Cooking 101 - Coconut-Banana Cream Pie

For our Easter feasting, my mom (visiting me from Arizona) created this delectable dessert from an old cookbook in my collection. She thought it sounded good and we decided to try it out. WOW!!! This pie blows Marie Callender out of the WATER! You've got to try this! Nothing says SPRINGTIME like this cool, creamy pie!

I've got a variation at the bottom of the recipe of what I'll do differently next time.

Crust:
3 c. flaked coconut
7 T. butter

Filling:
2/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
3 T. cornstarch
1/4 t. salt
3 c. light cream
4 egg yolks, beaten
2 t. vanilla
2 large, firm bananas

CRUST: In skillet, saute coconut in butter until golden. Press all but 2 Tbsp. into bottom and sides of a greased 9" pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes.

FILLING: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add cream and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add egg yolks slowly. Cook 2 minutes more. Add vanilla. Cool to room temperature. Slice bananas in bottom of crust. Cover with cream mixture. Chill 2 hours. Top with bananas, whipped cream, and reserved coconut.

VARIATION: Use a pre-made shortbread or graham cracker crust. To get the intense coconut flavor, add toasted coconut into the custard mixture since it won't be in the crust. If you're cutting calories, (like that matters here) toast the coconut on a cookie sheet in your oven at 425 degrees instead of using butter.