What's Cookin' Wednesday- Banana Pudding

So, here we are the middle of October and the first Wednesday recipe post in quite some time. I have been cooking, well some, but not a whole lot. We have just been busy, even more busy since school started and since the baby is taking less naps and sleeping less during the day, I have much less free time than I did. Anyway, I made this Banana Pudding this past summer for a family. I don't like the recipe that comes on the box of vanilla wafers, just don't like the cooked taste, and besides I surely didn't want to heat up the oven, therefore the house in the middle of the summer.
Super, Super Good Banana Pudding
Ingredients

• 1 package cream cheese
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 3 cups cold milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 4 bananas, sliced
• 1/2 package vanilla wafers

Method

Yes I know, cream cheese? But ah, it makes the pudding. On to the method. First you simply mix the cream cheese until it is fluffy, to get some air in it, I would recommend a hand mixer, but you can easily accomplish this by hand. On a sad note, we lost old mixey, our stand mixer this past summer, I was trying to get some batter off the side of the bowl and the spatula I was using got caught up in the tines. Instead of breaking the spatula, but the mixer head tore all apart, oh well, I have an second hand kitchen aid that has one setting.....super high, and it throws stuff all over the kitchen, so I make do with our hand mixer as much as I can.

Next, add in the condensed milk, I sent the spouse to get the ingredients and she came back with evaporated milk, which worked fine, I haven't any idea what the difference is anyway. Then add the pudding mix, regular milk and vanilla and continue to beat until all your ingredients are mixed well. Finally fold in about half of your cool whip, because seriously, why would you bother with any other whipping topping?

Then spread out your vanilla wafers, banana slices and then cover with your mixture. Or, as I like it just mix it all together, not as pretty, but oh so good.

Serve whenever....I like banana pudding better the second day, but this tastes pretty good they day you make it.

Oh and of course cover your pudding with the rest of your cool whip, shew, bout to leave out an all important step.

Sorry my pictures aren't better, but then I have never professed to be a food photog;-)