3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. all-purpose flour or 3 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. milk
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
2 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (9 inch) baked pie shell

In saucepan, combine sugar, flour and salt; stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir small amount of hot mixture into yolks; immediately return to hot mixture; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add butter and vanilla. Pour into cooled pie shell. Either use meringue or whipped cream topping.

VARIATIONS:

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE: Prepare Vanilla Cream Pie, increasing sugar to 1 cup and two 1 ounce squares of unsweetened chocolate. Add with milk. Top with meringue and bake or if desired, top with whipped cream.

BANANA CREAM PIE: Slice 3 bananas into cooled pie shell. Top with Vanilla Cream Pie filling and meringue.

BUTTERSCOTCH CREAM PIE: Substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar in Vanilla Cream Pie filling. Increase butter to 3 tablespoons. Top with meringue.

COCONUT CREAM PIE: Add 1 cup flaked coconut to Vanilla Cream Pie filling. Top with meringue and sprinkle with coconut.