Banana Cream Pie

Cream pies are a favorite in my family. Well, I guess I should say any type of pie is a favorite in my family especially if you ask my older sister or my father. Pies are always in high demand around here. I blame my mother for spoiling us. Growing up, we were lucky enough to have homemade pies made by her, who I will crown the "queen of pie making". Today I'm sharing my own recipe for banana cream pie. I don't know if it's as good as momma's but I gave it my best shot. 

Ingredients:

for the crust:

2c. finely crushed vanilla wafers

1/2c. melted butter

1/3c. packed brown sugar

for the filling:

3/4c. sugar

1/4c. flour

3 egg yolks

2T. corn starch

1/4t. salt

2T. butter

1 1/2t. vanilla extract

1-2 large bananas

2c. whole milk

for the meringue

3 egg white, room temperature

1/2t. vanilla extract

1/4t. cream of tartar

6T. sugar

Extras:
Caramel sauce, whole vanilla wafers, fresh bananas

Directions:

for the crust:

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Put vanilla wafers in food processor, pulse until ground into fine crumbs. Melt butter in microwave and cool slightly. Add cookie crumbs and brown sugar in pie pan, mix with hands or use a fork. Pour in melted butter, carefully using hands, combine butter and crumb mixture in pie pan and press crumbs evenly in to edges of pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

for the pudding filling:

In medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir until bubbly. Continue to cook and stir for 2 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks: immediately return to hot mixture and cook for 2 minutes. Stir constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. Pour into pie crust.

for the meringue:

In a stainless steel bowl, beat egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form and all of sugar has dissolved. Spread meringue over hot filling, sealing edges. Bake at 350˚F for 10-12 minutes, until meringue is golden. Garnish as desired. Let set in fridge for 2-3 hours. Enjoy!

Here's how I assemble this pie:
1. Make the crust, bake it for 10min. and cool completely.
2. Pour the caramel sauce in a thin layer on top of the crust
3. Slice 1 banana, place slices on top of caramel sauce.
4. Pour another thin layer of caramel sauce on top of bananas.
5. Pour pie filling on top of bananas and caramel. 
6. Slice another banana and put on top of pie filling
7. Make meringue topping, bake until golden brown
8. Drizzle caramel sauce over top of pie, garnish as desired. 

I don't use a traditional pie crust in this recipe but, if you want to, this pie would taste just as good. In fact, that's how my mom makes hers. Instead, I used a crumb crust. Most crumb crusts are made from graham cracker cookies. However, I chose to use crushed vanilla wafers, because in my opinion you can't eat banana pudding with out 'Nillas. It just can't be done. It's a classic combination and trust me, it's delicious!