Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart

About a year ago, I decided I wanted to start a new weekly tradition at our house.  I decided to call it "Fabulous Friday".

 

The idea behind Fabulous Friday was this:  while all the kiddos were off to school, I would bake some *fabulous* dessert that everyone would look forward to coming home to.  Each week it would be something new (!) and different (!!) - a secret not to be revealed until they got home from school.  The suspense of what was coming would get them out the door and off to school with a smile and the memories of eating wonderful, homemade dessert all weekend would last a lifetime.  It was a dream of mine and I just couldn't help but force it onto everyone else.

Our first Fabulous Friday was rung in with a Banana Cake with Caramel Espresso Frosting.  Uh, huh.  That's right.  No one, I mean NO ONE around here has forgotten that cake. 

And I haven't done diddly on a Friday since.

So fast-forward a year and I'm kinda feeling like the dream might still be alive.  Things are winding down for me with work and I'm finally finding the time to do the things with the family that I really want to do.  I hope I can stick with this but until I know I can, I'm not calling it anything in front of the kids because at this point, I just know better.

Today I made an old favorite of ours that I've been making for some years now, Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart by Ina Garten.  It is a showstopper.  Why someone didn't think to stick a banana in the pumpkin pie from the start, I don't know.  But the Thanksgiving dessert selection at our house has finally gotten interesting.

Starting the mousse with the graham cracker crust ready to go.

Folding in the whipped cream before filling the crust and refrigerating.

While I am conscious of how much sugar the kids take in, all concerns go out the window for me when a unique flavored and/or homemade dessert is available.  Getting them to try new flavors through desserts is just another way for them to explore and appreciate many types of food.  I actually have no idea what I'm talking about, but that's what I keep telling myself.

Comments

[Nicole]

Totally making this tonight.