Banana Cream Pie

Today is our Pastor's birthday so I got some great dessert ideas from his wife. Banana cream pie made the list and since this is another dessert I hadn't tried my hand at before (and I had a crust in the freezer) I figured "why not"? I used Betty Crocker's recipe for the filling and had my Never Fail Pie crust ready to bake. This pie is not difficult but it is a bit time consuming--stirring and stirring and waiting for the milk mixture to boil but not burn. It's similar to a lemon meringue pie only much simpler without the meringue. I tasted the filling prior to pouring it in the crust and it was delicious. I can't wait to hear how the Pastor and his family like it.

Pastry for One-Crust "Never Fail Pie Crust"

4 large egg yolks

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups milk

2 Tbsp butter or margarine, softened

2 tsp vanilla

2 large bananas

1 cup whipped cream, optional

Pierce sides and bottom of the unbaked crust. Bake pastry crust at 475 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

In medium bowl, beat egg yolks with fork; set aside. In 2 quart saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir for 1 minute.

Immediately stir at least half of the hot mixture gradually into the egg yolks (called "tempering"--so as to not scramble the eggs), then stir back into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla (be sure butter melts).

Cool filling slightly. Slice banans into pie crust; pour warm filling over bananas. Press plastic wrap on filling to prevent a tough layer from forming on top. (this is why my pie filling has creases in it...so try to put it on "perfectly.") Refrigerate at least 2 hours until set.

Remove plastic wrap and garnish with additional banana slices and/or whipped cream.

Cover and refrigerate cooled pie until serving. Store covered in fridge.