Last blog post I shared some of my family’s April Fool’s traditions. I hope you had fun with them! As I was planning our Easter baskets today and remembered another silly tradition: The Easter Gorilla.

One year when I was a kid, my brother got a banana in his Easter basket. It was way down at the bottom, hidden under the grass! No self-respecting egg-toting Easter Bunny would’ve left a banana amidst the chocolate and jelly beans. The only logical reason for it’s appearance was that the Easter Gorilla had come. Apparently, getting a banana in your Easter Basket is akin to getting coal in your Christmas stocking, but a little more tongue in cheek. 🙂 In my experience, the mischief makers of the family pride themselves on getting the banana each year.

Staying with the banana theme for a minute, I’d like to share another treat from my past. I loved when my mom made me what I call a Banana Butterfly. It doesn’t look pretty (and I am no food photographer!) but boy is it yummy! You’ll need a banana, brown sugar, lemon juice and chopped walnuts. First, wash the banana then cut it lengthwise. Cut through the peel except for the back of the center of the banana. This leaves a sort of “hinge” and is the center of the butterfly.

Then take your knife and cut little bite-sized triangle sections through the banana but not through the peel. Sprinkle with brown sugar, lemon juice and chopped walnuts. It’s the perfect combination of flavors!

Now it can be eaten with a fork. Each little section comes right up off the peel. So good! I know a lot of kids don’t like nuts, but in my opinion they can’t be omitted. Try it, you’ll see!

So, if you find yourself the recipient of a gift from the Easter Gorilla, now you’ll know what to do with it! 🙂

Happy Easter! Happy Spring!

***edit: Just found out from my mom that the Easter Gorilla idea came from an Erma Bombeck article from years ago!***