Nutter Butter Banana Pudding Trifle

All I can says is YUMMMMMMM! I saved this recipe, because it sounded like it would be good. Nutter butters in banana pudding? Why didn't someone think of this sooner? But then I made it and it was OOOOOOHHHH so good! Unfortunately, everyone else thought it was good too, so there wasn't any to bring back home after the picnic.

The recipe:
Nutter Butter Banana Pudding Trifle
Southern Living Magazine
February 2009 (page 86 if you have the mag) or use the link

Prep: 35 min., Cook: 20 min., Stand: 30 min., Chill: 2 hr. This homemade pudding is divine, economical, and uses on-hand ingredients. The pudding has thickened enough when a distinct trail is left in the mixture when you stir with a spoon. The cookies will soften the longer the dessert chills.

Yield
Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients
3 cups milk
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 medium-size ripe bananas
1 (1-lb.) package peanut butter sandwich cookies
2 cups sweetened whipped cream


1. Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla until butter is melted. 2. Fill a large bowl with ice. Place saucepan in ice, and let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly chilled.

3. Meanwhile, cut bananas into 1/4-inch slices. Break cookies into thirds.

4. Spoon half of pudding mixture into a 3-qt. bowl or pitcher. Top with bananas and cookies. Spoon remaining pudding mixture over bananas and cookies.
Top with sweetened whipped cream. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours. Garnish, if desired.

Shortcut Nutter Butter®-Banana Pudding Trifle: Omit eggs, sugar, flour, and butter. Substitute thawed extra creamy whipped topping for sweetened whipped cream. Reduce vanilla to 1 tsp. Place 3 cups milk and vanilla in large bowl; add 2 (3.4-oz.) packages vanilla instant pudding mix. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until thickened; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream. Proceed with recipe as directed in Steps 2 through 4.

My notes on this recipe: This will serve more than 8-10 people as it is pretty rich. I made the full-fledged, make-your-own pudding version. It tasted much like a vanilla custard. I think the quick version would also taste good, but not nearly as rich and creamy. When I make this again, I will layer the cookies and bananas differently as it was a bit too much mass in the middle. Next time: 1/2 the pudding, 1/2 cookies and bananas, remaining pudding, remaining cookies and bananas, then the sweetened whipped cream. I sweetened my heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar. No measurements, I just kept sprinkling in spoonfuls, until it was thick.