"The Elvis"...a Divine Banana and Peanut Butter Combination!

Today is the anniversary of Elvis passing, so in honor of him I created this peanut butter banana dessert.  For those of you who are not all that familiar with Elvis, he loved grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches.  When his mother was alive, she made them for him and after she passed away, they were prepared by one of Elvis's two cooks, Nancy Rooks or Mary Jenkins.  Elvis loved good down home southern food, just like most of us southerners.

This dessert is an adaptation of one that we have made for years... so many years, I don't even know when we started making it.  We make a lemon version we call "Lemon Lush" and a chocolate version we call "Chocolate Delight.  We have used butterscotch pudding and it was really good also.  Now, I did add several unique things to this to make "The Elvis" so it's quite a bit different and you can adapt it to your families tastes.  Here is what the ingredients are:

Crust:

1 stick softened butter
1 cup self rising flour
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts, you can use pecans)
1/4 cup brown sugar

First layer:

8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup whipped cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Second layer:

2  small instant pudding mixes (I used a banana and a vanilla mixed, you could use all banana)
3 cups cold milk
3 sliced bananas

Third layer:

The remainder of a 16 oz container of whipped cream (or you can whip your own if your prefer)
1 cup Reeses peanut butter chips
Maraschino cherries to top each piece

Combine the flour, softened butter, nuts and brown sugar and press into the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick baking spray. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, and vanilla together then add the whipped cream.  Spread over the cooled crust.

Beat the pudding mixes and the cold milk together until thick.  Spread that over the cream cheese layer.

Slice three bananas and place over the pudding layer.  If you are not serving immediately, toss the bananas with a little lemon juice to keep them from turning dark.

Spread the rest of the whipped cream over the bananas.  Sprinkle with the peanut butter chips and place the cherries on each pieces.  Be sure to drain your cherries first.   Chill for a couple of hours before serving.



The Elvis!