Cookies and Cream Trifle

Start to finish: 20 minutes preparation, plus 6 hours chilling time in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:
Two (FOUR 1/2 Cup Serving Size) boxes instant chocolate pudding mix
4 cups skim or low-fat milk, divided
One 8 oz. package light cream cheese at room temperature
Two 3 oz. packages ladyfingers, (see Cook's note below)
32 Oreo cookies, with additional for garnish
One 12 oz. carton Cool Whip or other reduced-fat nondairy whipped topping

Directions:
1. Place the pudding mix, 3 cups of the milk (reserve remaining cup for later) and the cream cheese in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed until well blended. (There will be small pieces of the cream cheese. This is OK.) Set aside.
2. Split the ladyfingers in half lengthwise, if they are not already. Place half of one package, cut-side up, to line the bottom of a trifle bowl or glass bowl with a 16-cup capacity. (They may overlap a bit. This is fine.) Drizzle 1/4 cup of the remaining milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, over the ladyfingers, thoroughly moistening them. Spread about 1/4 of the pudding mixture over the ladyfingers.
3. Spread 1/4 of the whipped topping over the pudding. Coarsely chop 8 Oreo cookies, and sprinkle them over the topping.
Repeat layers 3 more times, ending with cookie pieces. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 6 hours (or up to 24 hours) to let the flavors blend. Serve in dessert bowls. Garnish with additional cookies if desired.
Makes 15 servings

Cook's note: Check with the bakery manager at your grocery store for ladyfingers (they are sometimes refrigerated), or substitute thin slices of angel food cake.
The ladyfingers at Safeway are already split in half lengthwise, so there is no need to do this in step 2 above.

(Thanks to Stacie A. for submitting this recipe!)