Ol Fashioned Nana Puddin

Sometimes, something as simple yet as delicious as Banana pudding really is the perfect end (ha ha, or beginning) to your day. Many times, we want to take the short cut and just use instant pudding,but let me tell you- taking the extra 10 minutes to make a homemade custard to be used in this dessert makes all the difference in the world.

Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar (divided)

3 eggs (separated)

2 cups of whole milk

1/3 cup flour

1 tsp vanilla (I always eyeball)

dash of salt
Nilla Wafers (please don't skimp on the off brand)
5 small to medium ripe bananas sliced

Directions
In a heavy bottomed pot, combine 1/2 cup sugar, flour, egg yolks, milk, salt until well blended. Cook on medium heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until mixture thickens like pudding. Take off heat, add vanilla and stir well.

 In a casserole dish, spoon about 1/4 cup of the custard on the bottom. Top with a layer of Nilla wafers, and then 1/2 of the bananas. Top with 1/2 of the remaining custard, and then another layer of cookies, followed by remaining of the bananas. Top with last bit of custard to cover the bananas. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350*F. In a glass bowl ( do not think about using a metal one), whip egg whites until soft peaks begin to form. Add remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and continue to whip until egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add on top of banana pudding, and bake in oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Top each serving with a nilla wafer (or two), and a cold spoon!