Best Banana Cream Pie

Filling:
2/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/2 t. salt
2 3/4 c. whole milk
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 T. butter
2 t. vanilla
2 ripe bananas, sliced

Topping:
Homemade whipped cream, or canned whipped cream
1/4 c. slivered almonds

Make the filling by sifting together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt into a medium saucepan. Blend the milk and eggs in a medium bowl, then add the mixture to the dry ingredients and cook over medium heat stirring constantly for 6-8 minutes. or until the mixture boils and thickens, then cook for 1 minute more.
Remove the filling from the heat, and mix in the vanilla and butter. Put plastic wrap on the surface of the filling and let it cool to about room temp. (The plastic wrap will prevent the top of the filling from becoming gummy)
When the filling has cooled, remove the plastic wrap and add the sliced bananas. Stir. Pour the filling into the pie shell and chill for a couple of hours before serving. Serve each slice topped with fresh whipped cream and slivered almonds.

This recipe is similar to Marie callenders. Banana cream pie is my favorite pie...along with coconut cream, blueberry sour cream, German chocolate etc etc close behind!!! Pie is my favorite Thanksgiving dish, I especially love ROUND pieces! Yum!
Mikes family tradition was to make a pie for every person at the dinner table. So can you imagine what a HEAVENLY smell 15 HOMEMADE pies made? Now that his parents, 11 sisters, and 1 brother have grown into an extended family of ....I lost track, but imagine if everyone showed up for Thanksgiving at once? Yummmmm-o!