Top Banana

 I make something around here called upside down Banana Cream pie.  My family begs for it.  Whipped cream, then banana cream pie pudding, then banana coins (slices) all topped off with crushed graham crackers.  It seemed the logical go to for National Banana Cream Pie Day which of course means that I wasn't going to touch it with a ten foot pole today.  What's the fun in this project if we just stick with things that we know we like?  Plus, using pudding to make the pie, totally cheating.

So I decided I'd make my very first banana cream pie.  Legitimately, no pre-packaged pudding here.  I knew the custard filling can be a little tricky but you're talking to the girl who conquered Baked Alaska what's a little custard filling?  But since it's just the four of us this weekend and I didn't know who else I may be able to pawn leftover pie off on (Grant's co-workers LOVE me as they are reaping the benefits of my project during the week.  None of the dozen peanut butter muffins I sent yesterday made it home) I decided I was going to half the recipe and make mini individual pies.  I cut circles out of my pie dough and flipped my muffin tin over and baked little pie shells on it.  (Aren't I clever??) Halving the recipe made 6 mini pies which I knew wouldn't take long to disappear (there's only one left in my fridge as of 7pm this evening).  Noah claimed they were the best dessert he's ever had (I think he was trying to earn brownie points) and Grant rated them an 8 on a scale of 10, so maybe next time I'll be a little bolder and actually make the whole pie.

Making the pies didn't seem like quite enough, though, so I decided to find another way to celebrate  banana cream pie - at breakfast!  I made banana cream pie yogurt parfaits.  Okay, so Nilla wafers and whipped cream might not be the ideal breakfast foods, but the homemade banana cream yogurt (vanilla yogurt and fresh banana in the blender with a dash of vanilla - yum yum yum!) and crushed cinnamon toast crunch cereal set it off, right?

We've had kind of a lazy day around here today.  It is bitter cold or at least seems that way with the wind and overcast skies so plans to go sledding were scrapped.  The kids are desperate to burn off some energy (and Grant and I are desperate to let them) and run around but it makes it difficult right now being stuck inside.  Isn't spring here yet?  I thought that stupid groundhog predicted an early end to winter, what gives?  On the upside Grant and the kiddos headed to the Home Depot build this morning (Home Depot, I love ya - you make my kiddos happy every month with these workshops!) and created some race cars.   You'll have to scroll down and see what ended up happening with the cars here this afternoon.

Thinking about making a family trip to Ikea tomorrow (who doesn't love a ginormous Swedish furniture store??) and we'll be celebrating Cold Cuts and mulled wine.  What a combo!  Until then...

Banana cream pie a la breakfast

Nilla wafers (crushed), banana cream pie yogurt, cinnamon toast crunch, more yogurt, more nilla wafers and all topped off with some whipped cream

 Mini banana cream pie

 Kinda cute, huh?

 So suddenly, a gnome and a car show up to race cars in the middle of my living room...