Pineapple-Crowned Fruit Pie

How exciting it was to have one of my recipes selected for cookbook publication! I know --- many of my friends have published entire cookbooks, but it was still exciting to see my recipe in the cookbook my students sold. It was published in the Great American Heritage Cookbook. Recipes in this book were categorized by region of the United States: Northeastern, Pennsylvania Dutch, Southern, Creole, Southwest, Midwest, West Coast, Hawaiian, and Heartland. On the same page as home ec teachers from Cheney, Coeur d'Alene, or Dayton in the section for West Coast cooking is my recipe for Pineapple-Crowned Fruit Pie. It was one developed in a Food Science class during my college years. Fresh and tasty, I'll share it with you as well!

Pineapple-Crowned Fruit Pie

1 cup oats
1/4 cup sesame seed
Walnuts

1/4 tsp. salt
2 medium bananas, sliced
Lemon juice
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Process oats, sesame seed and 1/2 cup walnuts a small amount at a time in blender container until of flour consistency. Mix in salt and 3 Tbsp. cold water. Press into 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Dip banana slices in lemon juice. Arrange in pie shell. Top with st4awberries. Blend cornstarch and pineapple in saucepan. Cook until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in vanilla; cool. Spoon over fruit. Chill for several hours. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup chopped walnuts.

Makes: 6 - 8 servings.

*To make gluten free, use certified gluten free oats.