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BANANA CREAM PIE
Cooking spray
12 graham cracker squares (6 full sheets)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons boiling water
1/3 cup, plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups 1 percent lowfat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sliced banana (3 medium bananas)
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. In a food processor, process graham crackers until finely ground. Add butter and 1 tablespoon of water, and process until the crumb clumps together. Press crumb mixture into bottom of pie plate and about 1/2-inch up the sides. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then let cool.
In the meantime, make the filling. Put the gelatin in a small bowl; add 3 tablespoons of boiling water and stir until gelatin is dissolved. In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1/3 cup of sugar and the flour. In a medium bowl lightly beat the milk and eggs together. Add the egg and milk mixture to the saucepan and whisk so the flour and sugar dissolve. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes, until mixture comes to a boil and has thickened. Stir in the vanilla extract and gelatin. Set aside to cool slightly.
Arrange the sliced bananas on the graham cracker crust and pour the pudding on top. Place in the refrigerator until the pudding has set, about 3 hours.
Whip the cream with an electric beater. When it is about halfway done, add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, then continue whipping until fully whipped. Put the whipped cream in a plastic bag, concentrating it in 1 corner of the bag. Snip that corner off the bag and squeeze the whipped cream out of the bag in a decorative pattern around the pie. (photo & recipe courtesy of foodnetwork.com)
Spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. In a food processor, process graham crackers until finely ground. Add butter and 1 tablespoon of water, and process until the crumb clumps together. Press crumb mixture into bottom of pie plate and about 1/2-inch up the sides. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then let cool.
In the meantime, make the filling. Put the gelatin in a small bowl; add 3 tablespoons of boiling water and stir until gelatin is dissolved. In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1/3 cup of sugar and the flour. In a medium bowl lightly beat the milk and eggs together. Add the egg and milk mixture to the saucepan and whisk so the flour and sugar dissolve. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes, until mixture comes to a boil and has thickened. Stir in the vanilla extract and gelatin. Set aside to cool slightly.
Arrange the sliced bananas on the graham cracker crust and pour the pudding on top. Place in the refrigerator until the pudding has set, about 3 hours.
Whip the cream with an electric beater. When it is about halfway done, add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, then continue whipping until fully whipped. Put the whipped cream in a plastic bag, concentrating it in 1 corner of the bag. Snip that corner off the bag and squeeze the whipped cream out of the bag in a decorative pattern around the pie. (photo & recipe courtesy of foodnetwork.com)
Today is my sisters birthday and we'll both be celebrating when we meet up in NYC in about 12 more days!! Can't wait!
It's a little fancier now and the menu is too but also a little more $$. Nevertheless we laughed a lot and filled our stomachs with pancakes, coffee and bacon. Just a few steps outside were the sea lions all camped out - so fun to watch and such personalities they have. 
We then walked through the Wharf and passed on chowder, shrimp cocktails and more. We were on a mission to get to the Golden Gate Bridge. A little further than we remembered - where was that cab when you needed it? After walking through the Marina district and looking at the lovely homes we ambled through Fort Mason and then finally Fort Point. The boys ran around and we looked in awe at the beautiful bridge. A passerby took a wonderful shot of us under the bridge - this was to be our Christmas card; however one of the guys was not smiling so we'll take a some shots in front of the fire here at home.
Our next destination was the House of Nanking at Kearny and Columbus for the best Chinese food ever! 
Always a line out the door here and owner Peter always outdoes himself. We usually let him order for us and we're never disappointed. Another walk through Union Square followed and of course some window shopping. After a bit of relaxing back at the hotel we waited for a cab and beat it down to the Marina District to visit Guiseppe at E'Angelos for the world's best carbonarra! 
We were not disappointed and again were just in time to beat the line forming outside his doors. Our cab ride back to the hotel that night was very entertaining; our driver Buzz had just recorded a CD and sang to us all the way back downtown - what a character he was. The next morning was for sleeping in and after we were packed up we drove out to the Avenues; 10th and Clement for breakfast at the Hamburger Haven - the place has not changed a bit and the chef there still puts out a great breakfast. Another stop at the bagel shop for some treats to take home and then lastly to Dino's on Fillmore and California for a slice of heaven - his pizza is still the best! Pulling into our street Saturday night we were greeted by all of our neighbor's Christmas lights - I can't believe the season is here! Time to pull out the Christmas decorations and get busy.
