Replies

March 2, 2006
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T O D A Y ‘ S Q U O T E
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I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly,
acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all
I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand
thing. ~Agatha Christie
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T O D A Y ‘ S T I P S
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READER’S QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

We have some very neat family recipes for banana pudding
I wanted to share today, and a question on the recipe I shared
last week. Since it was an “ice day” and the kids were home
from school today I didn’t get to any other questions. A certain
6 year old insisted we have a tea party for lunch!

OLD FASHIONED BANANA PUDDING
I was just wondering in the banana pudding recipe that was in
Friday’s recipes it called for one cup of milk. Just checking to
see if that indeed is correct. It just seems like a relatively small
amount of milk. ~Betty

Looking at the other recipes— I think it’s less milk because there
are more eggs and less bananas. It should come out fine!

BARBARA’S BANANA PUDDING!
My Grandmother made the very best Banana Pudding. I believe
the recipe you gave is very close to hers, but the only thing, she
always covered it with egg white Meringue. She would make it
very fluffy, with high points and place in oven ‘till the white caps
and top were toasted, just like you do with a pie. Nothing could
beat it! Now, with 10 grandchildren of my own, I make Banana
Pudding often. I do not use this recipe, It so much easier to
use the instant pudding mix, and as my grandchildren do not
like “egg whites”, I use Cool Whip, as a layer in the pudding
and it is a hit at home, church, wherever. I make it in a huge
bowl, like a punch bowl, clear where you can see the layers of
vanilla wafers, pudding, bananas, cool whip, and repeat until
completely full, ending with the top covered in wafers. The very
best vanilla wafers come in a bag, not a box. I can find them at
IGA stores only nowadays. I hope this helps her a little. Thanks
for all the good tips and recipes, etc. ~Barbara D

SUE’S MICROWAVE SHORTCUT & RECIPE
This is the original Nabisco Vanilla Wafers Banana Pudding
recipe that I have been using for years. I converted the
cooking to the microwave years ago to save time and it is
much easier than cooking on the stove. This is the one
dessert I can make and know that there will be no leftovers.
~Sue in Kentucky

BANANA PUDDING

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs - separated
2 Tbsp. four
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
3-4 bananas
2 cups milk
Vanilla Wafers

Pudding microwave directions:
In a 4 cup glass measure, mix together sugar, and flour. Add milk,
mixing into sugar-flour mixture with a wire whisk. Cook on HIGH
for 2 minutes, stir with whisk. Continue cooking and stirring until
thick, checking every 2 minutes, about 8 minutes. Separate the
eggs putting egg yolks in small bowl and whites in medium bowl
for meringue. Add small amount of hot filling to egg yolks stirring
well, pour into filling mixing well, return to microwave and cook 1 1/2
minutes to 2 minutes on HIGH, stirring twice while cooking. Add
vanilla and butter, stir to mix and to melt butter. Line bottom of a
casserole dish with Vanilla Wafers. Pour small amount of custard
onto Vanilla Wafers, layer sliced bananas on top of custard, then
continue with layers until all custard is used. Top with meringue
made from 3 egg whites and 6 Tbsp sugar. Brown in 350 degree F.
oven for 15 minutes.

EMILY’S MOM & HER BANANA PUDDING RECIPE
My mother taught me how to make the old-fashion Banana Pudding.
I am enclosing it in case you would like to print it. I read the one
in
Fridays e-mail. This is a bit different -

3 1/2 Tablespoons all purpose flour or cornstarch ( I use cornstarch)
1 1/3 cups sugar
Dash salt
3 eggs, separated
3 cups milk ( I use 2%)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 box vanilla wafers
6 medium bananas ( really ripe)
1/4 plus 3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine flour (cornstarch), 1 1/3 cups sugar and salt in a heavy
saucepan. Beat the egg yolks; combine egg yolks and milk, mixing
well. Stir this into the cornstarch, salt and sugar mixture. Cook
over
medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened. Remove
from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Layer 1/3 of vanilla wafers
in
a 4 qt. baking dish. Slice 2 bananas; layer over wafers. Pour 1/3 of
the filling over the bananas. Repeat layers twice. Beat egg whites
(room temperature) until foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1
tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Add 1 teaspoon
vanilla and beat until blended. Spread meringue over filling, sealing
to edge of dish. Bake at 425 degrees or 10 - 12 minutes or until
golden brown. Yields: 10 servings

This takes a bit of time - but I am very partial to the “old fashioned”
banana pudding. ~Emily from North Carolina

MORE RECIPES: Shoo Fly Pie & Apple Pandowdy
http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/shoofly.html