Banana Cream Pie Day

By Chef Diane

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip,

That started from this tropic port, aboard this tiny ship.

The mate was a mighty sailin' man, the Skipper brave and sure.

Five passengers set sail that day for a three hour tour. A three hour tour.

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I remember coming home from school in the afternoons, turning on the tv to hear the theme song of Gilligan's Island playing.  No matter what type of crisis was going on that day, they always had pie, whether it was coconut or banana cream.  Gilligan's favorite was banana cream pie, and he would always ask Maryanne to make it for him.

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Since today is Banana Cream Pie day, I thought I would share an easy recipe for you to make one in honor of this day.  If you can't make a pie, turn the television on to TV land and see if you can catch some Gilligan Island reruns.

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Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients

• 9 inches pie shells , baked
• 3 cups whole milk
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 1⁄3; cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 bananas

Directions:

1. Have baked 9-inch pie shell ready.
2. In a large saucepan, scald the milk.
3. In another saucepan, combine the sugar, flour and salt; gradually stir in the scalded milk.
4. Over medium heat, stirring constantly, cook until thickened.
5. Cover and, stirring occasionally, cook for two minutes longer.
6. In a small bowl, have the 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten, ready; stir a small amount of the hot mixture into beaten yolks; when thoroughly combined, stir yolks into hot mixture.
7. Cook for one minute longer, stirring constantly.
8. Remove from heat and blend in the butter and vanilla.
9. Let sit until lukewarm.
10. When ready to pour, slice bananas and scatter in pie shell; pour warm mixture over bananas.
11. If desired, make a meringue (you'll have 3 leftover egg whites) to top the pie, or just let the pie cool until serving.

National Banana Bread Day

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Chef Diane,

My husband has 6 aunts all in their 80's and all in great condition, none of them have any medical problems.   Even though we had been married for 15 years, I had never had the opportunity to meet them all.  The summer before my husband passed away we were able to visit 4 of them. I took each of them a loaf of my banana bread as an introduction gift.  They all loved the bread, and to my surprise, my husband offered to send them some throughout the year.  I thought that was very generous of him, since I was the one who would be baking and mailing it.  And you can't send just one some, they talk.  So I had to make it for all of them.

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When my husband passed away expectantly a few months later, I continued to send the bread.  Not only was it therapeutic for me to bake it, but it also helped me stay connected to his family, and they loved it too.  The recipe I use is one my grandmother used and gave to me many years ago.  She made it often too because her brother-in-law worked for Dole, on the ship, and would always bring her a case of bananas.  She had to find some way to get rid of them all.

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Today is National Banana Bread Day.  My father always says that bananas are the perfect food.  I don’t know about perfect, but they are full of potassium and other vitamins and minerals.  So today, bake some banana bread and share with your coworkers or neighbors over some coffee. I’m also providing Granny's recipe, it always turns out perfectly.

Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup corn oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  I normally use a loaf pan, but you can also use a Bundt pan too. Spray with cooking oil.  Cream oil and sugar; add eggs, 1 at a time.  Sift dry ingredients mix with creamed butter.  Add mashed bananas and nuts.  Bake for 1 hour or until done.

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Did you say Banana Split?

What could be a better treat for today than a banana split?  Especially since it is National Banana Split Day!   A banana split is a wonderful Ice cream dish that is served in a long bowl, called a boat.  The original dessert, which was created in 1904 in Pennsylvania by an apprentice pharmacist named David Stickler, contains a banana split in half lengthwise and placed in the boat.  Between the two halves there is a scoop of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream.  Crushed pineapples are placed on the vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup over the chocolate, and strawberries over the strawberry ice cream.  Nuts are sprinkled over the entire dish, and then covered with whipped cream. A marrichio cherry tops the masterpiece.

Walgreens drug store, in Chicago, is credited with spreading the popularity of the banana split. The early drug stores operated by Charles Rudolph Walgreen in the Chicago area adopted the banana split as a signature dessert. Fountains in the stores proved to be drawing cards, attracting customers who might otherwise have been just as satisfied having their prescriptions filled at some other drug store in the neighborhood.

My father, who worked as a soda jerk in a drug store when he was a youngster, always bragged about his split making abilities, however I can't recall his actually proving his claims.  Since they are a large dessert, it is best shared with a friend.  I have always considered banana splits a very "special" dessert, and have only had a very few of them in my life.  On such occasion was the day that I was to tell my son about the facts of life.  Being a single mom I knew it was up to me to give "the talk".  This didn't bother me, since as a nurse I explained the reproductive cycle routinely to area high schools.  Since I wanted to make this a memorable event for my son, I thought what would be better than to share a banana split over the birds and bees. 

I picked him up from school one day, took him to the local Dairy Queen, headed to an empty area and began to give the talk.  Unbeknownst to me, a Nun from the area Catholic Church walked up behind me and began listening to my talk as well!   I was properly embarrassed and my son couldn't stop laughing.  These days, when I think about banana splits, I also think of the Nun, and The Talk, and get a large grin on my face.

So treat yourself to a nice banana split today, and if you see a Nun, buy one for her too, and enjoy Banana Split Day!