Versatile holiday dessert

I like to change up my holiday desserts every year, but sometimes find myself in the same old rut. Vanilla Cream Pie is a great holiday dessert. With the addition of several ingredients, this simple pie can be transformed into several varieties of pies.

Vanilla Cream Pie
1 Pint Milk
1/4 C Granular Sugar
2 Egg yolks
1 Whole egg
2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. Cornstarch
1/4 C Granular Sugar
2 Tbsp. Butter
2 tsp. Vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, dissolve the milk and first sugar amount. In a medium bowl, whip yolks and whole eggs. Sift in the starch and second sugar into the egg mixture. Once the milk mixture has been brought to a boil, remove from heat. Slowly stream in egg mixture into hot milk mixture. Return the saucepan to the stove and heat to a boil, stir constantly. When the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, remove from heat. *Make sure to bring mixture to a complete boil before removing from heat, neglecting this step will result in the cornstarch giving a raw starch flavor to your pie!* Stir in the butter and vanilla. If you are concerned about possible chunks, you can pour through a mesh strainer. Pour into a cooled, pre-baked pie shell. Cool until set. Garnish with whipped cream. This recipe will make 1, 9inch pie.

*Coconut Cream*
1/2 C Coconut flakes
Toast 1/4 C in oven til golden. Take remaining 1/4 C coconut, add into the pie after mixing in the butter and vanilla. Top pie with cooled toasted coconut.

*Banana Cream*
Pour half of vanilla cream filling into pie shell. Cover with banana slices, and top with remaining filling.

*Chocolate Cream*
2 Tbsp. Unsweetened baking chocolate
2 Tbsp. Sweetened baking chocolate
Melt together and mix into hot vanilla cream filling (before adding the butter & vanilla).

*Butterscotch Cream*
1 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C + 1 Tbsp. Butter
In small saucepan, heat sugar and butter on low. Once melted, remove from heat. Prepare the vanilla cream filling recipe, BUT omit all the sugar and add an additional 1 tsp. cornstarch. As the vanilla mixture comes to its second boil, stir in brown sugar mixture. Finish as in the basic vanilla recipe.

*You can fill miniature pre-baked pie shells with vanilla cream filling, top with sliced fresh fruit and a dusting of powdered sugar!*

**The basic Vanilla Cream Pie recipe is also the filling for eclairs!**
a