Mom's Pistachio Dessert

I found this in mom's recipe file after she died and knew I just had to make sure I had a copy of it. What better place to put the recipe than here, since that means I can print it from anywhere I can get online? As a child it was one of my favorite desserts, even though mom only made it for pot-lucks and such. She usually made it with walnuts. She also noted that this could be frozen. I need to try this with 1 cup whipping cream whipped for the top layer and not in the cream cheese layer. (I'm trying to get away from using Cool Whip.)

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 12-16

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups flour
• 3⁄4 cup butter
• 1⁄4 cup  nuts, chopped
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) carton Cool Whip, separated
• 3⁄4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 (3 ounce) packages instant pistachio pudding mix
• 2 1⁄2 cups milk
•  cherries, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Crust: Combine flour, butter, nuts and sugar and bake in 9x13 pan at 375° for 15 minutes. Cool.
2. 1st layer: Mix cream cheese, 1/2 carton Cool Whip, and powdered sugar and spread on crust.
3. 2nd layer: Beat pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes. Then spread on top.
4. 3rd layer: Top with remaining Cool Whip. Ganish with additional nuts or chopped cherries.