roasted banana pudding

The definition of a major full blown totally stinks bummer is your week long vacation to Punta Mita being canceled due to damn hurricane Jova.  A KID FREE week of sun, cocktails, beach, SLEEP and laughter swept away by a hurricane.  If that is not a bummer I really am not sure what is.  What does a girl do when her vacation has been taken away?  Dust herself off and tackle the long list of to dos that have been piling up before the holidays hit.  Nope not this girl.  This girl makes a big huge bowl of comforting roasted banana pudding to drown her sorrows in.  There is just something so homey and delicious about pudding.  Did eating this take away the vacation blues?  Nope.  Did it taste better then a poolside margarita?  Nope.  It did put a smile on my face as Carter and I both dug into the bowl from either side and talked about his trip to the pumpkin patch.  A day I would have missed had I been in glorious amazing Mexico.

roasted banana pudding

source: cooking light

5 ripe unpeeled medium bananas (about 2 pounds)

2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

2/3 cup sugar, divided

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 (12-ounce) container frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed and divided

45 reduced fat vanilla wafers, divided

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place bananas on a jelly-roll pan covered with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Remove 3 bananas; cool completely. Peel and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Bake the remaining 2 bananas at 350° for an additional 20 minutes. Carefully peel and place the 2 bananas in a small bowl, and mash with a fork until smooth.

Combine milk and 1/3 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer (do not boil).

Combine remaining 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, salt, and eggs in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk. Gradually add hot milk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 3 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add mashed bananas, butter, and vanilla, stirring until butter melts. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 15 minutes or until mixture comes to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Fold half of whipped topping into pudding.

Spread 1 cup custard evenly over the bottom of an trifle bowl. Top with 20 vanilla wafers and half of the banana slices. Spoon half of remaining custard over banana. Repeat procedure with 20 wafers, banana slices, and custard. Spread remaining half of whipped topping evenly over top. Crush remaining 5 wafers; sprinkle over top. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.