Banana Pudding Pie

Every Easter my family gets together to play games, hide eggs, catch up and eat. My family is big, really big and no one could feed the entire crowd. So, my sister Renee or my sister Patty volunteer to host and everyone brings a dish.

Most people have a signature dish:  my Aunt Gayle brings macaroni salad, my Aunt Jenny (who we lost this year) brings Aunt Jenny’s Pink Stuff, a mixture of jello, marshmallows, and nuts, and I am famous for always bringing something new.

This year I am bringing Banana Pudding Pie. Banana pudding is a Southern favorite. The basic ingredients are vanilla pudding, bananas and vanilla wafers, but everyone has a different take on it. Some people use different cookies, some people add whipped cream and some people even add coconut. I am doing a new take on my favorite dessert, no-bake cheesecake. I hope you like it.

Banana Pudding Pie

Servings:  8

Time:  Prep: 15 minutes, active time: 15 minutes, pie in 2 ½ hours

Hardware:  Measuring cups and spoons, a cutting board and knives, a food processor, a mixer, a large mixing bowl, a rubber spatula, plastic wrap, wax paper, an 8-inch springform pan and space in the fridge

 Ingredients:

• 1-5 ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1-14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 2-8 ounce packages cream cheese
• 3 bananas
• Whip cream for garnish

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• 1 box vanilla wafers
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 stick of butter

1. Cut out a circle of wax paper to fit the bottom of the springform pan. Line the pan and set aside.
2. Set aside 18 of the best cookies. Place the rest of the cookies in the food processor and grind them to crumbs. Melt the butter in the mixing bowl. Mix 2 cups of the cookie crumbs, the sugar and butter together. Press the cookie mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan. Place the pan in the fridge. Save the rest of the cookie crumbs for garnish. Wipe out the mixing bowl.
3. Place the pudding mix, sweetened condensed milk, and cream cheese into the mixing bowl. Mix on high for about 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for another 2 minutes.
4. Stand the reserved cookies up, bottom facing in, along the edges of the springform pan as if you were building a fence.
5. Slice 2 of the bananas and line the crust with the slices.
6. Use the spatula to carefully spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the bananas.
7. Cover in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
8. To serve, carefully remove from the springform and use the wax paper to slide onto a large serving platter. Sprinkle the reserved cookie crumbs over the pie. Slice the remaining banana and top each slice of pie with a banana slice and a dollop of whipped topping.