Butterscotch Banana Cream Pie

Am I the only person who buys bananas and never manage to get them eaten before they turn brown?
It doesn't seem to matter if I buy 3 or 6, I always end up with at least one that I'm scrambling to use rather than throw it away.  Today, I have 4, so I thought first of banana cream pie, then had the idea of combining the bananas with butterscotch cream  Doesn't that sound yummy?

Early this morning I started making the filling so it would have plenty of time to chill.  Well as luck would have it, I paused from my diligent stirring while the mixture was heating on the stove, just mere moments, while I instant messaged a friend.  In those moments disaster happened....yup, it burned on the bottom.  I strained it to get out the burned bits, but the taste test sealed the deal.  I had to dump it and start over.
The do-over went much better, but it did require a trip to the store.  While I was traveling down the baking isle at the grocery, I spied some Nestles Butterscotch Chips.  Hum....I thought as I put a bag in my cart.  I've made chocolate ganache with semi-sweet chips, I bet that same technique would work with butterscotch.  The plan is in place.  A layer of exquisite butterscotch ganache sitting on a flaky pastry crust, above it, layers of bananas and butterscotch cream topped off with a glorious crown of Italian Meringue.  Shameless?  Maybe, but there were bananas to save....you've gotta dream big!

Fresh Coconut Cream Pie

Last week I was having supper at a local chain restaurant.  On the table was advertisement for their crust less coconut pie.  I looked at the person I was eating with and said "it's not pie if there isn't any crust, it's just coconut pudding!".  Well, that got my taste buds going for a real coconut pie....and I mean a REAL coconut pie!  Not the kind you make with the sweetened coconut you buy in a package and mix with some instant pudding and pour into a purchased pie shell.  No, for me it had to be the kind you make with real coconut, homemade filling and a homemade crust and meringue.  No simple whipped cream topping either, it has to be crowned with a sky high pile of meringue!

If you have never had a made from scratch real coconut pie, you haven't had coconut pie!  It takes a bit of time and effort, but oh what a glorious pie you have when you're finished.