There's a pretty common one most kids have had at one time or another. BUT(!) it made me think---My Mum used to make Pickled watermelon rind (using the white part between the green outer skin and the red part you normally eat just so). But you can also buy it as "Candied Melon Rind" from "Reese" or "Old South" or a host of others, so you don't have to spend 6 months fussing with a big crock full of Vinegar and sugar water in your basement. Now the way I had it growing up was in place of relish or pickles in Tuna salad (with Mayo) or even with chicken, potato, or macaroni salad. It's common enough in Pennsylvania Dutch Country that even supermarkets often stock locally canned (jarred actually) watermelon pickle.
So if that's not too bold and risky for you, consider this: Take some "Decent" Bacon, i.e. not too greasy, or too lean, and NOT all flavored up with some heavy smoky overburden-ish taste bud overwhelmingblast of semi artificial flavoring.
OK, take a few strips and lightly fry them up until they're just starting to cook and ripple, but not to the point of browning or getting crispy yet.
THEN(!)---this is where it gets "special"---take an equivalent number of Bananas, Pre-selected for their "Straightness"--(Just take your standard large Banana that has about 2/3 to 3/4 of it's length as "straight", and merely cut off the offending curved portion). Next, Wrap the aforementioned semi-fried strip of swine flesh in a spiral fashion, securing the ends with two toothpicks per end in an angular criss-cross fashion--so as to "lock" the flesh in place whilst leaving essentially no non-edible protuberance. This will allow for absolutely unbridled free rolling of the "Bacanana--much like one might with a Sausage or Hot Dog in a fry pan or grilling grate or George Foreman contraption or whathaveyou.
Assuming you've worked everything out just right, your second stage cooking will take place at a low enough heat so as to preserve the relative firmness of the Banana itself, yet the process of searing the exposed side of the Bacon will flavor the outer layer of the Banana without turning it to mush.
Of course you can go to the next step and read up on how Gordon Ramsey uses a Caramelized concoction and a blow torch followed by a blob of Ice Cream or any other number of Gourmet Wannabe methods, but my whole rant was based purely on a childhood recollection of something my Dear Mother cooked up as a snack for a couple young boys taking a break from playing in the backyard at Lawn Darts or Dodge Rock or whatever was popular in the mid-60's.
So if you're feeling adventurous, or just want to "Broaden your Children's Horizons", This is the perfect "French Algerian Surinamese/Caribbean Cuisine Sans Escargot"--unless you got some garden snails handy(!)YUM!
Seriously, give it a go-you might be surprised...mike
