For Delana, a.k.a. Banana Pudding and Plumes

This recipe is the original Nilla Wafer recipe on the back of the box (can you get Nilla wafers in France?) with a few adjustments. When my sister came out to see me in May she made this for me and showed me how easy it is to make.

3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
Dash of salt
4 eggs, separated, at room temperature
2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
one box of Nilla Wafers (has to be Nilla Brand)
5 to 6 med. size fully ripe bananas, sliced

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, flour and salt in pot on top of stove (some people use a double boiler, not really necessary). Stir in 4 egg yolks and milk; blend well. Cook, uncovered, stirring constantly until thickened. Reduce heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add vanilla.

In a large serving dish, layer Nilla Wafers alternately with your sliced bananas until all your wafers and bananas are in the dish. Then take the custard and pour into the dish, over your layers of bananas and wafers. The custard will fill all the nooks and crannies and the wafers will soak it up. Yummy.
Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon on top of pudding, spreading to cover entire surface and sealing well to edges. Bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes or until delicately browned. Let cool for a short time...tastes best warm.

Olive you too.

So my hubby wants to go for a ride this evening. We end up at Subway and I already had a bag of microwave popcorn for dinner; so wanted nothing. He ordered a footlong cold cut combo...gross. We sat and talked about home improvement projects we want to do next year. He finishes half of his sandwich and offers me a bite of the second half...I take a bite and want the whole thing. So he painstakingly picks out the cucumbers, tomatoes, and the 250 olives that were on the last six inches of his sandwich and offers it to me. I ate [almost] all of it. The entire time he was picking olives, I thought "He loves me SO much".

How awesome is that?

Independence Plus

I told you my girls went on holiday together to Florida. They made me a beautiful photo album of their trip together. This is one of their pics...I believe this was Busch Gardens Day.

Today I cooked.
It's the first time since March that I've really got my hands dirty in the kitchen. It was great.
I chose Rachel Ray's double dipped buttermilk fried chicken tenders, Rachel Rays goat cheese and dill potato salad, Greenbeans (Outback style), baked beans, corn on the cob, and homemade banana pudding with a meringue top. And because my husband adores banana pudding, I made two.

I've never made a meringue before, so this was fun and everyone loved it. There were nine of us in total and the few who are left are in the other room watching old black and white episodes of the Twilight Zone.

It was a good day and I'm exhausted. Oh, I almost forgot...I cut my hair super short yesterday. It feels great :)