THROW A MONKEY PARTY!

Set up craft table for kids to make monkey puppets out of paper lunch bags.

To get the kids up & moving, play the "Monkey in the Middle" game. (Kids all stand in a circle with one “monkey” in the middle who tries to intercept a banana being tossed around.)

If you choose to have the party at the zoo, make sure you visit the monkey cages so the kids can see them up close. Award prizes for whichever child makes the "best monkey noises" or have a banana-tossing contest!

Since yummy, theme-appropriate food is what makes a birthday party memorable, check out some of our very own Tasty recipes (courtesy of C&J Nutrition):

Banana pudding – modified recipe to omit sugar and add Bangos (would be really cute served in halved coconut shells)

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk, low fat or whole
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla  
• 2 to 3 bananas, ripe but firm
• ½ cup Bangos
• Whipped cream (optional)
• banana slices for garnish

PREPARATION:

In a bowl, combine the salt and flour; stir to blend. Slowly stir in milk until smooth. Pour into the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture begins to thicken.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks; gradually whisk in about 1 cup of the slightly thickened hot milk mixture.

Return egg mixture to the double boiler, stir in the vanilla and butter, and continue whisking and cooking until well thickened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

In tall dessert glasses or a 2-quart serving dish, make a layer of sliced banana.  Spoon some of the pudding over the banana layer then layer on more banana slices, topping with more pudding. Serve with whipped cream topping. If using short dessert dishes, use only one layer each of the banana slices and pudding, and then top with a dollop of whipped cream. Garnish each serving with a few slices of banana and a oat banana cookie (see below).

            ** if you have an ice cream maker you could pour the pudding mixture into the ice cream maker and make banana ice cream!  You could even make little ice cream sandwiches for the older kids and have the ice cream and cookies separate for the younger kids!

Rice pudding with banana – modified recipe to omit sugar, add Bangos, and top with sautéed bananas

• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 1 cup bangos
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 ripe but firm medium bananas
• ¼ cup Mango nectar

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup milk, cream, vanilla bean, 6 tablespoons sugar, a pinch of salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, and let steep, covered, for 30 minutes.
2. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil; add rice, and blanch for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, and set aside. Remove vanilla bean and cinnamon stick from milk mixture. Scrape seeds from bean, and stir them back into the mixture; discard bean and cinnamon. Stir in blanched rice; cook, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until liquid is mostly absorbed, about 1 hour.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks and remaining 2 cups milk. Add to rice mixture, stirring well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Do not allow to boil. Add 1 tablespoon butter, and stir until melted. Remove pudding from heat, transfer to a bowl, and let cool slightly. Chill in refrigerator, covered, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until cold. Pudding will keep, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.
4. When ready to serve, cut bananas into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over low-medium heat in a heavy skillet. Stir in mango nectar and cook until mixture begins to thicken.  Add bananas, and cook, stirring occasionally, just until they soften and are coated with mixture, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer pudding to individual dishes, top with bananas.

Sugarless Banana Cookies (with milk or banana pudding for dipping) 

3 md Bananas; mashed

 1/3 c  Oil

1 ts Vanilla

2 c  rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine bananas, oil and vanilla. Stir in oats. Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. Press down lightly with fork.  Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown.  Makes 24 servings.

Baked bananas – modified recipe to omit brown sugar and bake with Bangos and cinnamon to lend natural sweetness

2 under-ripe organic bananas
Cinnamon
Bangos

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the unpeeled bananas lengthwise and lay them, sliced side up, in an ungreased pie plate.

Sprinkle the bananas with cinnamon and Bangos, then bake for 20 minutes. Serve the bananas--skin and all--on a plate and let your kids eat the meat with a fork.

Bread pudding with Bangos and banana coins – removed sugar from bread pudding and sub Bangos and banana coins Serves 4 to 6

·       4 large eggs

·       3/4 cup whole milk

·       3/4 cup heavy cream

·       ½ cup Bangos

·       8 slices white bread

·       4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

·       ½ cup banana slices (coins)

Directions

1.     In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, and Bangos. Set aside.

2.     Spread the top of each slice of bread with generous amount of butter. Cut slices in half diagonally. In a 9-inch round baking dish or cake pan, fan overlapping bread slices in one layer, placing banana slices in between. (It’s fine for bread to overlap) Pour egg mixture over bread, and let stand 1 hour.

3.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake until puffed and golden brown, and pudding has set, about 20 minutes.

4.     Garnish with more banana coins or spoon baked bananas (see other recipe) over the top.