Banana Shake

Here is an approximate recipe for the Banana Shake that I remember Dad making for us whilst living in Orem.  Perhaps Mom made it as well, but my memories were of Dad blending it up on many a hot summer day.

It is a fast, easy recipe, and I realized this evening that it had been a long time since I last made it for my children... possibly since before Sariah was born.  To many a happy smile, I blended it up as an appetizer for my kids while the casserole cooked...  Sariah was my official taste-tester, and after a sip (that turned into a long gulp), she immediately responded, "I want my own, Daddy!"

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas
• 2 cups milk
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 6 ice cubes

Directions:

• Cut each banana into 2 or 3 pieces.
• Drop banana segments into your trustee Oysterizer blender.
• Add sugar and milk, altering milk quantity as needed for banana size variance, and desired concentration.
• Start blending, and add ice cubes a couple at a time.
• Serve to smiling faces.  Or, watch as a happy smile appears. :-)

NOTE:  While many Banana Shake/Smoothie recipes do not call for vanilla, I have always considered it an essential ingredient.  First, I love vanilla in deserts and drinks.  Second, while the banana flavour does over-power even a healthy dose of vanilla, the richness that results from using it is unmistakable.  Yum!