March 2: National Banana Creme Pie Day (or Cream Pie)

I would like to talk to you about Banana Creme Pie versus Banana Cream Pie. Crème is the French word for cream and when recipes evolved in the U.S., they wanted to use French spellings to give the recipe a certain look.

Banana Creme Pie

• ¾ cup white sugar 
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (9 inch) baked pastry shell, cooled
• 4 bananas, sliced

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1 In a saucepan, combine the sugar, flour, and salt. Add milk in gradually while stirring gently. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is bubbly. Keep stirring and cook for about 2 more minutes, and then remove from the burner.
• Step 2 Stir a small quantity of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, and immediately add egg yolk mixture to the rest of the hot mixture. Cook for 2 more minutes; remember to keep stirring. Remove the mixture from the stove, and add butter and vanilla. Stir until the whole thing has a smooth consistency.
• Step 3 Slice bananas into the cooled baked pastry shell. Top with pudding mixture.
• Step 4 bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 12 to 15 minutes. Chill for an hour.

Additional Holidays in March:

National Celery Month

National Flour Month

National Frozen Food Month

National Nutrition Month

National Noodle Month

National Peanut Month

National Sauce Month

National Caffeine Awareness Month

International Pancake Day, Shrove Tuesday (February or March)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Week is the second week of the month

American Chocolate Week is the third week.

Maple Syrup Saturday, 3rd Saturday

National Hot Cross Bun Day, Good Friday (March or April)

National Baked Ham with Pineapple Day, Easter (March or April)

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates