When my Mum was growing up in Timmins, Ontario, Canada, she used to have a treat at birthday parties that, for lack of a better word, closely resembles “Peanut Butter-Banana Pinwheels.” She described the delicacy to me on the telephone the other day, so I set about trying to recreate it in my kitchen. It’s actually nothing more than slices of bread with the crusts cut off; then filled and rolled up with peanut butter and banana inside. I wasn’t sure if the bananas had to be sliced or mashed, so I ended up mashing two bananas in a bowl until the mixture almost resembled bread dough. Then I added about a half-cup of creamy peanut butter and blended it in with the banana mix.

 

The bread was another matter. Packaged and pre-sliced bread tends to become dry rather fast, and my first attempt to create a “pinwheel” ended up with the bread splitting and breaking apart. Then I decided to try microwaving each slice of bread for fifteen seconds (after the crusts were cut off) to soften them, and this worked splendidly. I was able to spread the banana-peanut butter mixture on a bread slice, and then roll it up. Cutting the roll is not easy unless all are chilled (which I attempted to do but my husband grabbed up most of them before I could do so). But chilling the rolls definitely makes for an easier cut, and the little “pinwheels” were marvelous.

 

Peanut Butter-Banana Pinwheels

2 medium bananas, peeled and mashed

½ C creamy peanut butter (add more or less to taste)

6 slices of bread, crusts cut off

 

In a bowl, mash the peeled banana until relatively smooth. Stir in peanut butter and blend well. Using a knife, cut off the crusts from the bread slices; microwave each slice for fifteen seconds to soften. Spread the banana-peanut butter mixture evenly on each slice, and then roll up. Chill rolls for two hours or more, and then slice each roll in ¼” pieces to make little “pinwheels.”

 

When Mum was growing up in Timmins, she would often refuse to go birthday parties (or other gatherings) unless these little pinwheel treats were on offer. They are simple to make (and are probably called by other names in various regions of the world); but sometimes sheer simplicity makes for the best foodstuff.