Friday, June 4, 2010

Banana Split Bars and Nervous Store Clerks

One of these days I’m going to be tossed out of my local grocery store. They think I’m mad in there. Crazy. Insane. The lady who stands staring at ice cream toppings for 30 minutes looking like she's lost her mind.

My muse is the grocery store, much to the dismay of nervous checkers and clerks. Someday I’ll tell them I’m just brainstorming another cookie idea. Someday. For now it’s more fun to make them fidget and look at me nervously.

They’d change their not-so-secret opinions about me if they tasted these banana split bars. Though, after all these years they’d probably be too nervous to eat anything I baked.

Banana Split Bars
(Printer Version)
2/3rds of a (14.4 ounce) box Chocolate Graham Crackers
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
1 (5.1 ounce) box Jell-O banana cream instant pudding
2 eggs
2 (8 ounce) boxes full fat cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons strawberry sundae syrup
½ (12 ounce) jar pineapple topping
1/3 cup salted peanuts, chopped

1. Line a 9x13 inch pan with foil. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Crush Graham crackers in a bag with the back of a spoon until crackers are crushed, but not uniform in size. Don’t do this in a food processor. Place cracker crumbs in a bowl and mix with melted butter.

3. Set aside ½ cup for topping and press the rest of the crushed crackers into the pan. Bake for 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, beat together Jell-O, eggs, cream cheese, milk, vanilla extract and salt slowly until mixed. Then beat on medium high for 4 minutes. Pour mixture over hot crumb base.

5. Swirl in strawberry sundae topping and pineapple topping. Sprinkle with remaining cracker crumbs then lastly top with peanuts.

6. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. For easier cutting freeze bars in the pan, then pull out by the foil and peel it off, cut off the very ends, and cut into strips and then into squares.

Recipe and photograph by Laura Flowers.

P.S. The weekly post for Clara’s Cold Lunch Corner is over for now. School is coming to a close and I’m repeating lunches. I’ll likely post it periodically as I collect new ideas so don’t give up on it yet please!


35 comments:

Joanne said...

I spend a lot of time staring in grocery stores as well. Which is why I go to the Whole Foods on the other side of Manhattan. So no one I know will catch on to my craziness.

These bars look awesome! I love anything that resembles anything having to do with ice cream.

Joy said...

That is all I do at the grocery store. Stare at all the different possibilities. BTW great pics and recipe.

VegeCooking Club said...

Oh Lord who knows WHAT they think of me. These look SO good. Anything banana. Mmmmmm..... Have an awesome weekend girl!

Pink Little Cake said...

I always spend a lot of time staring in grocery stores, that's why I try to go alone, that's my time!! The bars look super!

Susi's Kochen und Backen said...

Laura, these bars look delicious! Wish I had one right about now!

Chef E said...

I told mine, they ask me now "Whats Cooking Cheffy", today maple brown sugar black forrest bacon for ice cream tomorrow!

Chef Dennis Littley said...

those bars look positively incredible!!! a work of art, those grocery store clerks would be insane not to want to taste those....but I'm with you, let them think your on the edge...lol....makes things more fun!!

Sue said...

Laura,
You're so funny:) These bars look so good (so many flavors)! I'm especially impressed that it's your own recipe! Perfect name:)

Needful Things said...

You out-do yourself every time!
Btw, I spend a whole lot of time staring in grocery stores as well & my husband hates going with me for this reason.

Laurel said...

That's hillarious. I do the same thing, walking back and forth on the aisles. They quit asking me if they could help me find something...

Love the bars, so easy, on my to do list for this week!

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

Ha - I know all too well what you are talking about. I could spend hours in a good grocery store! I just heard a rumor that a fabulous gourmet grocery is supposedly coming to town. Can I tell you all the daydreaming that has happened over the last few days? I'm almost giddy with excitement, but I must protect myself in the event that the rumor isn't true. I wish I could fast forward a year to find out.

Great bars - love the name!

:)
ButterYum

Mary @ Bites and Bliss said...

Delicious! I'll take a banana split in any form :D I'll have to give these a try, thanks!

Sarah said...

Cute, whole foods and michael's must think the same thing about me ;0

Veronica said...

You crack me up! And you also laugh out loud when you read ingredients on boxes--yup, you're the crazy grocery store lady. :) But man, these bars are so creative and delicious!

Frankie said...

great recipe! It looks like a lot of us foodies spend time in the grocery store psychotically staring at food...

Monet said...

Sometimes I feel like I live at the grocery store...I love this bar idea, very creative!

Eileen said...

These bars look really yummy and I can't wait to try them out! I love banana splits! I also love going grocery shopping and finding fun new things to bake with! By the way...I love your blog...you have tons of recipes that I can't wait to try out!

Cyndy said...

Laura, You have the most incredible photo's. This is fantastic. Just look at all those colors Pop!

And, if one more kid comes up to me and says "Can I help you find something lady? looking at me like crazy, I'm gonna pop him one!

The Cooking Photographer said...

Thank-you for the comments!! This was a fun one for me.

Laura

Aaron John said...

I always stand in the aisles of grocery stores looking and deciding. It kind of makes my friends mad but I want to best stuff in the store!! Those bars look delicious and your photo looks great!! I wish I had those skills!
Would you mind checking out my blog? :D http://ajscookingsecrets.blogspot.com/

The Cilantropist said...

I am always inspired by the grocery store too! And these banana split bars: such a great group of goodies rolled up into one yummy dessert! Thanks for sharing! :)

Cherine said...

Those are irresistible!!

Mary @Delightful Bitefuls said...

Ooo what a GREAT combo! Sounds delish!

xxMK
Delightful Bitefuls

Jannett said...

Great photo.... Recipe sounds delicious... :)

bridget {bake at 350} said...

You are so funny! I spend WAY too much time in the grocery store, too. I've even caught myself talking (to myself!). Now who's the crazy one?

These cookies are so creative! Well worth the time perusing! ;)

Linn @ Swedish Home Cooking said...

That sounds like a really great recipe for home made snack bars! I will for sure try to make them some day, I make a lot of energy bars and I'm always looking for new inspiration,

Cathy said...

I love to go to Whole Foods and wander up and down the aisles looking for inspiration and some exotic something that will make a delicious recipe and a good post. Sometimes I hit the jackpot...sometimes not. Love all the good things you've put into these bars.

Katherine said...

These look very interesting! I've never seen something like this - but is there a different topping I could sub for the pineapple that won't take away from the banana split flavor?

The Cooking Photographer said...

Hi Katherine,

Yeah these are a bit on the crazy side. If you don't want pineapple just leave it out. You can always add a little extra strawberry syrup in it's place.

Laura

hannah queen | honey & jam said...

these look so good!

Lo said...

Oh, gosh -- I'm laughing aloud at this one! I've learned to love the crazy stares I get from the produce guy as I circle the greens aisle for the 17th time, trying to decide between Red Russian and Lacinato Kale. I think it's good that we give them something to think about on an otherwise leisurely afternoon, don't you?

Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction said...

Ha! This made me laugh because I always stand and deliberate at the grocery store... Then I read the labels, shuffle through my coupons, look things up on my phone, and finally (after about 15 minutes) pick an item and move on to another decision in the next aisle. :) It amuses me... And my husband refuses to go to the store with me.

URBakin'MeCrazyy said...

These look amazing! I will defientely keep these in my collection of things to make! :)
Megan

http://urbakinmecrazyy.blogspot.com/

Sashquatch said...

I have NEVER seen anything like these before!!! Wonderful recipe indeed and that photo is tempting me like no puppy dog eyes could ever manage :)

Amee said...

This is like an everything-yummy-in-one-bar. Just saw it on TS today.

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