Bananas Baked with Cream Cheese
(Bananes Celeste — Martinique)

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 ripe but firm medium bananas, peeled and cut lengthwise into halves
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Heat butter in skillet over medium heat until melted. Cook bananas in butter, a few at a time, until brown on both sides; gently remove. Place cream cheese, brown sugar, whipping cream, rum and cinnamon in blender container. Cover and blend on high speed, stopping blender occasionally to scrape sides, until smooth, about 1 minute.
2. Arrange half of the bananas in ungreased 8inch square baking dish. Spread half of cream cheese mixture over bananas; top with remaining bananas and cream cheese mixture.
3. Bake uncovered at 325 degrees F until corners are bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.