Banana Cream Pie

This pie is ridicky-donkulous! If I could marry a pie, this one would be it, but it would also have to take out the trash and mow the lawn. Just sayin.

So, I messed with the crust this time. I felt like going all Domino's on this pie and stuffed the crust with peanut butter. Oh yeah. It's sinful and what's better than a banana/peanut butter combo? It was easy to do. When I tucked under the extra dough that hangs over the pie pan's edge, I just added dabs of peanut butter and then wrapped under. After I finished that, I fluted the edges as usual. Maybe I should do a video on this. Hmmmm...it's better to show than tell. In the meantime, this site shows how to flute a pie crust. Good place to start.

For the filling, I used the same recipe as the coconut cream pie, but sans the coconut, and I lined the pie crust with three bananas (sliced) and then poured the vanilla pudding on top. And the meringue!!! Oh the fluffy goodness. Here's my recipe (passed down to me from my Momma J):

1 tbspn cornstarch
2 tbspns cold water
1/2 cup boiling water
4 egg whites
6 tbspns sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt

Blend cornstarch and cold water in a saucepan. Add boiling water and cook, stirring until clear and thickened. Let stand until COMPLETELY cold. With mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy (do NOT get any yolk, water or egg shell in the whites or the meringue will fail. trust me, I know). Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Turn mixer to low speed; add salt and vanilla. Gradually beat in cold cornstarch mixture. Turn mixer again to high and beat well. Spread meringue over cooled pie filling. Bake at 350 for 10 mins or until top is lightly browned.

This recipe took me a long time to perfect (and my mom used to make slight fun of me for my numerous fails), but I've got it now!! 

(Happy birthday, baby.)

P.S. Sorry about the silly pie pan. My nice glass ones keep disappearing like socks in a dryer or sippy cup lids in...well, hell...I have no idea where those lids go.

P.S.S. Oh, and I lied about doing a vanilla wafer crust (per my earlier post). I forgot the wafers at the store, and there was no way I was dragging my ass, and the asses of my two sons, to the store just for that.