MMMM!! One of my families top three favorite desserts is banana pudding. Here's my recipe:

Pudding:

1 quart milk

4 egg yolks

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup all purpose flour

2 tbsp butter

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

In large kettle, mix the sugar and flour. In a separate bowl, blend milk and egg yolks. Add liquid to dry ingredients and mix well. Turn the heat to med/hi and start stirring. Don't leave the pudding. Stir until it's thick, but be careful not to overcook.  When it's pudding consistency, remove from the heat and add the butter and vanilla.

Layer one third of a pack of vanilla wafers in the bottom of a bowl [ovenproof if you want to add merangue]. Add two sliced bananas, and one third of the pudding. Repeat these layers two more times.  

If you want to add merangue, take the egg whites and let them set until room temperature. Add 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar. Not sure of the science there, but it seems to help the egg whites fluff even when it's humid. Beat the eggs until foamy. Don't overbeat or they will become clumpy instead of smooth and whipped. Add 1/4 cup Splenda or sugar after the egg whites start to turn white. Adding the sugar too soon will give you syrup instead of merangue! Spread the merangue over the pudding top, seal to the edges of your bowl.  Brown for about five to eight minutes in a 425 degree oven.  Some people like banana pudding hot, some like it cold, but the twelve people I've served in the last two days with two of these things like it period. Enjoy!