Then the second child came along and with him any free time to read for hours on end flew out the door. Oh, he’ll manage to sit still for maybe one….very short….book and he’ll sit through a bit longer one if he knows what comes next is lights out, but gone are the days when we’d sit snuggled in my bed and read book, after book, after book until I was hoarse or one of us fell asleep, whichever came first.
In honor of this fun book I made a recipe for the one thing monkeys like the most……bananas, of course! Not just any ‘ol banana recipe mind you…no, no, no…..fried bananas. Would monkeys like that? My monkeys like that and Mama and Papa monkey are especially fond of the boozy, Kahlúa-laced coffee sauce that goes along with them.
Does your little ones love monkeys? Here’s some other good monkey-themed books for toddlers from our friends over at Zoobean:
Ape in a Cape by Fritz Eichenberg
Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert
May I Bring A Friend? by Beatrice Schenk De Regnires
Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

Banana Fritters with Boozy Coffee Sauce
This sinful combination is one of our favorite Mexican desserts. Freshly fried banana slices coated in a light batter, drizzled with a Kahlúa coffee sauce.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 1 cup strong coffee
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup Kahlúa
For the Fritters:
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
- 4 just ripe bananas, sliced 1/2-inch thick on the bias
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- To make the sauce, combine the coffee, sugar, and half of the Kahlúa in a small saucepan.
- Place over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook until mixture is thick and syrupy, about 10 minutes. You might need to stir towards the end to prevent the mixture from boiling over—watch carefully.
- Remove from the stove and add the remaining Kahlúa, bring back to a boil then remove from heat. Set aside to cool. Sauce can be made up to a week in advance, covered and refrigerated until ready to use.
- For the fritters, pour about 2 inches of oil into a deep frying pan and heat over medium heat to between 350-375°F, or until a piece of bread dropped in the oil browns in 30 seconds.
- Meanwhile, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk aerated and break up any lumps. Make a well in the middle.
- Add the egg and coconut milk to the well in the middle of the flour and stir until combined and smooth.
- Add the banana about 5-6 pieces at a time to the batter and coat on all sides.
- Lift the banana slices, one at a time, out of the batter and let any excess drip back into the bowl. Carefully place the banana slices into the hot oil and fry for 6-8 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Remove fritters to a paper towel-lined tray and repeat with the remaining banana slices.
- Serve fritters warm, dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with coffee sauce.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 505Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 157mgCarbohydrates: 79gFiber: 3gSugar: 57gProtein: 4g
These look a-mazing!! The first thing Neko wants to do in the morning is read her books. She points at her book shelf from her crib! x
That’s how my Louisita was. Now she’s reading on her own…hard to believe how fast time flies!
oh wow. These are incredible- perfect little bites!!
Thanks Heather!
How have I never seen this recipe before today!?! It looks amazing!
Thanks, Love! Thinking of you and hope all is well.