Bananarific Cream Pie

1 9-inch pie crust*

1 package banana instant pudding

2 cups milk

2 bananas, sliced

¼ cup brown sugar

1/3 cup rum (optional)

1 cup 35% whipping cream

Bake pie shell according to package directions. Cool. In a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk. Slice bananas into rounds. Cover the bottom of the pie shell with the banana slices. Sprinkle with brown sugar and rum. Cover with the pudding. Whip cream and spoon in mounds over top. Chill several hours before serving.

If you don’t tell people it’s not made from scratch, no one will ever know. If you prefer the frozen kind that used to be sold in grocery stores (don’t recall when I last saw one), use the kid friendly version below and serve it frozen. Don’t add the rum if you’re using the graham crust though, it may not hold together.

* I like the Pillsbury ones you find in the grocery store’s refrigerator section, rather than the frozen ones that come in their own pie plates, because they don’t tend to be smashed to bits when I open the box. I do find them rather salty, though.

Kid Friendly Version

With no oven or blender to worry about, and a standard table knife (no sharp edges) to cut the bananas, even your younger kids can put this version together.

1 graham cracker crust

1 package banana instant pudding

2 cups milk

2 bananas, sliced

¼ cup brown sugar

2 cups Cool Whip

In a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk. Slice bananas into rounds. Cover the bottom of the pie shell with the banana slices. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Cover with the pudding. Spoon mounds of Cool Whip over top. Chill several hours before serving.