Banana Cream Pudding Pie & Caramel Smoothie

Do you ever impulse buy something at the grocery store and then have no idea what you’re going to make with it?

I’m sure we all do this but I really try to keep my impulse buys to a minimum since I’m queen of impulse duds.

But I’m glad I grabbed a little box of Instant Banana Cream Pudding that was on sale for 69 cents.

I turned that little box of pudding into this.

With some help from a banana, caramel sauce, butterscotch chips and white chocolate chips.

Because my thinking was as long as you’re going to drink a banana cream pie, you may as well go all out.

 

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Banana Cream Pudding Pie and Caramel Smoothie – with Butterscotch Chips and White Chocolate Chocolate Chips

Makes approximately three eight-ounce portions

1 box of Instant Banana Cream Pudding (I used store-brand, not Jello-brand, and it was Regular, not Sugar Free)

2 cups cold milk

1 medium or large banana (previously frozen is better but not required)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons caramel sauce or to taste

2 to 3 cups ice cubes

1/4 cup sugar or alternate sweetener to taste, optional

2 tablespoons peanut butter, optional

1 tablespoon butterscotch chips for garnishing, optional

1 tablespoon white chocolate chips for garnishing, optional

2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs or crushed Nilla Wafers for garnishing on top of the smoothie or lining the rim of the glass, optional

Final caramel sauce drizzle, optional

In a Vita-Mix or blender, add the box of pudding and cold milk and blend until it’s combined and frothy. If you have time to wait for it to thicken more, about 10 to 20 minutes, do so and if not that’s okay. To the pudding mixture, add the banana, cinnamon, vanilla, caramel sauce, sugar, ice and blend until smooth. Depending on if you used a frozen banana, how thick your pudding mixture is, and how you prefer your smoothies, you may want to place the Vita-Mix or blender canister in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes if you prefer a colder, thicker or more frozen-textured smoothie. Garnish with banana slices, butterscotch, white, or chocolate chips; or an extra drizzle of caramel sauce or peanut butter.

Tips: Pour excess portions into glasses and thaw later and drink as smoothies; pour excess into bowls and freeze for frozen banana cream pie “ice cream”; or pour into Popsicle molds, paper cups, or ice cube trays and freeze for Banana Cream Pie on a Stick.

Optional: Add 1 to 2 ounces of Banana Schnapps, Creme de Banana liquor, Rum, Malibu, Vodka, Marshmallow Vodka, Kahlua, Gran Marnier or similar, per smoothie portion, or to taste.

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This smoothie is like drinking, well, frothy chilled pie filling.

A little pie filling in the middle of the day is one fun way to break up those afternoon doldrums.

If you like banana cream pies, you’ll love this.  I only wish I had some Nilla wafers on hand because my mom never made banana cream pies without garnishing them with Nilla wafers.

The banana cream pudding mix made this smoothie so creamy and rich.  And so filling.

You can freeze the extra portions in glasses and thaw them later when you’re ready to indulge.

Or pour the excess into bowls, freeze, and enjoy frozen the banana cream pie smoothie as banana cream pie “ice cream” while you’re watching your favorite Bravo shows that are burning a hole in your DVR.

In between the Elimination Challenges on Top Chef Texas and catching up with the ladies of Atlanta and Beverly Hills, I was savoring this, in bowl form.

I think I got my banana cream pie craving out of the way for the next six years, give or take, but I made use of that 69 cent impulse pudding buy.

In recent smoothie memory, the only thing that comes close in terms of decadence factor is the Creamy Cookie Butter White Chocolate Banana Smoothie

I am really still in love with the Orange PushUp Smoothie though.  Creamy, citrusy, and refreshing.

A PushUp in smoothie form.

So many choices, so much teeth chattering.  Worth it though.

Do you like Banana Cream Pies?

My dad loves them.  I know he’d love this.

Do you like pie?  Do you make it?

I rarely make pie.

I do like pie, but I like cookies, bars, blondies, and brownies more than pie.

There’s only room for so many calories in the day and I tend to allot my mindless and decadent calories to things along the cookies or bars nature rather than pie.

But because I’m calling this a smoothie, it’s “healthy” and those calories don’t count.  Yeah.

Any impulse buys lately?  Food or otherwise?