   

“You must know…surely, you must know it was all for you…I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on.” – Mr. Darcy, Pride & Prejudice

I am not entirely sure how I feel about Valentine’s Day. On one hand I feel like, at it’s true core, it’s all about consumerism being bolstered by the pissing contests that couples must have with other couples in order to out-do one another in their showings of affection. And with the addition of Facebook and Instagram? I mean, if I see one more sepia photo of a floral bouquet and a box of chocolate truffles I might die. Yet, on the other hand, I feel like it’s the day to be our mushiest selves and to actually hope for a moment of rom-com-esque perfection in a world where generally our standards have to be lower than the average Nicholas Sparks novel.

You may think that my having a boyfriend makes my feelings different, but truly it doesn’t. This may be because in the past, my Valentine’s Days have been not just sub-par, but also, downright disturbing. 

For instance, in high school when I was sorta dating a guy and we went over to his house to watch a movie (it was Edward Scissorhands if anyone cares) and he tried to get me to do stuff with him under the guise of it being his birthday…I mean, it was already Valentine’s Day, if nothing had happened already, it wasn’t gonna.

Or maybe the time I had just finished a romantic…um…moment with a guy, ending in him telling me that he loved me…and then DUTCH OVENING me! Seriously. This actually happened. And it was like…really? Is this what Valentine’s Day is? Flowers. Candy. And Farts.

Or, the time a guy completely forgot what day it was and asked me to sit on a bench in the mall while he trolled around for an hour to find me something. He came back with a book from Barnes and Noble on Shakespeare and said “there’s a better one I wanted to get you, but it wasn’t in stock, and I forgot to order it.”

And the saddest part? My longest relationship to date was with the Dutch Oven Guy! No, I am not with said Dutch Oven-er now, so here’s hopin’ the current one outlives the previous one.

Still, with all my trepidation, I can’t help the giddy, hopeful feeling that comes along only once a year (unless you’re in the midwest where there’s also Sweetest Day, and then you’re really screwed) And so I felt to commemorate the occasion I would make a simple dessert for two (however it is insanely easy to double, so feel free to have many Valentines. They’ll all get over the fact that they are one of many once they’ve tried this pudding) It is chewy, melty, sugary and has a nice zip from the booze-saturated bread, and it’s waaaaaay more creative than a heart shaped box.

Just remember that you’ll need some day old French bread (which is super easy to buy at Panera. Just go in and ask for two of their French baguette sides the day before you make the dessert and leave them in their bag on the counter overnight. By the time baking rolls around, they’ll be perfect)

Banana Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

1/3 cup milk

1 tbsp dark brown sugar

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1 large egg

1 scant tbsp bourbon

2 cups French bread, cut into pieces

½ cup mashed ripe banana

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp bourbon

Directions:

1.     Prepare two 8oz ramekins with either cooking spray, or the butter and flour method (I found some pretty sweet heart-shaped ones in a discount section of the grocery store amidst the terrified boyfriends searching for last minute gifts. It was pretty hilarious)

2.     Combine the first 5 ingredients (milk, sugar, cinnamon, egg, bourbon) in a bowl and whisk until combined. The cinnamon may stay in itsy-bitsy little clumps, that’s okay.

3.     Place ½ cup of the bread into the bottom of each ramekin.

4.     Spoon 2 tablespoons of the bourbon mixture onto the bread.

5.     Then top each ramekin’s bread with ½ of the mashed banana.

6.     Sprinkle both servings with the granulated sugar.

7.     Repeat steps 3-6, placing the second half of the bread on top of the ingredients already in the ramekin. It might seem too much to fit, but don’t worry, just press down a little bit on the bread to get each piece just a little moistened…I hate the word moist, but I didn’t know what else to use, sorry.

At this point, my cat Delaney got very interested in the process.

And when I wouldn't give her any she resorted to doing this all over the kitchen floor...

8.     Cover the ramekins in plastic wrap and chill them in fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the bread become fully saturated, and help all the ingredients get friendly with one another.

9.     Preheat the oven to 350°.

10.  Bake for around 25 minutes, until the center it still a little wobbly, but the bread is nice a golden brown.

11.  Top with a tablespoon of caramel sauce and some powdered sugar.

12.  Enjoy with someone you love.

So, just sayin’, these are insanely tasty! They look beautiful, they smell beautiful, and the nice, sugar-encrusted top encases an ooey-gooey center of bread that all comes together with the bourbon, milk and caramel to create one kick-ass dessert!

Honestly, even if I don’t have a valentine next year, I might just make this anyway and eat both servings. It’ll make me feel a little less lame than my usual solo-venture into a pint of Ben & Jerry’s.

Til next time,

D