This was the Twelve in Ten challenge I was most looking forward to. Ryan and I are both fire-lovers, him even moreso than me. He has a whole arsenal of stories from his teenage years during which he conducted many fire experiments involving large cartons of coffee creamer and flames reaching second story heights. Me? I just lit sticks on fire and occasionally found a hollow one that I would use to pretend I was smoking. Real mature. Thankfully that was the closest I ever got to being a smoker...I think a few puffs of my makeshift cigarette was all it took to keep me far, far away! I digress...


While this challenge began as a goal to make a flaming dessert, we really went the extra mile and instead had an entire meal of flaming foods. Our friends Mike and Maggie offered to host, fire extinguisher close by, and Maggie and I planned a menu that incorporated as much fire as possible: flaming shots & cocktails, Greek flaming cheese, Steak Diane, and for dessert, bananas foster.

Ten of us enjoyed a fun evening of flames. Dubbed "Torched" by Maggie, this was one of my favorite dinner parties yet! Not only is it incredibly exciting to set your food and drink on fire before consuming, but all that fire brought some serious heat. For someone who is never, ever warm, this was a dream come true!

The bananas foster had more than just a flashy presentation going for it. Though incredibly simple, it was a definite crowd pleaser. I ended up making a second batch because the guests weren't satisfied with just one serving of dessert! This is a great dessert for dinner parties. You can't make it ahead of time, but the whole process takes only a few minutes and you'll impress your fire-loving guests :)

Scroll down to below the recipe for more pictures from our Torched dinner!


One Year Ago: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies


Flaming Bananas Foster with Vanilla Ice Cream
adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:
-4 tbsp unsalted butter
-1/4 cup packed brown sugar
-1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
-6 firm bananas, sliced diagonally
-4 tbsp dark rum
-ice cream, for serving

Directions:
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until the sugar melts (approximately 3 minutes). Add sliced bananas, sauteing until a caramel-like sauce forms and the bananas begin to soften (3-5 minutes).
2.  Pour rum over the bananas mixture and carefully ignite with a torch or match. Allow the fire to ignite and shake the pan until the flames subside.
3. Serve bananas with scoops of vanilla ice cream.