Banana Split Supreme

A supremely scrumptious, layered banana split ice cream dessert—complete with the maraschino cherries and roasted peanuts.

Recipe Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter - divided use
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
24 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
3 to 4 medium firm bananas, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened - divided use
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained and halved
3/4 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
Sweetened whipped cream for accompaniment

Cooking Directions:

1. In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter, sugar, milk and chocolate chips. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil and stir for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
2. Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter; toss with cookie crumbs. Press into a greased 13x9x2-inch dish. Freeze for 15 minutes.
3. Arrange banana slices over crust; spread with 1 quart ice cream. Top with 1 cup of chocolate sauce. Freeze for 1 hour. Refrigerate remaining chocolate sauce.
4. Spread the remaining ice cream over dessert; top with pineapple, cherries and peanuts. Cover and freeze several hours or overnight. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving. Reheat the chocolate sauce. Cut dessert into squares; serve with chocolate sauce and a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, if desired.

Makes 12 to 15 servings.