Ingredients

serves about 15

　　2 cups graham cracker crumbs

　　1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter

　　1/3 cup, plus 3/4 cup granulated sugar

　　One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature

　　1 cup confectioners’ sugar

　　3 cups heavy cream

　　Two 3.4-ounce packages butterscotch instant pudding mix

　　3 cups milk

　　Chopped peanuts (optional)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. For the crust, in a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar. Press this into the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes; let cool. Beat the cream cheese with the confectioners’ sugar. In another bowl, whip the cream with the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar until it forms stiff peaks.

　　

Step 2

Prepare the pudding according to the package directions, using the 3 cups of milk.

　　

Step 3

Fold 1 cup of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and spread this over the crust. Spread the pudding over the cream cheese layer.

　　

Step 4

Cover the pudding with the remaining whipped cream. Garnish with chopped peanuts, if desired.

　　The Lady & Sons, Too! by Paula Deen. © 2001 by Paula H. Deen. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved.Paula H. Deen was born and raised in Albany, Georgia. She later moved to Savannah, where she and her two sons, Bobby and Jamie, started the Bag Lady catering company. The business took off and evolved into The Lady & Sons Restaurant, which is located in Savannah’s historic district and specializes in Southern cooking. Paula is the host of Food Network’s Paula’s Home Cooking and is a regular guest on QVC, where her cookbooks are one of the newtowrk’s biggest sellers.