Cream Pie

Prepare and bake pie curst.
For filling:
Combine in the top of a double boiler::
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
Blend in:
1 3/4 cups warmed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 egg yolks
1 T. butter.
Place over boiling water. Cook, stiriing about seven minutes, until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat. Scrape sides. Cool over ice water. Do not stir. After cool, put it into a baked pie shell.
For the meringue, beat the 3 egg whites and 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar until frothy. Add 1/4 cup plus 2 T. sugar slowly and beatu until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Spread meringue over the hot filling, sealing to the edge of the crust to prevent shrinking. Bake 8-10 min. until lightly browned.

Variations:

Banana Cream Pie: Slice 2 to 3 bananas into baked pie crust. Cover at once with hot vanilla filling, above. Top with meringue and bake as above.
Butterscotch Pie: Substitute 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar for 3/4 cup of sugar in the basic recipe above. Add 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice along with the butter. Continue and bake as above.
Chocolate Cream Pie: Add 1 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate to milk mixture after cooking. Let stand until chocolate melts and stir to blend. Turn into baked pie crust. Top with meringue and bake as above.
Coconut Cream Pie Fold 1 to 2 cups flaked coconut into vanilla filling, above. Turn into baked pie crust. Top with meringue and bake as above.
Lemon Meringue Pie: Use 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice and 1 1/4 cups water in place of milk in basic recipe, above. Add grated peel of 1 lemon along with butter. Continue and bake as above.