Banana Compote
I grew up with this "compote". When bananas where really cheap at the market, my mom would buy a ton of them, cook it, and conserve it in jars, so it was always available. In Brazil, we eat it with a creamy cheese called "requeijão", but a cream cheese will do just fine. Once you add the spices in, the house smells so good, you'll want to do it over and over again. INGREDIENTS: 12 large bananas, ripe (over ripe works great as well) 4 cups water 4 cup sugar 4 stick cinnamon 5 cloves, whole Juice from 1 lime PREPARATION: In a heavy saucepan (high heat), dissolve sugar well in water. Peel and cut bananas in rounds, about 1.2 inch, and add to the pan. When it starts boiling, add the lime juice (it will make it a beautifull purle-red color) and the cinnamon and cloves. Reduce heat to lowest. During the first 10, 15 minutes, it will form a "foam" on top, that will make the compote more cristaline if you remove it once