If a waiter in an upscale restaurant were suggesting this dish for your dining pleasure, he would say something similar to “a delicious dish of small, delicate cookies carefully layered with fresh, slightly firm bananas combined with a delectable blancmange incorporating a touch of sour creme, topped with elegant peaks of sweetened cream whipped to perfection.”
We would call it Carol Smith Heissenbuttle’s Sour Cream Banana Pudding.
He, our waiter friend, should also tell you that if you have lost your sweet tooth, you may not like this. It is really good, and it is really sweet.
Carol has been a member of Ashley River Baptist Church all her life; her parents were married there. She serves as the church’s resource manager. Rev. David W. Patterson is pastor, Rev. H.S. Yarborough is minister of music/minister to senior adults, and Rev. Ronald Shearer is minister of education. The large 2,500-member Ashley River Baptist Church, organized in 1943 as a “granddaughter” of Charleston First Baptist, has a contemporary service at 8:30 a.m. and a blended traditional and contemporary service at 11 a.m. on Sundays.
When it came school time for her daughter Jenna Leigh, Carol enrolled her in the kindergarten program at the First Baptist Church School in Charleston. Charleston First Baptist is a large church where Rev. Marshall Blalock is pastor. The church began its church school in 1949 with 39 students and four teachers. Now the enrollment is 450.
Tommy Mullins is the headmaster; Robin Riggs is the principal for K3-grade 6, and Betsy Fanning is the principal for grades 7-12. Jenna did all her school years there from K3-12th grade, then attended Trident Technical College for a year. She is now taking the year off that many students do.
Carol works at the Medical University of South Carolina in the neuroscience department where research on addictions is done. In her away-from-work time, she enjoys sewing and crafts, especially making jewelry using Swarovski crystals. She often makes earrings, necklaces and bracelets for friends who want to give the pieces as gifts.
This recipe is another one of the “comfort foods” that everyone likes. The difference is the sour cream in Carol’s recipe, which she got from a friend almost 30 years ago. You may have a favorite banana pudding recipe, but if not, do try this one with the sour cream from Carol. Make it on Saturday, put it in the fridge, and everybody will enjoy it for … Sunday Dinner.
Sour Cream Banana Pudding
1 8-ounce carton sour cream
2 cups milk (no less than 2% fat)
1 12-ounce container Cool Whip
4-6 medium bananas (not too ripe)
1 12-ounce box Nilla vanilla wafers
2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding (do not use French vanilla)
Whisk together the milk, pudding, sour cream and ⅔ of the Cool Whip until completely mixed and starting to thicken.
In a large pan (lasagna or similar size, or deep rectangular plastic dish), put one layer of the vanilla wafers and then one layer of sliced bananas. Repeat layering (all the wafers may not be needed) and then add pudding mixture.* Top with the remaining ⅓ carton of the topping. Keep refrigerated. Serves 10-12.
(*Carol suggests tapping the container on the counter a few times so the pudding mixture can fall down among the wafers and bananas. She says you may also layer the wafers, bananas and pudding, then repeat the layers and add topping.)