“In 2002, I received the best banana pudding recipe — someone shared it with me from Southern Living. The custard was homemade and used vanilla wafers; it was not difficult and the results were divine. I have searched the magazine’s Web site but it is no longer there. Can you help?”

— REGINA CLARK, Decatur

The Food Goddess wishes to answer all your food questions and share your kitchen tips and recipe requests. Write to foodgoddess@ajc.com or to Food Goddess, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Sixth Floor, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303.

MORE FOOD GODDESS:

• Dacquoise brings back memories for readers 
• 'Divine' banana pudding comes from Southern Living 

It is no wonder that Ms. Clark uses the word divine when she refers to the memory of this recipe. For it is no run-of-the-mill banana pudding. Luscious custard mingles with banana slices underneath a crown of fluffy meringue. Does that not sound heavenly?

The goddess blows kisses to the wonderful women who came through for Ms. Clark, including Lanelle LaRue of Lake City and Judith Lorraine Polk of Stone Mountain. Polk writes: “I think I found the banana pudding recipe Regina Clark is looking for in ‘Southern Living All-Time Favorite Recipes (40th anniversary Special Edition 1966-2006).’ It is made with homemade custard and vanilla wafers.”

What the goddess found so interesting was the evolution of this recipe. Martha Simpson of Chamblee also sent in a recipe, which appears to be an earlier version, when fat and added sugar weren’t watched as closely. While this version is almost identical to the one below, it does include an extra 2/3 cup sugar (added with the flour) and calls for all four yolks, instead of the two yolks and four whites used here. It also uses regular milk instead of the 1 percent recommended in the later version, as well as regular — rather than fat-free — sweetened condensed milk. It seems that even banana pudding lovers want to watch their waistlines these days.

Recipe swap

Barbara Bowman of Atlanta is looking to help “an older gentlemen of her acquaintance” who has waxed rhapsodically about a casserole dish called Opulent Chicken, which was evidently quite popular in the 1970s-’80s. He couldn’t provide many details other than it’s oven-baked in a shallow dish and has a gravy. She would like to surprise him with the dish if one of the goddess’ fabulous readers can supply a recipe.

Banana Pudding
10 servings

Hands on: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes or more for cooling

Feel free to use the full-fat versions of the sweetened condensed milk, if you prefer. The pudding can also be served in individual 1-cup ramekins.

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Dash of salt
2 1/2 cups 1 percent low-fat milk
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups sliced ripe bananas (about 5 to 6)
45 reduced-fat vanilla wafers
4 egg whites
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine flour and salt in medium saucepan. Gradually stir in low-fat and condensed milks and yolks, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 8 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Arrange 1 cup banana slices in a 2-quart baking dish. Spoon 1/3 pudding mixture over bananas; top with 15 vanilla wafers. Repeat layers once; top with remaining bananas and pudding. Arrange remaining 15 wafers around inside edge of dish. Gently push wafers into pudding. Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved (2 to 4 minutes) Spread meringue over pudding, sealing to edge of dish. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Let cool at least 30 minutes.

Per serving: 334 calories (percent of calories from fat, 16), 9 grams protein, 61 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 6 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 45 milligrams cholesterol, 186 milligrams sodium.