Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding

My family got this recipe off of one of our favorite food network shows. Yes, we watch cooking shows on TV, if you have a problem with that, no more dessert for you! We tweaked it a little, we can't seem to help it and came up with the home run of banana puddings.  I wanted to try it at first just because of the awesome name!=)

We always take it to potlucks because it makes an 11x15 and me Mom and I are the only ones who really like it and we do not need half a pan each. It's always a hit and we have people coming up and asking for the recipe, so without further ado, well maybe they'll be a little bit more ado.....  ;) 

The bottom layer, you don't have to lay the cookies and bananas in rows like this. My Mom just cuts the bananas directly into the pan and lets them fall were the may then kind of spreads them out. But I, with my sometimes neurotic mind has to put them in there all pretty like!   

Paula says to put one bag of cookies on the bottom and one on the top, but I found I like to completely cover the bottom of the pan and that only leaves about 3/4 (or 16 cookies) of a bag left, so I just lay them out evenly.

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Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies

6 to 8 bananas, sliced( I only use about 4-5, but that's because I lay mine out and you can't fit 6-8 in there laid out like that!) 

2 cups milk

1 (5-ounce) box instant Banana pudding(or two of the smaller boxes, yes they are 3 ounces each, and yes, that adds up to 6. I never add any extra milk and it turns out fine, just don't tell my Mom, okay?!?) 

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( whip two cups of cream with a 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla to get an equal amount to the cool whip) 

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