Somehow I'd never typed up this yummy banana cream pie recipe, despite making it many times.  If you don't want to make a crust, you can easily make a banana pudding (with or without homemade vanilla wafer cookies) and layer it up - just use the same pudding recipe and sliced bananas listed below.  Also delicious! Enjoy!

A yummy slice of chilled banana cream pie - with little bites of chocolate throughout. 

Banana Cream Pie!  

Prepare and bake one buttermilk pastry pie crust. (This pie crust recipe makes 2 crusts - so you can always make an extra for later, or use it for something savory, like a quiche). 

Your pudding filling can go into a warm or cooled crust.  I typically start making the filling once the pie crust is in the oven.  

Pie crust, ready and cooling. 

In a medium saucepan (avoid non-stick coated pans), heat over medium heat until just boiling: 

2 1/2 cup half & half OR whole milk

1/3 - 1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract

1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt

In a small bowl, mix together: 

1/4 cup cornstarch

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup half & half OR whole milk

Whisk the yolks/cornstarch mixture into the hot sugar/cream mixture.  Increase the heat to medium-high to speed up the process, but whisk constantly and rapidly.  Once the mixture thickens and starts to boil (I find it makes big, thick popping bubbles when done, and I quickly have to remove from heat to avoid getting burned), remove from heat.  

As quick as you can, cover the bottom of your pie crust with even slices of fresh banana. You'll want to use:

2 - 3 ripe, yellow bananas

Cover the bottom with nice slices of ripe (not over-ripe) banana

If desired, you can add and sprinkle over the bananas: 

1/4 - 1/2 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (Optional)

Optional, but tasty, addition of chocolate chips

Immediately pour the hot pudding filling into your baked pie crust.  Immediately cover with plastic wrap - press the plastic wrap tightly to the surface of your pudding.  Refrigerate until chilled.  Slice and serve with whipped cream.  Enjoy! 

Immediately pouring on the warm/hot vanilla pudding.

Cover as nicely as possible with plastic wrap pressed to the surface.

Yum!!! 

Banana Cream Pie Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

 Similar to the feta and spinach stuffed bread loaves I made recently - this yummy stuffed bread loaf is packed with veggies. We love to slice and freeze it for easy lunches. I brought it to a potluck lunch recently, and it was a hit! Enjoy!

Onion, Broccoli & Mushroom Stuffed Bread - Yum!

Version made with Shallots - took this in to a work potluck - it was a hit!

Delicious stuffed breads - fresh from the oven! 

Broccoli, Onion (or Shallots) & Mushroom Stuffed Bread

Preheat oven to 425 - 450 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a frying pan over medium heat, cook, stirring occasionally, until onions or shallots are softened.  You can let them cook longer to let the onions begin to caramelize, if desired: 

1-2 Tbsp butter

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

3-4 shallots OR 1-2 onions (can use 3 onions, if you like extra onion)

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper

Towards end, add in and saute 2-3 minutes: 

2-3 cups chopped broccoli heads

Remove from heat and set aside to cool.  

Shallots, broccoli & mushrooms

Lots of extra onions in this version - with some mushroom - and broccoli ready nearly ready to add in

In a large mixer combine: 

4 1/2 cups Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour Mix

1 Tbsp xanthan gum (yes, extra is needed)

1 1/2 Tbsp rapid-rise yeast

1 Tbsp minced dried onion (optional)

2 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp salt

Add, and beat 2-3 minutes, until nice and smooth: 

3 1/2 cup milk, room temperature

3 eggs

While the bread is mixing, in a small bowl melt: 

3 Tbsp salted butter

Put bread dough into a large freezer ziploc.  Cut 1/2" - 3/4" corner of the ziploc. Pipe 4 long ovals, each with 2-3 strips of batter onto a parchment-lined pan. You'll want to aim to use no more than 2/3 of the total dough, so you have enough to pipe on top after adding the filling.  

Use wet hands over each loaf to flatten/smooth each bottom. I like to leave a bit of a lip to the edges to help the filling inside. 

Mix into the cooked vegetables: 

250-350 g dairy-free boursin cheese (or similar - regular boursin cheese, or a onion/garlic cream cheese spread will also work)

2 eggs

Divide the filling evenly between the four loaf bottoms.  You can sprinkle on a bit of grated parmesan, if desired.  

Stuffed with shallot filling and ready for zigzags piped on top.

Stuffed with onion filling and ready for zigzags piped on top. 

Pipe zigzags of dough on top of the filling.  Use the melted butter and a brush to gently spread overtop the zigzags.  You can help connect the sides and top dough a bit.  

Zigzags, brushed with butter. 

Optional - on top of butter brushed loaves sprinkle: 

grated parmesan

crushed red pepper flakes

Personally, I love the bit of spice added from the crushed red pepper flakes. 

Let rise 15-20 minutes in a warm location.  Then, bake your loaves at 425 - 450 F for 27 - 30 minutes until a nice brown. Remove from pan (and parchment) and cool on a wire cooling rack.  We've eaten this fresh from the oven and let cool to slice for later. Slice leftover loaves and freeze for easy and delicious lunches later! Enjoy! 

Shallot-filled broccoli stuffed bread loaves, fresh from the oven.

Onion-packed broccoli stuffed bread loaves, fresh from the oven. Yum!

Broccoli, Onions (or Shallots) & Mushroom Stuffed Bread Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

 I remember loving apple fritters as a kid, but it was the ones that were packed with chunky apple were my favorite - the others were fritters of disappointment.  These, however, are definitely not fritters of disappointment!  Packed to the brim with chunky apple pie filling.  They're a delicious raised-donut style fritter.  Not a fan of using yeast? No problem! Just make my apple fritter donut holes! The apple fritter donut holes are nice because you use an apple variety that cooks up quickly, so there's no need to make an apple pie filling in advance! Enjoy your fritters!  

Freshly made gluten-free apple fritter!

Chunky and filled to the brim with delicious apple. 

Apple Fritters - Raised-donut-style! 

Makes 24 apple fritters

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper cut into 12 pieces (for piping apple fritters).

Mix together in a mixer: 

1 cup white rice flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1/4 cup potato starch

1/4 cup arrowroot starch or cornstarch

1 tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp rapid-rise/quick yeast

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

Add, then beat until nice and smooth, 2-3 minutes: 

3 eggs

3/4 cup milk, warmed

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Fold into batter: 

2 cups chunky homemade apple pie filling (room temperature or slightly warmed, not hot!)

Put batter into a large freezer ziploc.  Snip 3/4 - 1" off one corner.  Pipe loosely shaped rounds onto each of the pre-cut pieces of parchment paper.  Lightly smooth the piped donuts with water, as needed.  Let rise in a warm location for 20-30 minutes.  

While donuts are rising, you can heat your oil.  I like to use avocado oil for frying, but you can use canola or whatever kind you prefer for frying.  Heat to ~165C - 170C / 325 F - 338 F.   Using the pieces of parchment paper, gently lower the donuts into the oil in small batches (this depends on the size of your fryer or pot used for frying - I can usually fry 6 at a time).  Cook 2-3 minutes per side, until nicely dark golden brown. Remove donuts from fryer and place on a paper towel-lined pan.  

Piping each donut onto a separate piece of parchment paper makes it easy to lift and lower into the oil.

Frying the donuts. Once they've puffed up and the bottoms are darkened, you can flip them. 

Freshly out of the fryer, and ready to glaze.

Whisk together the following, and dip the top of warm/hot donuts into the glaze: 

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla 

cold water, to a thin dipping consistency

Put dipped fritters on a fresh parchment-lined pan.  They're ready to eat!  You can eat them hot or let them cool.  Cooled donuts can be frozen in a freezer ziploc and thawed/heated to eat anytime.  Enjoy!

Glazed donuts placed on a new piece of parchment paper to cool.  SO tasty. 

Apple Fritters - Raised-donut-style Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!