Pie of the Month Club: Banana Cream

It's March already!  Tomorrow is the first official day of spring and this year our spring has come WAY early.  It was in the 70s yesterday and today!  Normally there's a lot of snow on the ground and we're hunkering down for at least another month.

What better way to celebrate an early spring than tropical fruit?  This month's pie choice is Banana Cream.  This is not to be confused with the Southern delicacy called Banana Pudding.  That is in a class by itself.

Has anyone made any of the pies that I've posted about?  I've made them all and we've enjoyed every one of them.


Banana Cream Pie 
(This recipe is from my 1956 Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book.  They added "De Luxe version" over the recipe.  We shall see.  We shall see.)


For the Filling:

1 9" baked pie shell with high fluting
2/3 cup sugar
3 T cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Cups
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 T butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 large bananas

Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in sauce pan.  Gradually stir in the milk.  Cook over med. heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil 1 min. Remove from heat.  Gradually stir at least half of hot mixture into the egg yolks.  Then blend into hot mixture in saucepan.  Boil 1 min. more, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and blend in the butter and vanilla.  Allow to cool.

Slice bananas and layer 1/2" deep in pastry shell before pouring in cooled filling.  Bake at 400 for 8 to 10 min.

If whipped cream topping is used, garnish with a ring of sliced bananas.