White Sands Holiday Inn Bananas Virginia

2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
2 bananas, peeled, sliced in half
8 ripe strawberries
1 ounce heavy cream
1/4 cup quality dark rum
1/2 ounce banana liqueur

Bread Pudding
1 (1 pound) loaf French bread
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 eggs
1 cup half-and-half
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup golden raisins

Melt butter. Add bananas. Saut� over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes. Add sugar and spices. Stir. Add whole strawberries. Saut� 1 more minute. Add banana liqueur and rum. Ignite. Reduce liquid for 45 seconds. Add cream. Reduce sauce by half. Serve with ice cream of your choice or serve with warm bread pudding.

Bread Pudding: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cut bread into 1-inch thick slices. Arrange bread slices and pecans on a baking sheet and drizzle with melted butter; toast lightly.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, cream, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and vanilla. Put bread and pecans in a lightly greased 7 x 11-inch casserole dish. Pour egg mixture over bread. Make sure bread slices are saturated with liquid.

Bake 60 minutes in preheated oven, until golden. Serve warm.

Servings: 4

Source: White Sands Holiday Inn, Gulf Shores, Alabama