Banana "Ice Cream"

Ever wondered what to do with old bananas that have turned brown and almost mushy?  Well, of course there is Banana Bread.  But, especially come summer, what if there was another option as well?  Ladies and Gentlemen, you're in luck, because today I tell you that there is. 

When the weather is warm and just the thought of turning on the oven makes you sweat even more, I introduce to you homemade Banana "ice cream".  The ice cream is in quotes because as you may have inferred, it is not really ice cream, but rather one of those super easy fixes that sure does seem to come pretty close to it.  So, without further ado, take them aged 'nanners and follow these simple steps:

1)  Tear off a strip of parchment or wax paper to fit on a freezer safe plate or bowl.  This is so the banana does not stick when you go to make the ice cream.

2)  Cut the banana up into smaller chunks.  This is optional, but will make it easier/faster to make the ice cream later on.  A little work up front for less work on the back end!

3)  Cover the banana with another layer of the wax or parchment paper to avoid unwanted freezer burn.

4)  Let sit in the freezer for at least 2 hours or overnight (even up to a month).

5)  Remove the banana from the freezer and from the paper, placing the frozen banana in a food processor.

* You may want to adjust the Banana "ice cream" for your own taste buds. Sometimes we add 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter, or maybe some chocolate chunks, or maybe both! Here I added some chopped up Junior Mints. Have fun and get creative!

6)  Finely chop the banana, perhaps taking a moment to occasionally stir around the bits, until the banana is completely smooth.

Voila!  Spoon into cups and enjoy.  How easy was that?!  One banana makes 2 small cups.

Interesting Fact:  Bananas have their own natural starch, which is why a frozen banana can turn itself into this tasty goodness.  In the summertime I like to keep a few of these bananas in the freezer so I am always on the ready for a quick last minute dessert fix.