How to Make an Old Fashion Banana Cream Pie

Posted by ndre | Foods & Drinks | Friday 10 July 2009 6:39 am

This old fashion Banana Cream Pie will take you back to “the good ole days”. It is a simple recipe but it is delicious. If you do not have a favorite pie crust recipe, try this Self-Rising Flour Pie Crust for your pie shell. Busy, in a hurry, or just don’t like to make pie crust, there are some great ready-made crust in your grocer’s freezer.

banana-cream-pie_resizeOLD FASHION BANANA CREAM PIE

2 cups milk
3 egg yolks, save whites for another use
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 bananas, sliced
baked pastry shell

Scald milk. In the top of a double boiler pan, mix together the flour, salt, and sugar. Slowly add the scalded milk to the flour mixture, stirring constantly until smooth. Cook slowly in the double boiler until smooth and thick, about 15 minutes. Beat egg yolks slightly and add a small amount of the hot mixture to them and beat constantly till smooth. Quickly add the egg mixture to the double boiler and stir constantly. Cook about 3 minutes more. Add the butter and vanilla; stir in to blend well. Remove top of double boiler from the stove. While mixture cools slightly, slice the bananas into the pie shell. Cover bananas with the filling mixture. Serve with dollops of whipped cream or use the egg whites to make a meringue and make this a banana meringue pie. Either way, it is delicious.

SELF-RISING FLOUR PIE CRUST

2 cups self-rising flour
2/3 cup solid shortening
6 to 8 tbsp water

Cut flour and shortening together until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Add the water, starting with 6 tablespoons, and mix until a stiff dough is formed. Gradually add more of the water, if needed. Divide the dough half. Roll half of the dough to a circle about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer to a pie plate. Add the filling. Roll remaining dough like the first half and use over the top of the filling. Using your fingers, turn the edges of the dough under to seal and press into a scalloped designed edge. Cut small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking. Bake according to the pie recipe.

Note: To make 1 pie crust for the above pie, divide ingredients in half. Continue instructions above. Fit the crust into a 9-inch pie plate. With a fork, make some holes in the bottom and sides of dough to allow air to escape. Without this, the crust will puff up. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly brown. Check often and if puffing occurs, stick fork into the puffing area. Allow to cool before filling.

Enjoy!

Irish Food And Wine Pairing

Posted by ndre | Foods & Drinks,Travel Business | Tuesday 3 February 2009 1:25 pm

I think the Irish are unlucky.

Every St Patrick’s Day I conjure up visions of eating corned beef and cabbage for dinner. Then I wonder “What wine pizza_and_winegoes with corned beef and cabbage?” The corned beef is too salty and doesn’t work with any wine very well. Someone yells to me that beer is more in order. Maybe a wine from Ireland?

The climate of Ireland isn’t the best for growing grapes. There’s only one wine that that comes from Ireland and it’s made by Llewellyn’s – a farmer in north county Dublin. His normal produce is apples and he makes a lot of apple juice for upscale independent retailers. His wine is more of a novelty item at best. What is interesting about Irish wine is the (more…)