Dirt Cake

3 1/2 cups whole milk

2 small packages instant French vanilla pudding

1 stick butter, softened to room temperature

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 (16-ounce) container non-dairy whipped topping

2 packages chocolate sandwich cookies

Milk chocolate candy rocks (if wanted)

A tube of green frosting (if wanted)

Assorted gummy worms (if wanted)

Whisk the milk and pudding together in a large bowl until smooth. Let stand five minutes. In another large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together with a hand mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Add the pudding and beat until smooth. Fold in the non-dairy whipped topping. Crush 1 package of cookies so that there are some fine crumbs, but also some larger pieces. There needs to be a variety. Fold this into the pudding mixture until evenly mixed.  Finely crush the other bag of cookies. In a large clear glass trifle dish, pour about a third of the pudding mixture into the bottom and spread to smooth. Sprinkle with a layer of about a third of the finely crushed cookies. Stick several of the candy rocks in the cookie layer, especially around the perimeter of the dish where they will be visible. (To look like rocks in the soil.) Top with another third of the pudding mixture on top of the cookie layer, then repeat with another cookie layer and some more candy rocks. Spread the remaining third of the pudding on top, then top with the remaining cookie crumbs. Add clumps of grass in different spots using a grass tip and the green frosting, then place more rocks and gummy worms on top to decorate. Chill for several hours to overnight before serving.

*******Side Note - don't let your rock candy or gummy worms touch the pudding mixture.  It will color the pudding and leave a undesirable taste behind!