Upon request

Here is my recipe/instructions for Banana Cream Pie. Its really kind of a pudding pie. You could use vanilla Jello pudding (cook and serve, instant is bleck) but I never do. Its not as good.

First thing is first, you need a pie crust. You have two, maybe three options. First, make your own single crust pastry from scratch. Second, buy Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust. Put it in your own glass pie plate and no one will know the difference. Third, buy a graham cracker crust. My favorite choice is number two. I occasionally (ok, most of the time) am too lazy to make my own crust, and the refrigerated kind is pretty good. Its salty and flaky and pretty much all you can ask for from a pie crust.

Anyway, make your pie crust. If you have chosen option number one or two, take a fork and poke small holes around entire bottom and sides of uncooked crust. Bake it at 450 for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Then let it cool for about 30 minutes, about the time it takes to make the filling and let it cool.  If you choose option 3 then you're already good to go.

Additional ingredients.
3/4 sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 Tbs butter or margarine
2 to 3 bananas, sliced

In 2 quart saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils; boil and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat. (Seriously, if you leave it unattended and the milk scorches, throw it away because it will taste nasty. I use a whisk and scrape the bottom of the pan with it constantly, just to be extra careful it doesn't burn.)

Stir about 1/4 cup of hot mixture into egg yolks. Gradually stir yolk mixture back into hot mixture. (If you just throw the eggs in with the hot mixture all at once, they will end up like scrambled eggs. This way cooks them a little slower and keeps them smooth). Cook, stirring constantly, just until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Cool until lukewarm, about 20 minutes.

Arrange banana slices in cooled baked shell. (A deep dish pie plate will work best so you don't have any leftover filling that won't fit into your crust, but if you do, just eat it. Its delicious.) Pour cooled pudding over bananas. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or until set. It tastes best cold. You can top it with whipped cream if you want, but I don't think it needs it. Enjoy.