Ann's Banana Cream Pie

This pie has a custard base that makes it extra good-no comparison to the jello pudding variety. Ann says to make sure you give it several hours to chill and set. Thanks for sharing.

Ingredients 

Baked Pie Shell
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
3 cups whole milk
5 large egg yolks
2 Tbsp butter - cut up
2 tsp vanilla
4 ripe medium bananas
3/4 cup whipping cream

     In 3-quart saucepan, stir cornstarch, salt, and 1/2 cup sugar.  With wire whisk, beat in milk.  Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils - stirring constantly.  Boil 1 minute. Remove saucepan from heat.
     In small bowl, with wire whisk, lightly beat eff yolks. In thin steady stream, whisk about 1/2 cup hot milk mixture into yolks.  Gradually whisk yolk mixture back into milk mixture - stirring rapidly to prevent curdling.  Cook over low heat until mixture is very thick and coats the back of a spoon well or temperature reaches 160*, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat.
     Stir in butter and vanilla until butter melts. Transfer custard to medium bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface. Refrigerate until cool - about 30 minutes.
     Slice 3 bananas and arrange half of bananas in bottom of baked crust. Spread with half of custard. Repeat with remaining bananas and custard.  Press plastic wrap onto surface; refrigerate until filling is set - at least 4 hours or overnight.
 
     To serve - in a small bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat whipping cream with remaining 2 Tbsp of sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread over filling. Slice remaining banana and arrange on top of pie. 

White Chicken Chili

     Since it has been stormy, dark and dreary all day I decided for dinner I wanted to make something new and in the line of comfort food.  I pulled out the trusty Holbrook cookbook and found this recipe that Aunt Ann submitted.  It fit the bill perfectly.  I'm looking forward to the leftovers already. She used 1/2 cup butter. When I cook I always replace at least 1/2 the butter with olive oil.  It raises the burning point and is healthier but still gives you a nice buttery taste. I also get a little skimpy on the measuring.  I know we were a taught to make a roux with equal parts butter and flour (i.e. 1 Tbsp. butter with 1 Tbsp. flour and then mix in 1 cup milk) but I have found that I can make it with about 1/2-2/3 the fat.  You have to stir a little harder to get it mixed in but it works and makes it a little lower fat.
     I also put the sour cream as a little dollop on the top of each bowl for decoration instead of mixing it in.

White Chicken Chili

1 lg. sweet onion, chopped
1 lg. garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups milk
2 medium cans white beans, rinsed and drained
6 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1-1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 (4 oz) cans diced green chilies, drained
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
1 Tbsp. Tabasco
salt and white pepper to taste
1/2 cup sour cream

In skillet, cook onion and garlic in 1 tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil until soft.  In a large pot, melt remaining butter and oil over low heat and whisk in flour to make a roux.  Cook while stirring for about 3 minutes. Don't brown.  Stir in onion and garlic mixture and gradually add broth and milk, whisking until mixture comes to a boil. Turn down heat to simmer until mixture is thick, about 5 minutes.  Stir in all remaining ingredients and cook over med-low heat for 20 minutes. Stir in sour cream and serve.

*If too thick add milk or broth
*Good served with cornbread