The Great American Pie Month - Banana Cream Pie

Today is the last day of the Great American Pie Month, so I thought I'd share a recipe for a tasty Banana Cream Pie! This recipe is also from Taste of Home and is one you could again have the children you love help you make - and enjoy of course! And, yes, the photo is from them as well.

Ingredients -

• Dough for single-crust pie
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups 2% milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large firm bananas
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
• Directions -
• 1. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. 1. Line crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edge is golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-6 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.
     2. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into eggs; return all to pan. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
     3. Remove from heat. Gently stir in butter and vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard; refrigerate, covered, 30 minutes.
     4. Spread half the custard into crust. Slice bananas; arrange over filling. Pour remaining custard over bananas. Spread with whipped cream. Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. If desired, top with additional sliced banana just before serving.