Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding

This weeks Food Network Chef’s Cooking Challenge hosted by I Blame My Mother is Paula Deen, but don’t worry this won’t be the only time we are doing a Paula Deen recipe.  I choose a favorite of my hubby’s Banana Pudding, and plus I’ve heard raves about this recipe.  So I thought this is the perfect timing.

Verdict: This recipe is super simple to make and beyond delicious. I just love the chessmen cookies and the extra special pudding, with cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream, I mean how could this possibly not be good.  Be sure to check out the other participants cooking Paula Deen recipes.

Ingredients: 2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies, 6 to 8 bananas, sliced, 2 cups milk, 1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding, 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened, 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

First off line the bottom of your bowl with cookies

Then in a separate bowl, mix your pudding and milk, whisk until thickened

Then in another bowl, add your cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk, mix until fully incorporated, then pour into another bowl

Then clean out your mixer and add your whipping cream

On medium speed add in some sugar to sweeten

and a splash of vanilla

and beat until stiff peaks

Then add sliced bananas on top of cookies

Then fold in your cream cheese mixture and whipped cream

then fold in the vanilla pudding, until all incorporated

Then pour about 1/3 of the mixture on top of the bananas

smooth it out and then layer more cookies

then more bananas, and repeat

Then top with your chessmen cookies, and refrigerate.

That is if you can wait that long.

Be sure to gather up your pumpkin posts and enter my pumpkin round-up next Monday please see here for more details!

Not Yo’ Mama’s Banana Pudding

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies

6 to 8 bananas, sliced

2 cups milk

1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Directions

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.