Banana Cream Pie (IL) Recipe

Crust:
1 1/2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons sugar

Filling:
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups milk
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 bananas

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar, and press into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Mix the cornstarch, sugar, and salt together in a medium-size saucepan. Pour in the milk, and stir over medium heat until it begins to thicken. Bring to a boil, and stir at a low boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Whisk one-half of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks. Mix well. Pour this back into the remaining milk mixture in the saucepan. Stir constantly, and boil again for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
Stir in the butter and vanilla. Allow the filling to cool slightly. Pour half of the filling into the prepared pie shell. Slice the bananas evenly over the top. Spoon the remaining filling over the bananas. Cool and top with whipped cream or a meringue made with the leftover egg whites.