Banana Pudding

3/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup self-rising flour

2 cups milk

3 eggs, separated

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Vanilla wafer cookies

3 bananas, ripe but firm

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and the self-rising flour in a bowl.

Slowly stir in milk. Put mixture in top of double boiler over simmering water and cook until mixture begins to thicken. Beat egg yolks then briskly stir a small amount of the hot mixture (about 1/2 cup) into them. Add egg yolk mixture back into the hot mixture in top of double boiler and stir in butter and vanilla. Cook until mixture thickens again.

Place a layer of vanilla wafers in an 11x7-inch baking dish (or other shape 2-quart shallow baking dish). Add half of the sliced bananas. Pour half of pudding mixture over banana layer. Repeat layers, ending with remaining pudding. In a mixing bowl beat egg whites until foamy; gradually beat in 1/4 cup granulated sugar and cream of tartar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pudding. Bake at 350° until browned completely. Remove from oven. Serve hot or cold.

Egg white merinue is the traditional topping. You can always go with Whipped Cream, or other favorite topping.

If you don't make the merinue, Here are some easy and great tasting cookies.

Pecan Meringue Cookies

1 cup whole pecans (preferably lightly roasted - 8-10 min at 250°F)

3 egg whites

Pinch salt

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vinegar

 Preheat oven to 300°F.

 Place pecans in zipper baggie and beat them with a wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Set aside.

 Put egg whites into a standup mixer bowl. Add salt. Start the mixer speed on low, gradually increasing the speed until soft peaks start to become visible and the egg white bubbles are very small and uniform, about 2 to 3 minutes.

 Increase the speed to medium-high, and slowly add the sugar to the egg whites. Continue to whip the eggs and sugar for a few minutes. Then add the vinegar to the bowl. Increase speed to high and whip the egg whites until they fluff up and become glossy, and stiff peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 4-5 minutes.

 Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the pecan pieces. Drop by teaspoons onto a cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper .

 Put the cookies sheet in the 300°F oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Leave them in the oven overnight. In the morning they should be ready.