Aluminum Chef Award Winning Recipe
From the Kitchen of Candy Fisher
Contest Ingredient: Ginger

Ingredients:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 packages (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1½ cups milk
1 can (14 ounces) Eagle Brand Condensed Milk
8 ounces sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla, divided
1 pint whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
4-6 bananas, sliced
Gingerbread Men cookies, to line trifle dish and to crumble
Chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
Dried cranberries

Directions:

In a large bowl beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in the condensed milk, sour cream, pudding mix, cold milk and half-teaspoon of vanilla until smooth.

Beat whipped cream with sugar and half-teaspoon vanilla. Fold half into pudding mixture and reserve the rest to top the dish.

Assembly:

Spread a thin layer of pudding mix in the bottom of a footed trifle dish (enough to make the gingerbread men stay put). Stand gingerbread men around outer edge of dish (decorated side looking out). Cover the cover pudding mixture with sliced bananas. Sprinkle with dried cranberries, chopped nuts, and some crumbled gingerbread. Add another layer of pudding and repeat process. Continue layering and finish with the pudding mix on top. Top with reserved whipped cream. Sprinkle with fine gingerbread crumbs, nuts and dried cranberries.

* Cool Whip can be substituted for whipped cream

Refrigerate until ready to serve.