Banana Pudding

What's a summer holiday picnic without a good banana pudding?

So here's my contribution to today's festivities:


I've been through a few banana pudding recipes over the years but here's the one that has emerged as our family favorite. (Which is lucky because it's one of the easiest banana pudding recipes I've ever tried!) 

Ingredients:
1 8oz package cream cheese
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 6oz package vanilla instant pudding
3 cups cold milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 8oz container whipped topping
4 bananas
1/2 a 12 oz package of vanilla wafers

In a large bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy (easier if cream cheese is room temp.), beat in condensed milk, pudding mix, cold milk, and vanilla extract. It will be soupy looking. Fold in about 1/2 of whipped topping.

Line bottom of a 9x13 pan with vanilla wafers and then arrange banana slices evenly over wafers. Spread with pudding mixture. Top with remaining whipped topping. (This is the easiest way to do it and this is how I sometimes do it, such as in the picture below, but as you can see from the picture above I used a trifle dish and layered differently.)


Chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving, longer if you like your wafers mushy.