••••BANANA CREAM PIE••••

(Source: marthastewart.com & photo also)

INGREDIENTS 

• All-purpose flour, for dusting 
• 1/2 recipe Pate Brisee
• 1 large whole egg, lightly beaten, plus 4 large egg yolks 
• 6 to 8 medium-ripe bananas 
• 3 cups whole milk 
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar 
• 5 tablespoons cornstarch 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch round, a bit less than 1/4 inch thick. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, trim crust so there's a 1/2-inch overhang all around. Fold under overhang so it extends slightly beyond edge of pie plate. Crimp edge as desired. Prick dough all over with a fork. Brush rim of dough with beaten egg. Chill pie shell until firm, about 30 minutes. 

2. Line chilled pie shell with a round of parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges of crust just turn golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment. Return crust to oven, and continue baking until golden all over, 20 to 25 minutes more. Place pie shell on a wire rack to cool completely. 

3. Prepare an ice bath; set aside. In a bowl, lightly whisk egg yolks; set aside. In a saucepan, whisk together milk, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Bring to a simmer (do not boil), and cook, whisking constantly, 3 to 4 minutes. 

4. Whisk a quarter of hot-milk mixture into egg yolks; whisk in remaining milk mixture. Strain into a clean saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until custard is thick and bubbles appear in center, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface to prevent a skin from forming. Set in ice bath until completely chilled, 30 to 35 minutes. (Filling can be kept in refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, up to 1 day.) 

5. Cut 3 or 4 bananas into 1/4-inch slices, slightly on the bias. Beginning at the edge of the piecrust, arrange the slices in slightly overlapping rows. Cover with custard, using an offset spatula to smooth it into an even layer. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine cream and confectioners' sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Using a small offset spatula, spread the whipped cream on top of the custard. Refrigerate pie, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. 

6. Just before serving, cut 3 or 4 bananas into 1/4-inch slices, slightly on the bias. Beginning at the edge of the piecrust, arrange the slices in slightly overlapping rows on top of the whipped cream.

••••BANANAS, BANANAS, BANANAS!!!

(photos-kappboom wallpaper & www.med-health.com)

••••BANANA PUDDING PARFAITS••••

)Source: marthastewart.com & photo also)

INGREDIENTS 

• 2/3 cup sugar 
• 1/4 cup cornstarch 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 2 1/2 cups milk 
• 4 large egg yolks 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
• 2 bananas, plus more for garnish 
• 12 shortbread or other vanilla-flavored cookies (4 to 5 ounces total), crumbled, plus more for garnish 
• Sweetened whipped cream, for garnish 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Have ready a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Very gradually (a few tablespoons at a time), whisk in milk, taking care to dissolve cornstarch; whisk in egg yolks. 

2. Whisking constantly, cook mixture over medium heat until the first large bubble forms and sputters. Reduce heat to low; whisking constantly, cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, and immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Stir butter and vanilla into hot pudding. Let pudding cool slightly; meanwhile, slice bananas. 

3. In six 8-ounce glasses, alternately layer warm pudding with cookies and bananas, ending with pudding and covering bananas as completely as you can to prevent discoloration. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour, and covered with plastic wrap, up to 2 days. 

4. To serve, top with whipped cream and more crumbled cookies and sliced bananas.

••••BANANA WHOOPIE PIES••••

(Source: marthastewart.com & photo also)

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 cup mashed banana (from 1 large ripe banana) 
• 1/2 cup sour cream 
• 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar 
• 1 large egg 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened 
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Combine banana and sour cream in another bowl. 

2. Beat butter and granulated and brown sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed, until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, beating until incorporated. Add banana mixture in 2 additions, alternating with flour mixture. 

3. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip. Pipe batter into 1 1/4-inch rounds on baking sheets, spacing rounds 1 1/2 inches apart. 

4. Bake until edges are golden, about 12 minutes. Slide parchment, with cookies, onto wire racks. Let cool. (Unfilled cookies can be stored for up to 1 day.) 

5. Beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. 

6. Pipe or spoon 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture onto the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve immediately.

••••BAKED BANANAS••••

(Source: marthastewart.com & photo also)

INGREDIENTS 

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish 
• 3 tablespoons dark-brown sugar 
• 4 firm bananas 
• 4 cardamom pods, seeds removed and crushed (about 1/4 teaspoon) 
• Pinch of coarse salt 
• Juice of 1 lemon 
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Butter a large shallow baking dish, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar; set aside. 

2. Peel, and cut bananas diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Add bananas to prepared dish, and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cardamom, and salt. Dot with butter. Drizzle with lemon juice. 

3. Bake until bubbling, about 8 minutes. Serve with ice cream.

••••BANANA BASICS••••

(Source: marthastewart.com & photo also)

Banana Basics 

Bananas are easy to eat, great to cook with, and have a mellow, creamy flavor that still suggests tropical sun.

In Season: The banana's peak season is January through April, but the fruit is available year-round in supermarkets.

What to Look For: Choose plump, evenly colored yellow bananas flecked with tiny brown specks (a sign of ripeness). Avoid those with blemishes, which usually indicate bruising.

How to Store: Ripe bananas can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. The peel will turn brown but the flesh will remain unchanged.

••••MARIE OSMOND'S RASPBERRY AND CREAM SALAD••••

(Source: Los Angeles Times, 1976 & Pinterest.com & marieosmond.com & google+ & kathy's photos)

••SERVES 8••

•FOR RASPBERRY FRUIT LAYER:

•1 cup boiling water

•1 pkg (3 oz) raspberry-flavored gelatin

•2 ripe bananas

•1 pkg (10 oz) frozen raspberries

•FOR WHITE LAYER:

•1-1/2 cups dairy sour cream

•FOR RASPBERRY LAYER:

•2 cups boiling water

•1 pkg (3 oz) raspberry-flavored gelatin

•2 crisp lettuce leaves (optional)

•RASPBERRY FRUIT LAYER:

1. Pour boiling water over raspberry-flavored gelatin in large mixing bowl; stir until gelatin is dissolved.  Stir in frozen raspberries. Chill until slightly thickened but not set. Pour into an 8-cup mold or 9 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan.  Peel, slice bananas into gelatin. Chill until almost firm.

•WHITE LAYER:

2. Spread sour cream on gelatin in mold.

•RASPBERRY LAYER:

3. Pour water over raspberry-gelatin, stir until gelatin is dissolved. Chill until slightly thickened but not set.  Pour evenly over white layer.  Cover; chill until firm. 

4. To serve, unmold on large glass serving plate garnished with fresh raspberries, or cut into squares and serve on salad plates on lettuce leaves (optional). You can also garnish the top of the salad with additional sour cream with the fresh raspberries.

•AFTETHOUGHTS:

5. Marie's favorite salad is especially good when made with fresh raspberries.  Use 2 cups fruit and 2 cups water for raspberry fruit layer.  If desired, skip white layer and frost the entire salad with sour cream. Marie's salad is pink, pretty and delicious for hot weather dining.