Triple Layer Peanut Butter Pie

A couple weeks ago, my dad had back surgery.  The surgery was successful, but he ended up being in the hospital for 12 days!  When he finally received the green light to go home, he was more than ready for the comforts of home as well as a good homemade meal!

Since we always go to my parent's house for Sunday dinner, I told my dad that he could choose anything he wanted for me to make for dessert.  Anything that sounded good to him, I would make.  And for some odd reason, even though I've never made one for him before, I had a feeling he would choose a peanut butter pie.  He did! 

Since I've never made a peanut butter pie before, I had to find a recipe.  I couldn't find one that I really liked, so I ended up combining different aspects of 3 or 4 different recipes.  The result was this triple layered masterpiece.  Everyone really enjoyed this pie, and I loved that it wasn't too sweet or too rich to have a large slice. 

Who am I kidding?  Even if it was sweet and rich, I'd have had a large slice!

Triple Layer Peanut Butter Pie

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:
35 Nilla wafers, finely crushed
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (3.9 oz) package Jell-O chocolate pudding
1/2 cup milk
6 ounces cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups Cool Whip, thawed and divided
2 Tablespoons peanut butter

1.  Mix the wafer crumbs and butter until well blended. 

2.  Press into the bottom and sides of a 9" pie pan and bake at 375 for 10 minutes.  Cool.

3.  While the pie crust is cooling, beat the chocolate pudding mix and milk with a whisk for 2 minutes.  The pudding will be thick.

4.  Spread the chocolate pudding onto the bottom of the crust.

5.  Mix the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and peanut butter in a medium bowl and beat until blended.

6.  Fold 1 cup of Cool Whip into the peanut butter mixture.

7.  Spread the peanut butter mixture over the chocolate pudding layer.

8.  Spread the remaining cup of Cool Whip over the peanut butter layer.

9.  Microwave the peanut butter in a small bowl for 15 seconds.  Drizzle over the Cool Whip layer.

10.  Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours before serving.