Camping Cuisine Part II: Bananas Foster with Handmade Coconut Ice Cream

There are only so many nights that even the most-avid marshmallow toaster can eat S'mores on a long camping trip. When I was planning the meals for our 6-day Burton Island trip, I wanted to try something new and interesting on at least one night.  For one evening I had planned a simple dinner of red beans and rice, Andouille sausages, and grilled onions, peppers, and zucchini.  Kinda Cajun so why not finish it off with some Banana's Foster? With only a few simple ingredients and my trusty cast iron skillet, it was a snap.


Of course it cries for ice cream, which just doesn't keep well even in the best of Coleman coolers. Fortunately, it is easy to make in baggies; something I had done with the boys when they were in preschool. I decided to make coconut ice cream so our friend, Carmen, who can not eat milk products, could have some. And, well, nature surely intended that bananas and coconuts go together.

Bananas Foster
These are approximate measurements per person

1 banana, peeled and halved lengthwise
2 tsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. brown sugar
A sprinkle of cinnamon, optional
A sprinkle of salt
1-2 tsp. dark, spiced rum, optional


Melt the butter in a hot cast iron skillet then add remaining ingredients, except bananas. Stir to dissolve. Cook a minute until bubbly. Add the bananas and cook for a minute or two, basting them with the butter-sugar mixture until they are warmed through and slightly softened.  If you are ambitious you can add a little more liquor and flambe the mixture in true Bananas Foster style. I did not.

NOTE: Individual servings can also be wrapped in heavy foil and cooked over the fire instead of using a skillet. You can eat it right out of the foil.

Serve immediately with vanilla or coconut ice cream.


Coconut Ice Cream: The Baggie Method
Per person

1 ziploc sandwich bag
1 gallon-sized ziploc freezer bag
1/2 cup coconut milk, full fat
2-3 tsp. sugar (taste it and make it a little sweeter than you like; it will taste less sweet when frozen)
Splash of vanilla extract
2 cups ice
2 tablespoons coarse salt (I used canning salt)


Mix the coconut milk, sugar, and vanilla thoroughly and pour into the smaller baggie. Seal tightly. You can also double bag it to make sure none of the salt gets inside.

Put ice in the larger baggie and place the smaller bag inside it. Shake and massage the bag, kneading the cream in the smaller baggie so it freezes evenly. After 5-10 minutes it will be the consistency of soft-serve. It will get harder if you continue beyond this.

Remove the smaller bag. Cut a hole in the corner and squeeze it into a serving bowl.

NOTE: The baggie will have salty water on the outside of it, which you should rinse off (unless you double-bagged) before cutting open to keep the salt water from dripping into your ice cream as you squeeze it out.