#456 - Coconut Cream Pie OR Banana Cream Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

Use our pie crust recipe #33 OR Pillsbury ready-made pie dough
9" pie plate
1 - 6oz. box Jello-O vanilla pudding mix (NOT instant)
3 cups milk
1 - 7oz. bag Baker's angelflake coconut
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 cup white sugar
sliced bananas (optional)

Spray the pie plate with Pam, insert the pie dough, flute the edges of the dough, spray the inside of the pie dough with Pam and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let the pie crust cool. In a small saucepan, make vanilla pudding according to box directions. When it's done, add 1/2 of the bag of coconut to the pudding and stir. Pour the pudding/coconut mixture into the baked pie crust. In a mixer, beat the egg whites a little bit, add the cream of tartar, add white sugar, then beat until completely stiff and it forms peaks. Spread the meringue over the top of the pudding filling using a spatula and make sure you spread it all the way to the edges to seal the pie. Use your index finger, start in the center of the pie and make a spiral from the center and continue until you get to the edge. Sprinkle the remaining coconut over the top of the meringue. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes until the meringue turns a light caramel color--watch closely so it doesn't burn. Let the pie cool, then refrigerate. Wet your knife to cut through the meringue, then slice the rest of the way through the pie. Optional--before pouring pudding/coconut filling into the baked crust, add sliced bananas to the baked crust, omit the coconut altogether and this will make banana cream pie.