#981 - Banana Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

Crust: 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs; 1/4 cup white sugar; 1/2 cup butter (melted)
Batter: 1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened); 1/2 cup white sugar; 1 - 8oz. tub Cool Whip (thawed); 4 bananas (should be ripe but not brown); 1 3/4 cups cold milk; 1 - 3.5oz. box Jell-O banana cream INSTANT pudding mix

In a bowl add graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup melted butter--stir with a spoon. Remove 1/2 cup of the graham cracker mixture--set aside. Press the rest of the graham cracker mixture (NOT the reserved) on the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9" square cake pan. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Remove crust from oven and let it cool to room temperature. In a mixer add cream cheese and 1/2 cup white sugar--beat. Add 2 cups of Cool Whip--beat. Slice two of the bananas into coin shaped pieces and arrange them on the crust bottom. Pour half of the batter on top of the banana pieces. Slice the other two bananas into coin shaped pieces and layer them on top of the batter layer. Pour the rest of the batter on top of the banana layer. In a mixer add banana cream pudding mix and milk--beat. Add the rest of the Cool Whip--beat. Pour the pudding mixture on top of the last batter layer. Sprinkle the crumbs that you set aside on top of the whole cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight before cutting.