SnowPie2K16 - 3

For our pie this week we were back from the hospital, had a little extra time on our hands, and my daughter Savannah begged to make the Banana Cream Pie that we failed to make for Thanksgiving this year.

I'm not a pie snob, but I'm learning, and based on the abysmal performance of instant pudding the week before and the fact that homemade pudding just tastes SOOO much better we went with a "Made from scratch" banana cream pie rather than relying on Jello brand to save the day.

About a year ago we ate at a great restaurant in Marble Falls, Texas. It's right by Lake LBJ and one of our favorite vacation spots. This restaurant is known for it's pies (which are delicious) especially if you're fond of meringue (which we aren't). Their meringues are sky high and beautiful, but I like a little more substance in my pie. When we were leaving the restaurant I snagged a copy of their cookbook for my collection. It's been well worth it. You'll find a lot of the pies we're going to test are going to be from here. It's not a fluke or a coincidence, the restaurant is that good!

This banana cream pie recipe is delicious. It's vanilla pudding with bananas, so it's a better blend than banana cream pudding with bananas.

BLUE BONNET'S BANANA CREAM PIE

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cup milk
4 eggs, separated
3 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 bananas, sliced

Separate the egg yolks from the whites; reserve whites for another use. (think delicious egg white omelet with cheese, green onions, and bacon...MMM) Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and milk. Cook mixture over medium to low heat, stirring constantly. After mixture bubbles up and thickens, cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Beat egg yolks slightly. Gradually stir 1 cup of the hot mixture into yolks. Return egg mixture to saucepan; bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla; stir until butter is melted. Pour mixture into a 9-inch cooked pie crust lined with banana slices. Top with whipped cream.

Whipped Cream:

1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat cream at high speed with an electric mixer. As it starts to thicken, add powdered sugar gradually. Add vanilla. Beat until soft peaks form, being careful not to overbeat.