Banana Puddin'

If you want to be an instant hit with the men, just make banana pudding!  They all ooh and aah, like they've never been happier. - Aunt Annie Belle Bellia
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You can put it in a fancy punch bowl or just put it in a big bowl.

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Aunt Annie Belle is on the left with her husband, Uncle Jimmy, in the middle. The woman on the right looks like she might be a hit with the men!

Ingredients
1 (6 oz) package instant vanilla pudding
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
50 vanilla wafer cookies
4 bananas, sliced
1 banana reserved for topping
1/4 cup raisins, plumped in brandy (or water)
Steps
  1. Plump raisins in a small bowl of warm brandy or water for about 10 minutes, then drain well.
  2. Make the pudding in a large mixing bowl, according to the package instructions - using the 3 cups of milk.
  3. In a separate bowl, whip the whipping cream.  Then fold half of the whipping cream and all of the nuts and raisins into the pudding, very carefully - NOT stirring.
  4. Put a layer of vanilla wafers on the bottom of a big 2-quart dish or bowl. (Glass looks pretty!)
  5. Put 1/4 of the pudding mixture over the top of the cookies, then a layer of sliced bananas over that.  Don't use all the bananas - you need more for the other layers.
  6. Stack the cookies around the edges of the dish or bowl and layer all three items again and again, ending up with pudding on top.
  7. Refrigerate for about 4 hours or overnight.  When you are ready to serve it, decorate the top with the left-over whipping cream, a few left-over vanilla wafers and some freshly sliced bananas.