The Proof is in the Pudding!
By Marie Anne
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
United States
April 14, 2008 2:08pm CST
The banana pudding,that is!
Yes, I finally got to make it. Walmart had plenty of bananas the other day and I bought more Vanilla Wafers and I made a big bowl on Saturday.
I mixed one package of vanilla and one package of banana flavored pudding mix with about 2 1/2 cups of milk and added a can of sweetened condensed milk and about a half tub of cool whip. Layered the cookies, pudding mix, bananas and repeated until it was used up and ohmy, it was so good.
After laying the bananas, I had one partial banana left over so decided to mash it up and put it in the small amount of pudding for the top, so that's why the little discolorations in the photo.
It was very rich and I thought maybe I should tone down the condensed milk but my husband said no, he liked it the way it was. Maybe I'll add an extra vanilla pudding mix, since I think more would have been better with the large bowl that I used.
Oh, you'll notice the 'egg' in the picture - I had a little cool whip left so I decided to make a ring of the cookies on top and dropped the topping in the center, not realizing that it would spread out! Then I decided to slap one more cookie there - you can see what I ended up with!
I think I'll make my own whipped cream next time too ...
So - how do you make your banana pudding? Do you follow the package directions or do your own thing?
8 people like this
18 responses
@above31rubies (1863)
• United States
15 Apr 08
Oh that sounds so good!!! Glad you finally got to make it. I don't know that I have ever actually made one- I would follow the directions probably. At least the first time...lol.
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
15 Apr 08
Oh come on, where's your sense of adventure?
How can you screw up pudding, bananas and vanilla wafers?
I basically gave you my 'recipe'. Give it a shot!
1 person likes this
@above31rubies (1863)
• United States
15 Apr 08
Oh...you'd be surprised...lol!!! Thanks for the chuckle! :)
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
14 Apr 08
That looks delicious..
I made my own banana pudding one time, but it didn't look nearly as good as yours..
I am glad you finally got to make it, now I want some..
I made my own banana pudding one time, but it didn't look nearly as good as yours.. I am glad you finally got to make it, now I want some..1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
14 Apr 08
Yep and if you remember, I asked if my son had been around, because he eats bananas like they are going out of style..
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
14 Apr 08
It wasn't hard at all, I just had to find the stupid bananas!
2 people like this
@suehan1 (4344)
• Australia
15 Apr 08
no i have never made a banana pudding,but yours look delicous,so i might give it a go.i love bananas,so do my children so this will be a nice treat for them,now it is starting to become cooler here .thanks for sharing your recipe.cheers sue
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
15 Apr 08
Oh yes Sue, give it a try. If you like bananas and anything sweet, you'll definitely love this!
Oh, and make sure to use the 'real' Vanilla Wafers too. The off brands just aren't as good.
1 person likes this
@babykeka80 (2084)
• United States
14 Apr 08
I love banana pudding. Its always been one of my favorites. I of course hardly ever cook anything but I will have to keep you in mind if I get to feeling froggy. My grandmother use to make some amazing pudding though. It sounds delicious. You really shouldnt tease a pregnant girl you know.
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
14 Apr 08
LOL ...
A pregnant girl shouldn't be opening discussions about banana pudding if she can't handle it!
1 person likes this
@babykeka80 (2084)
• United States
14 Apr 08
Now, how am I even gonna resist the title? Thats okay I will send hubby out some weird hour or something to get me some.
1 person likes this
@ruthinian (2309)
• United States
20 Apr 08
It looks so yummy. I have not really tried that kind of banana pudding. I have my own way of make a banana snack which I learn from where I came from. But since that it's impossible for me to make those here because we use a different kind of banana, which unfortunately not avaliable here, maybe I will try this one someday, when I have the time. I will have to use this recipe too. thanks.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
20 Apr 08
There are bananas that differ that much? Wow, I didn't know that!
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
14 Apr 08
Sounds really good but no dairy products for 6 weeks! boo hoo...
PS I generally just follow the package directions. I'm not too creative that way!
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
14 Apr 08
Oh come on, Dawn, where's you're sense of adventure?
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
14 Apr 08
Right now my sense of adventure can't have milk!
But seriously, I think I'll find it again when the kids are out of the house. Right now almost everything new that I try has at least one kid complaining, "I don't like it". Usually it's the same kid, lol.
1 person likes this
@icyorchid (2564)
• United States
15 Apr 08
You made that sound so yummy!!!!
I haven't had banana pudding in years! I think after I loose my weight, I'll make some 
I need to find a recipe first. lol
I need to find a recipe first. lol1 person likes this
@Sir_bobby88 (8231)
• Singapore
20 Apr 08
Well it seems like you are very creative prehaps you could open a cafe one day yea , good luck .
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
20 Apr 08
Oh goodness, no, I'm not creative at all!
No one in my home ever went hungry, though ...
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
18 Apr 08
I have rarely baked in my life. I can cook well but baking has never been my thing. Can I come over to your house for dessert, I will be on the next plane lol.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
18 Apr 08
There is no baking whatsoever!
The pudding is the instant kind where you just add milk and mix it up. It really is very easy to do.
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
15 Apr 08
I love banana pudding!! I've never thought of putting cool whip or condensed milk in it but I have put one vanilla and one banana pudding and it still turned out great. Next time I make it I'll have to try your way and see how it turns out.
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
15 Apr 08
twoey, I have to admit that it might have been a bit too rich with one each vanilla and banana pudding and then adding the condensed milk too. My husband liked it, though!
I think I'll add another vanilla pudding and maybe make my own whipped cream (which I usually do instead of cool whip for most things anyway). That way I can just add less sugar to that and it will probably not be quite as rich tasting.
@terri0824 (4991)
• United States
15 Apr 08
Sounds really creative and delicious. I bet the condensed milk gave it a richer taste.
I can be creative sometimes, but I don't cook or make things too much these days.
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
15 Apr 08
Yes, I think the condensed milk really added to it. I thought it was a bit too rich but my husband said not to change a thing.
I still think I'd use two packages of vanilla to one package of banana, though.
1 person likes this
@luvstochat (6907)
• United States
14 Apr 08
That looks sooo good! I love banana pudding! I would just follow the receipe though I am not creative like you are good for you making banana pudding look so decortive. My mouth is now watering for banana pudding! I don't have any vanilla wafers though.
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
14 Apr 08
Oh, you could do it! Nothing I added was hard at all, trust me. I just added a bit to the pudding itself and then just layered it as usual.
(Except for the 'fried egg' on top, that is)
1 person likes this
@Deea48 (1166)
• United States
15 Apr 08
Well that looks like it was to die for yummy. I am glad you were finaly able to make it. I cannot eat bananas they give me just aweful heart burn. The only way I can is in yogurt, not sure why that is. Anyway I like to fold whipp cream in my pudding as well.I hardly ever make it any more. Now if I want pudding, I cheat and buy the prepakaged kind. 
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
15 Apr 08
I wonder if you could make a modified version and use yogurt instead of pudding?
1 person likes this
@jenni7202 (1598)
• United States
16 Apr 08
Oh I'm so glad you finally got to make your banana pudding! I was just talking about the lack of bananas to my overnight manager at Walmart. He laughed. I told him it was a serious thing, that they should really consider ordering more on the busier days of the week, because we are losing a lot of sales that way. He just looked at me, typical manager at Walmart, doesn't really care about anything but his own paycheck! Oh well!
I personally just buy banana flavored pudding mix, the instant kind, because I can't stand the cooked kind, with the nasty layer on the surface, EWW. I don't buy it very often though, only when I'm REALLY in the mood for it.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
16 Apr 08
Yea, when we went shopping the other day they had LOTS of bananas and they looked really nice too. A bright yellow color, not green and not overripe.
I think the vanilla and banana puddings makes a good mix, not too much of either one.
1 person likes this
@jenni7202 (1598)
• United States
16 Apr 08
Wow, that's great that your bananas were yellow too! When our bananas come in, they are usually still very green, and out of a skid with about 100 boxes or more on it, theres probably a box or 2 with yellow bananas. lol.
@vera5d (4005)
• United States
3 May 08
that does look good! I will be buying vanilla wafers soon for the little one to eat (babies love those things!!!)
I usually use 3-4 cups of milk for one pudding package to stretch it depending on how big the pudding box is.
whipped cream and pudding go together very well!
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Apr 08
I usually follow directons but then add my own touches too so it does not look like the fancy pictures in those cook books but it tastes divine and that is what counts I do not use sweetened condensed milk as its too sugary for a diabetic like me and Iuse sugar free bananas pudding the instant kind and a ton of coolwhip and lots of bananas too and a sprinkle of cinnamon also plus a little mace.happy eating to you.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
15 Apr 08
Normally I would make my own whipped cream, but I didn't have any heavy cream on hand.
There is no comparison - home made whipped cream is the best!
