MuMama's Banana Pudding

My grandmother, known to us as MuMama, always made this banana pudding during our yearly Beach Week family trip to the NC shore.  We were a crowd of 15, so she did a double recipe.

1 egg
1 large box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding
3 C. milk, scalded
2 blobs butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 bananas
1 box Nilla wafers

1. Line bottom and sides of pan with Nilla wafers and sliced bananas.

2. Scald milk.

3. Mix egg and small amount of milk (not scalded) in measuring cup used for scalded milk.

4. Put pudding mix in with milk/egg mixture and combine.

5. Pour into scalded milk and combine.

6. Drop in butter. Bring to a full, popping boil that can't be stirred down.

7. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

8. Pour mixture over wafers and bananas.

9. Cool to room temperature before serving.

NOTE: All the pictures of banana pudding you'll find online or in recipe books are garnished with whipped cream or meringue or banana slices or Nilla wafers. Not MuMama's. The Nilla wafers got soft in the bottom of the dish (her old Corningware deep square), there was only one layer, and there was nothing but pudding showing on top. I've tried making other kinds, and my family goes into all-out revolt.

In fact, one February, my daughter OG asked for banana pudding for her birthday treat. Trying to make it special, I opted for an online recipe with whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk in it, and a fancy garnish on top. Two weeks later, in March my son asked for banana pudding for his birthday treat, too. The caveat? "This time I want MuMama's banana pudding. The real kind," he insisted. No other banana pudding will do for us!