Banoffee Mess

Banoffee Mess- what the heck is this? It's a banana-toffee pie! The other day I was looking in my pantry and saw the two cans of sweetened condensed milk that I accidentally bought (I needed evaporated milk) and have been sitting on the shelf for months. I was at a loss for what to do with them since I don't usually make recipes that call for the stuff. Yesterday I was watching foodnetwork and 5 Ingredient Fix came on after my favorite cooking show. I was getting ready to turn off the TV when I heard the host say "banoffee mess". I tuned in and heard "sweetened condensed milk" and was immediately interested in finding out more. Well, who knew you could make toffee from a simple can of milk and boiling water?? Certainly not me. Turns out that this recipe uses only 5 ingredients and by simmering an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk for 3 hours, it magically transforms into a sweet, rich toffee that tastes just like Dulce leche! Yeah, score!

I checked in my pantry and found I had all the ingredients except the carton of whipping cream so I started baking and boiling. Chris picked up the whipping cream on his way home from work and we devoured this pie for dessert. A definite winner, and the best part? The thick, rich, sweet toffee made from my accidental purchase! ;)

Banoffee Mess (serves 6-8)
1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about a package and half of graham crackers)
1 stick butter, melted
4 bananas, sliced
2 cups heavy whipping cream

In a saucepan, cover an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 hours, adding water as necessary to keep the can submerged in the water.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. Press the mixture into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake for 12-15 minutes, then cool completely and set aside until ready to assemble the pie.
Remove the condensed milk from heat and let cool enough to be able to remove the can from the water. let cool for at least 15 minutes before opening the now dark and creamy toffee. Thinly slice the bananas and evenly arrange 1 layer of bananas over the graham cracker crust. Pour the toffee over the top and spread evenly. Put another layer of bananas on top of the toffee. Whip the 2 cups of whipping cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form, and spoon it on top of the bananas, spreading out to make an even layer. Add a few bananas on top for decoration. Refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours before serving and enjoy!

Creamy Lemony Eggs with Prosciutto

Want a knockout dish for brunch this weekend? Something out of the ordinary, but comforting, rich and just 6 ingredients? Creamy, Lemony eggs with Prosciutto is the perfect recipe to start the weekend off right.
I've recently bought the cookbook, Radically Simple by Rozanne Gold because I wanted to add recipes to my repertoire that were simple to make but didn't sacrifice on the wow factor or flavor. This cookbook and recipe has become one of my staples- my family requests several recipes from Rozanne's collection, and I have made the creamy lemony eggs with prosciutto for several friends and received wonderful reviews. The ingredients are simple, just eggs, lemon, prosciutto, butter, English muffins and chives. The original recipe doesn't call for English muffins but I stack everything on top of the toasted bread and I think it adds that je ne sais quoi. Sound too simple to impress? Not so. The difference is in the way the eggs are cooked. Instead of pan frying the eggs, you ever so gently cook them in a double boiler just like hollandaise, and the result? Pure perfection. The creamiest eggs you've ever had with a hint of lemon. People will swear you've added tons of cheese and cream because of the texture. The eggs are super creamy and luscious. Simply delicious! If you don't have a double boiler, don't let that scare you off. The truth is, I don't have one either. You can make an easy version by placing a heatproof bowl (I used a big glass bowl) over a big pot of gently boiling water.

Just take care not to have the bottom of the bowl touch the hot water. One word of advice- take your time with the eggs, baby them. Trust me, in the end it will be so worth it. Bon Appetit!

Creamy Lemony Eggs with Prosciutto serves 4
6 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto
6 extra-large eggs plus 3 egg whites
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 Tbsp. of chopped fresh chives
4 English muffins, split and toasted

Line the centers of the plates with the toasted English muffins. Place prosciutto on top of the muffins, overlapping the slices. Set aside.
Combine the eggs and whites and beat with a whisk until thoroughly mixed. Add the lemon zest, melted butter, juice of the lemon and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
Bring several inches of water to boil in the bottom of a double boiler. Reduce heat to a rolling simmer. Add your egg mixture to the top of the double boiler. Cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the eggs have thickened into small curds, about 10-15 minutes. Spoon the hot eggs onto the prosciutto and English muffins. Garnish with chives.

*note: I have changed Roxanne's original recipe- my changes are included. I have also made these eggs substituting thinly sliced lox when I didn't have prosciutto on hand. Both work equally well with the lemony creamy eggs. Here's a photo of the salmon version