Cream Cheese Banana Pudding

I think I've come up a recipe for the best banana pudding ever! I thought I already had a pretty good banana pudding recipe that uses sweetened condensed milk, among other things; but I don't have any sweetened condensed milk because a) I'm trying to lay off of sugar after falling off the bandwagon last week big time and b) I'm trying to use up as many of my groceries as I can before I leave for home next week. So I scrounged around with what I had on hand, and came up with this quick and easy version that is better than any I've ever had. Mine is sugar-free, but you can use whichever version you'd like.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 c sugar or Splenda
• 1 c whipped topping (regular or sugar free)
• 1 pkg vanilla instant pudding (regular or sugar free)
• 1 3/4 c milk
• 2 large or 3 small bananas
• 1 pkg butter cookies (the kind that are shaped like flowers with holes in the middle--I used Murray Sugar-free shortbread cookies)

1. Spread a layer of butter flower cookies on the bottom of an 8 x 8 dish.
2. Top with a layer of thinly sliced bananas. I used two large ones, if yours are small you may want to use three.
3. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar or Splenda, and 1 cup of whipped topping.
4. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the milk and vanilla pudding until well blended and just starting to thicken.
5. Combine the pudding with the cream cheese mixture until well blended. Mine was still a bit lumpy because my honey was already asleep and I mixed it by hand instead of breaking out the mixer. (It still tasted good, though, trust me!)
6. Spread the cream cheese pudding mixture over the cookies and bananas, then add a row of cookies all around the edges--I always because everyone I know who makes banana pudding does it. And it looks pretty. And tastes good.
7. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. I think we waited 10-15 minutes then we couldn't stand it any more.

I've been experimenting with sugar free desserts for a couple of months now, and I have to say, this is the best yet. It didn't taste sugar free, it tasted like the best banana pudding I've ever made--no funny "whang" or aftertaste, just creamy sweet goodness. I can only imagine what it would be with "regular" pudding or whipped topping or cookies. Wowsa.

This post is linked to:

Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum
Food on Friday at Ann Kroeker
Friday Food at Momtrends
Recipe Swap at the Grocery Cart Challenge
Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Delicious Dishes at It's a Blog Party
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff



Until next time, good cooking, and good eating!