I spent the weekend with my parents, particular my mother, in the Midwest for Mother’s Day.

My mother—surprised and thankful after I gave her a dozen white roses, a stuffed animal and a box of chocolates—informed me that I had not spent one Mother’s Day with her since I moved away for college. She lives in Michigan, I’m in New York. “But I always sent a card and gifts!” I said.

The guilt settled in right before brunch. It faded when I made these fried banana sandwiches with strawberries and whipped cream.

Fried banana were mom’s idea, suggested as something to snack on while we sat on the porch and read the papers. I used the bananas to form strawberry shortcake–like treats, and finished them off with a bit of powdered sugar before we settled on the porch.

These fried treats are small, so at least you can indulge in one without feeling too guilty. They tasted just like funnel cakes. Which reminded me of my childhood, of going with my mother to amusement parks like Six Flags or Santa’s Village outside of Chicago and buying those fried, powdered sugar covered desserts. It reminded me of summer. And reminded me that in a few short days, I’ll be in the sun with E, reunited on the beach in the Caribbean, where I’ll remake these for him and our friends when I land.

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