Dirty!

Today we said good-bye to a long-time co-worker and we celebrated being done with a very stressful company inspection. So, to honor that I brought "dirt" and "bugs" to a meeting that we had. Just so happened I could shape the bugs to send Jon off with 'love'! Needless to say, the cake was a hit. I've also had this served in a flowerpot with a silk flower in it; I've turned it into a snowman scene, sprinkling powdered sugar snow on top and putting marshmallow snowmen in place; it's been a creepy graveyard with Milano cookies at off angles as tombstones; and I've served it in the back of a child's dump truck to be scooped out with a sand shovel! Your imagination is the only limit to the fun you can have with this cake!

KANSAS DIRT CAKE
1 package Oreo cookies (or similar type)
1-8oz. pkg. cream cheese (light works fine)
½ c. butter
1 c. powdered sugar
1-8oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed (light works fine)
2-3½ oz. pkgs. vanilla or French vanilla instant pudding
3 c. milk (non-fat works!)
1 tsp. vanilla

Crush cookies in food processor until fine, like soil. Place half of crumbs in bottom of 13x9 pan. Cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add sugar. Fold in whipped topping. Whisk together pudding mix, milk and vanilla. Fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour over crumbs. Top with remaining crumbs. Refrigerate until time to serve.