Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Mine was pretty much about eating this craziness, a.k.a. a beautiful combination of peanut butter, cheesecake, meringue and bananas. I’ve made peanut butter cheesecake so many times. And I thought going with chocolate ganache was the most heavenly thing! Except I was so wrong. And I only realized that when I came across with this wonderful inspiration.

Why didn’t I think about bananas!!!!!! Peanut butter and bananas! Aren’t they best friends?! And the marshmallow frosting is simply a genius addition. Like Jessica said, whipped cream would work too. But I don’t want nor need to cut down the sweetness because I am addictive to the fluffiness and the sweetness and the craziness. And I would totally use peanut butter cookies to make the crust. Too bad I was too desperate and too lazy to bake the cookies. So I used graham crackers which was still wonderful. The only thing that you will have to stick with, I think, is to have everything in your every bite. Seriously, a little bit of banana, meringue, cheesecake and cookie altogether. A MUST! Because missing any of these will leave you feeling a bit unsatisfied.

Last week I also spent a lot of time breathing in the beauty of a newly created spot in my kitchen. Nothing extraordinary. Nothing massive. Just a few hours of shelving, organizing, crafting and decorating. And here it came a lovely and lively corner filled with cookbooks, plants, arts, goodies, treats…

In case you forgot the potato arts that you did when you were a kid, it’s time to pick it up. I came across with this, and I couldn’t help but get my potatoes and colours ready right away. And look, it only took me less than an hour to create this DIY art piece. All rustic but chic! Loving it!

Ingredients (7-inch cake):
Crust
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Filling
2 packages (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon water
1 banana

Directions:
Preheat oven at 350F. Grease a 7-inch spring form pan.
Make the crust by mixing all the crust ingredients together in a food processor or with a fork.
Press the mixture onto the bottom of the spring form pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Turn down oven temperature to 250F.
To prepare filling, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter on medium speed until smooth in a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add brown sugar and beat to combine. Then add egg, heavy cream and vanilla extract, mix for 2 minutes or until well blended.
Pour the filling over the cooled crust. Tap the pan on counter a few times to release all the air in the batter. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the edge of the cheesecake is puffed but the center is still wobbly and wet looking.
Turn off the oven with the door slightly opened, let the cheesecake sit in the oven to cool completely, at least an hour.
Chill for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
Before serving, leave the cake in room temperature for 30 minutes.
To prepare frosting, in a large heatproof bowl, combine sugar and egg whites. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat on high speed until foamy for a minute. Set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Beat on high speed until frosting form stiff peaks, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and water, and beat for another 2 minutes until frosting thickens.
Smear the meringue frosting thickly on the top of the cake. Using a small metal spatula to create swoops and peaks.
Serve with banana slices.