Banana Cream Pie

You may remember not too long ago in this post I confessed that I had never made a pie (after reconsidering this fact I remembered that once upon a time my dad and I made a pecan pie from a recipe out of the newspaper)... Well, pie shells are sold in pairs and I was not planning on moving one lonely pie crust if I could instead transform it into something delicious. 

You might also recall me mentioning that we typically buy enough bananas in one week to feed Curious George for a year...what better solution than a banana cream pie! ( Lauren, aside not, I planned to make a banana cream pie for Easter before you posted yours on Facebook! Great minds think alike!) Having never made a pie like this before I followed this recipe and didn't really alter much of anything ...unless you count the added steps of calling my mom while both separating AND tempering my egg yolks an extra step...or cleaning up the 1/3 cup hot custard off the counter because while still on the phone you decide to fill your pie crusts..I personally recommend just sticking with the recipe the first time around and you'll be sure to have great results. 

Things I WOULD do again..make this custard and fill small ramekins and make mini creme brules because this stuff is GOOD and needs no bananas or pie crust to enhance anything about it. Another thing I'd do...use a graham cracker crust--I could only imagine how a buttery, cookie crust would make this diner classic a new decadent treat. Lastly, add some cocoa powder to the whipped cream and top it with chocolate whipped cream--I mean come on--even the monkeys at the zoo know bananas and chocolate are a match made in good vs. evil food for you heaven. 

Do you have any great pie tips?

* a few other updates, we picked up our new kitchen table yesterday that will see plenty of facetime here on dressing on the side as a beautiful, naturally lit backdrop for many of my dishes.I can't wait to share that with you!