It is the time of year when I love to be in the kitchen.....

where it is warm! In the fall, with cool nights (though warm days here in Knoxville, it gets into the 70s, even in November), the radiating warmth from the oven feels nice. These are the days where I start looking for excuses to cook things (and I am good at coming up with those). A colleague, Greg, wanted to have a pretend birthday (since he won't be in residence for his actual birthday) banana creme pie, and that was enough to send me into the kitchen.

The first thing I have to tell you, is that I was quite surprised to learn that banana creme pie didn't actually have banana creme in it.... it is just vanilla custard layered with fresh sliced bananas. Huh. Who knew? (luckily my cookbooks) I read a few recipes to get the feel for it, then decided to just go with my vanilla custard recipe (which is often used as a cake filling) since I had everything in the house and a premade graham cracker crust (shameful, I know, but I had it in the pantry and it is just packed crumbs).

Banana Creme Pie - or - Vanilla Custard Layered with Bananas Pie
1 graham cracker pie crust - store bought or press your own (crumbs & butter)
4-5 bananas, peeled and sliced into coins
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk (don't use skim, you need the fat)
4 egg yolks
1 t vanilla
1/4 cup butter (half stick)
1 vanilla bean

Whisk the sugar, salt and cornstarch in a medium sauce pan. Turn the burner on medium-high (6-7), then whisk in the cream, milk and egg yolks. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds (add to the mixture), then drop the bean husk in and whisk continuously until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and butter. Remove the bean husk and allow the custard to cool.

Layer bananas, custard, bananas, custard, bananas in the graham cracker crust. Refrigerate at least overnight.