Yes, We Have Plenty of Bananas

Banana Pudding:

1, 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 2/3 cups cold water
1, 3.4-ounce box instant French vanilla pudding mix
1, 12-ounce container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1, 11-ounce box vanilla wafers
4-6 bananas, sliced

In large bowl, combine milk, water and pudding mix. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until smooth, then chill for five minutes. Fold in the whipped topping. In serving dish, pour just another pudding mixture to cover bottom. Place layer of wafers over pudding, followed by half the bananas. Repeat the procedure with remaining ingredients, beginning and ending with pudding mixture. Garnish with pudding and vanilla wafers if necessary. Serve immediately.

A-Peel-ing Pudding

Paula Deen's Banana Pudding:

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies
6-8 bananas
2 cups milk
5 ounce box instant French vanilla pudding
8 ounces cream cheese
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
12 ounces Cool Whip

Line the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan with cookies. Slice bananas, tossing with a little lemon juice to prevent browning. Top each cookie with a banana slice. In a separate bowl, combine pudding and milk. In another bowl, combine cream cheese and condensed milk. Fold Cool Whip into cream cheese mixture. Add cream cheese mixture into pudding mixture. Pour this over banana slices. Top with remaining cookies.

I'm on Cloud Nine

Cloud Nine:

Crust:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 stick melted butter
1/2 cup very finely chopped nuts

Second Layer:

8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 cup whipped cream (Cool Whip)

Third Layer:

3 small boxes instant chocolate pudding
5 cups milk

Fourth Layer:

Remaining tub of Cool Whip
Shaved chocolate

Preheat oven to 350. Combine melted butter with flour. Mix well. Fold in finely chopped nuts. Press into a thin, even layer in an ungreased 13 x 9 baking pan (I have been known to double this crust layer. It depends on your preference of layer thickness). Bake for 15 minutes. Remove crust from oven. While crust cools, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Blend in powdered sugar until mixed well. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. When crust is fully cooled, spread cream cheese mixture evenly over crust. For next layer, combine chocolate pudding with milk, whisking well until firm. If you wish, you may refrigerate pudding until fully set. If pudding is set to your liking when you make it, you may go ahead with your cream cheese layer. Smooth the remaining Cool Whip over the pudding mixture. Garnish with a shaved chocolate bar. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Goin' Bananas

This yummy recipe is one that my sister in law, Kerrie, gave to me. I really do wish we were able to see James' family more. They live so far away from us. When we make this, we always think of them. I loved this dessert growing up, but again, I did not like for anyone to make this using eggs or with a meringue. That is why this is so perfect. It is also very easy and looks so pretty in a trifle bowl. Making this also brings back memories of when I wass little. My mom took me to get ingredients for this once, and then we locked ourselves out of the house! Don't ask. Fear not though, we were able to make it the next day. I remember it warm from the oven. This version is cold, but so good.

Banana Pudding:

1 1/2 cups cold water
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup banana instant pudding powder
3 cups heavy cream
1 box Nilla wafers
3-4 medium bananas, thinly sliced

Blend cold water, condensed milk, and pudding powder together using an electric mixer on low for 1-2 minutes. Refrigerate for 4 hours until firm. After pudding mixture has set, whip cream until peaks form. Fold pudding into whipped cream. Place layer of Nilla wafers in bottom of trifle bowl. Cover with a thinly sliced layer of bananas, followed by a layer of pudding. Continue alternating layers. End with pudding as top layer. Garnish top with crushed wafers. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.