Elaine's Eccentricities

I absolutely love this recipe. I had Bananas Foster at a local restaurant, Rolando's, a few times and I totally fell in love with it. So, of course I had to figure out how to make it myself. I really like to invite people over for dinner so I have an excuse to make it. It's pretty quick and simple to make.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup banana liqueur

4 bananas cut in half lengthwise, then halved

1/4 cup dark rum

Vanilla ice cream (enough for four people)


Directions:

1. Cut bananas half lengthwise and then halve them diagonally. If you're making it for a lot of people cut the bananas into 1/4 inch coins.

2. In a good-sized saute or skillet, combine the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Heat over low heat until the butter melts and sugar dissolves.

3. Add banana liqeur and stir.

4. Add bananas and cook until they start to soften and begin to brown. Be careful not to burn them.

5. Remove the pan from the flame and add the rum.

6. Ignite the pan and stand back (in case it makes a big flame). You're suppose to tip the pan slightly and ignite the rum, but I just use a long flame starter and leave it level.

7. Return the pan to the heat to cook off any excess rum.

8. Let cool a couple of minutes or it'll melt your ice cream.

9. Spoon the ice cream into bowls, add the bananas, and top with the sauce.

10. Serve immediately.

It usually takes a miracle to make labels in Word from my Outlook Contacts, without just giving in and typing them all over again. After many hours of searching on-line of how to do it and fiddling with it for hours do I "remember" how to actually do it. So, I hope this helps you (and me) with this should be simple task.

1. First, you should obviously buy your labels. They have quite a few at Wal-Mart. If not, go to Office Depot or Staples.
2. Download and save a template for your labels. Most of them are Avery, so you should go to Avery.com. You type in the kind you have which is a number located in the top right corner of the packaging.
3. Open Microsoft Word and go to the "Mailings" tab.
4. Click "Select Recipients".
5. Click on "Select from Outlook Contacts".
6. This is the part where you might have a problem. If Outlook is not your default mail client you will have to make it your default for the time being.

To make Outlook your default mail client:
a. Open Outlook.
b. Click on "Tools".
c. Click on "Options".
d. Click on "Other".
e. Check mark "Make Outlook the default program for E-mail, Contacts, and Calendar".
f. Click "Apply".

Note: If you do not have an e-mail account set up in Microsoft Outlook you may have to go to the "Mail Setup" tab in the "Options" folder and temporarily set up an account.

(Back to Microsoft Word)
7. Click on the folder you want to use and click "ok".
8. Uncheck the ones you don't want, find duplicates, etc, and then click "ok".
9. Click "Address Block".
10. Click "Rules".
11. Click "Next Record".
12. Click "Update Labels".
13. Click "Preview Results".
14. A new document should open with all the labels. Change the font, size, etc.
15. Save.
16. Print.

I hope this helps the next time you need to send out Christmas cards, invitations, etc. I know it saves me a ton of time and makes all my envelopes look professional. If you have any problem with my directions leave a comment or e-mail me, and I'll try to resolve the issue.