Banananananana. Wait...I think that was too many.

New-Fashioned Banana Pudding
Serves 8-10 people

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 (5.1 oz) package vanilla instant pudding mix
• 1 (12 oz) package vanilla wafers
• 6 large ripe bananas (alot of times you can get them discount for older bananas, depending on the season and availability. those work really good.)
• 4 large egg whites
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or banana extract

1. Combine milk and half-and-half in a large bowl; add pudding mix, and beat at a low speed of an electric beater until blended. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes or until smooth. Set aside.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Arrange one-third of vanilla wafers in the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish. Slice 2 bananas; layer slices over wafers. Pour one-third of pudding mixture over bananas. Repeat layers twice, arranging wafers around edge of dish.
3. Beat egg whites at high speed of an electric beater until foamy. Add 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves (2 to 4 minutes). Fold in vanilla; spread meringue over pudding, sealing to edge of dish.
   
4. Bake at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes or until golden.

I've found the easiest way to separate eggs is to use your hands. Break the egg into a bowl and grab the yolk with curved open fingers and transfer it from each hand to the other, kind of like how you play with putty. This will separate the yolk from the egg whites easily and then all you have to do is throw away the yolk or keep it to make something else.

The meringue can be hard to make too. You have to add the sugar a little at a time or it won't mix correctly and will be too runny. Also, DON'T FORGET THE VANILLA EXTRACT!! I did that one time and it tasted bland. Blech.

Well, thats my banana pudding. Hopefully you were around to watch me make it live!