Here’s a special GROW Month recipe for you courtesy of This Tasty Life! Utilizing GROW bananas, Mary was able to create this delectable banana cream pie with caramelized walnuts.

Venturing up and down the coast of Southern California, Mary not only creates exciting new recipes, but also shares her experiences of all the restaurants she visits.  She provides product reviews and gives her readers insights on cheap eats.  Show Mary some love on her official Facebook page for This Tasty Life!

Banana Cream Pie with Caramelized Walnuts
Makes 1 pie

Pie Ingredients:

• 1 pie crust
• 3 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten & in a small bowl
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 bananas

Banana Cream Pie Directions:

1. Bake yourself up a pie crust or buy a pie crust
2. Sift together the sugar, flour and salt. Set aside
3. Scald the milk over medium heat, stirring occasionally. You want the milk heated through to almost boiling – right to about when the bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan, then turn it off
4. Put scalded milk it into a bowl and then pour the dry ingredients into the hot pan you just used (or, you can use a new pan). Slowly pour in the scalded milk and start stirring
5. Stirring constantly, heat the mixture over medium heat until it thickens
6. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally
7. Take your slightly beaten eggs and add a little bit of the hot milky mixture to the eggs to temper them. I put in a few spoonfuls, stir, put in a few more spoonfuls and stir again before adding it to the hot milky mixture
8. Cook for one more minute, stirring the whole time
9. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla until blended. Let sit until it becomes about room temperature
10. Slice bananas on a bias (diagonally!) and layer into the bottom of the pie crust. Pour your delicious milky vanilla custard stuff over the top. Stick in the fridge until you’re done with your walnuts

Caramelized Walnuts Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw walnuts
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Caramelized Walnuts Directions:

1. Toast walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes or until you can smell the nutty aroma. Remove nuts
2. Melt a couple of pats of butter into the pan and add brown sugar and cinnamon. Still until the sugar gets a little melted
3. Add nuts and toss to coat
4. Let it get all bubbly and golden and then remove from heat (less than a minute)
5. Let caramelized walnuts cool down and then scatter on top of your pie.

Add whipped cream to pie. Engorge!