Everybody knows about banana pudding. It is a favorite go to when you want to make a good impression. Have you ever thought about using strawberries instead? You don't need fresh strawberries. Frozen ones are in this recipe. Keep some vanilla wafers on hand. Everything else you probably have in your pantry.

If you don't have fresh milk, dry milk will do. Just combine the instant milk solids with the dry instant pudding before adding enough water to equal three cups of milk. You will never know the difference. Also, the pudding mixture will be thin when you spread it. Vanilla wafers absorb moisture from the pudding. Be sure to cool the strawberry mixture, but do not refrigerate. It sets up quickly which would make it hard to spread.

This recipe is one of my daughter Anne's favorite desserts. We like it better than banana pudding.

STRAWBERRY PUDDING
24 ounce pkg frozen sweetened sliced strawberries, thawed
Two 3 ounce pkgs strawberry gelatin
3 cups cold milk
1 large pkg instant vanilla pudding mix or 2 small pkgs
1 cup sour cream
12 ounce container of frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
1 box vanilla wafers, divided

In saucepan over medium-low heat, combine strawberries and gelatin. Stir constantly until gelatin dissolves. Do not bring to a boil. Stir just long enough to dissolve the gelatin. Cool to room temperature, don't chill. In medium bowl, combine cold milk and instant pudding mix. Stir with whisk until well blended. Immediately stir in sour cream and whipped topping, reserving enough whipped topping to cover top of pudding.

To assemble pudding, in a 13 by 9 inch pan, place a layer of vanilla wafers, then pudding mixture topped with the strawberry mixture. Repeat once, reserving enough pudding mixture to cover top. Finally, crumble reserved vanilla wafers and sprinkle over top of dish. Chill several hours or overnight. Makes 20 servings.