When I think of summer, I immediately go to banana pudding.  But this time I’m not making banana pudding.  I’m making a banana pudding pie!

I don’t know about you, but when I think of barbecues I think of summer. I mean, that’s a no brainer. BUT, when I think of summer, I immediately go to banana pudding. I guess it’s something about summer, barbecues, and parties. That’s the theme for this week; Summer BBQ Party! That always means pot luck with this group and for me it means I’m whipping up a Banana Pudding Pie!

I think for every southerner this story always starts with, “My grandmother…” Well, at least mine does. My grandmother made the BEST and I mean THE BEST banana pudding. Just ask Dad. He brags about it to this day!! It was creamy, had the perfect ratio of banana slices to vanilla wafer cookies and the creamiest topping.

I’ve made my hand at traditional banana pudding. Not with such success. I couldn’t get the wafers right. The bananas did this weird texture change thing. It was edible, but it wasn’t Nana’s. I tried again. Same result. Obviously, there’s something I’m missing in the whole slice-the-bananas thing that I’m missing. I even tried roasting them then slicing them hoping they wouldn’t do that. Nope. Same result. But hey…roasting bananas? Now there’s something I’m adapting into my recipe from now on.

If you haven’t ever roasted bananas in your oven in your life go do that right now. I’ll wait.

They’re really super sweet and have an intense banana flavor, right? See what I mean?? And that only intensifies the flavor of the banana pudding. “Then why the extract,” you ask? It’s just that little extra push the pudding needs, in my opinion. Not that it wouldn’t have banana flavor without the extract, but it has just that little extra that you’re expecting.

Now a brief word about banana extract. More is NOT more. Trust me on this. You don’t want fake banana flavor. Believe me when I say you only need a few drops in ANY banana recipe that calls for banana extract. No teaspoon, half or even quarter. If it calls for a teaspoon of banana extract, just don’t do it. Three to four drops at most unless you honestly want that faker than fake banana flavor. Just sayin…

And now, back to this pudding. Since I was a failure at traditional puddings, I’ve resolved to make a vanilla wafer crust pie from now on. This is so so SO GOOOOOOOD! It has all the flavors of your traditional banana pudding, but with hardly any of the fat. I’ve used this same method, sans banana extract of course, for chocolate pudding, regular ole vanilla, essentially any flavor I want. Granted, if you weren’t eating a low fat diet like we are, feel free to sub your regular products for the fat free ones.

Make sure you scroll past my recipe and see what the rest of the #SundaySupper crew has brought to the Summer BBQ Party!

PEP Counts with coconut oil (10 slices):

Milk	Veg	Fruit	Bread	Meat	Fat
0	0	0	3.4	0	1

PEP Counts subbing Parkay (10 slices):

Milk	Veg	Fruit	Bread	Meat	Fat
0	0	0	3.4	0	.25

Beverages

• Best Wines For A Summer BBQ Party from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
• Grilled Peach and Cinnamon Whiskey Sour from Peaceful Cooking
• How To Make Fresh Squeezed Lemonade from Life Tastes Good
• Pineapple Margaritas from The Messy Baker
• Stone Fruit Sangria from Because I Like Chocolate
• Strawberry Lemonade from Basic N Delicious

Appetizers

• BBQ Stuffed Calimari from Jane’s Adventure in Dinner

Sides and Accompaniments

• Cucumber Salad with Blackberry Browned Butter Vinaigrette from Nik Snacks
• Easy Fruity Salad from Hot Momma’s Kitchen Chaos
• Grilled Corn on the Cob with Lime Butter from The Redhead Baker
• Jacques’ Cucumber Salad with Onions from Food Lust People Love
• Mango Peanut Slaw from The Texan New Yorker
• Mom’s Classic Macaroni Salad from Webicurean
• Roasted Strawberry BBQ Sauce from Bobby’s Kozy Kitchen
• Two Tomato Chutney from What Smells So Good?

Main Dishes

• Asian-Style Pasta with Gochujang Peanut Sauce from Wallflour Girl
• Barbecue Ribs from girlichef
• BBQ Stuffed Peppers from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Bistecca from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Competition Baby Back Ribs with Apple-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce from Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Grilled Clams with Chorizo from Noshing With The Nolands
• Grilled Sanma from A Mama, Baby & Shar-pei in the Kitchen
• Grilled Shrimp with Lemon Basil from Nosh My Way
• Grilled Swordfish and Eggplant with Fusilli and Tomatoes from Cooking Chat
• Grilled Wings from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Lemon Oregano Spatchcock Chicken from Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Mango Beef Kebabs from Curious Cuisiniere
• Steak Skewers with Chimichurri from Jelly Toast
• Sweet and Tangy Blueberry BBQ Chicken Pizza from Simply Gourmet

Desserts

• Amazing S’mores 7-Layer Bars from Flavor Mosaic
• Banana Pudding Pie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Blackberry Cake from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Blueberry and Raspberry Galette from Rhubarb and Honey
• Farm Stand Blackberry Buckle from The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Grilled Peach Crumble from Try Anything Once Culinary
• Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone Cream and Sweet Balsamic Syrup from La Bella Vita Cucina
• Hot Fudge Ice Cream Pie from Melanie Makes
• Lemon Ricotta Bars from The Foodie Army Wife
• Old Fashioned Sour Cherry Pie from Pies and Plots
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Take A Bite Out of Boca
• S’mores Chocolate Cookie Cups from Cupcakes & Kale Chips