Banana Split pie

I don't know where the original recipe comes from, but I learned of this recipe from my aunt Susan who often made this when we were kids. I never really knew the recipe, but I played around with it and eventually perfected it. I can honestly say that this dessert won hubby over. Its his favorite and often asks me to make this for potlucks. Making this makes me nostalgic of my childhood days when we used to have a lot of family gatherings.

The original recipe didn't call for a chocolate topping. But at the request one day of my nephew, Ivan, I started putting a chocolate topping on it. What's a banana split without a chocolate topping, right? Chocolate definitely makes everything even better. This recipe is super simple. It calls for baking the graham cracker crust from scratch, but you can definitely use the ready-made graham crust in the pie tin to make it even more easier.

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
5 Tbsp. butter, melted

8 oz bar of cream cheese, softened

2 ripe bananas, sliced

8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained

8 0z tub whipped topping

chopped walnuts for topping (optional)

chocolate shell topping for drizzling

1) For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Combine graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter and mix until well blended. Set aside a quarter cup of the mixture and place on a baking sheet. Press the remaining crumbs on a 11 x 2 inch pan (or any rectangular pan smaller than a 13 x 9 inch pan). Bake both pans for 10 minutes and cool completely.

2) Beat together cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup sugar (note: it will be easier to spread mixture if cream cheese is very soft, almost melted). Spread over prepared crust. Cool for a few minutes if cream cheese is warm.

3) Arrange slices of bananas on top of cream cheese mixture. Evenly spread crushed pineapples on top of bananas. Spread whipped topping.

4) Top with prepared graham cracker crumbs and walnuts (if using). Drizzle chocolate and refrigerate for at least an hour.