Blueberry Lemon Cream Pie

This pie screams summer to me.  Fresh fruit, cool whip, and creamy lemon filling.  Bring it on summer, we're ready.  Per my sister in law this recipe even won 1st place in a pie contest, and who doesn't love a winner?

Blueberry Lemon Cream Pie

1 (9 inch) graham cracker crust

Blueberry Filling:
2 c. fresh blueberries
2 tbl. sugar
1/2 tbl. cornstarch
1 tbl. lemon juice
1 tbl. lemon zest

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping:
4 oz. Cool Whip
1 c. sliced fresh strawberries

In a saucepan combine the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice.  Heat over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until it thickens (will be about the thickness of the blueberry pie filling from a jar).  When thickened pour into the graham cracker crust and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.  Pour this mixture on top of the blueberries in the crust.  Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours until the filling is set.

When ready to serve top with the cool whip and decorate the top with fresh strawberries (you can also add some blueberries if you have extra).  Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.

Florentine Pasta Salad

Guess what America, it is hot outside.  Like way hot.  Like don't leave your house without four swipes of deodorant and a towel to dry yourself off with hot.  And that's just for the walk from the car to your house.  This pasta salad is served at room temperature or cold.  It doesn't require an oven and nothing in the world could make me happier these days, except maybe Blue Bell ice cream.

Florentine Pasta Salad

1 (7 oz) pkg basil and pesto sauce

1 (9 oz) pkg fresh fettuccine

2 tbl. lemon juice

2 c. fresh spinach, in bite size pieces

1 c. grape tomatoes

Sliced red onions to taste

1 can artichoke hearts, quartered

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite size pieces

Parmesan cheese

Cook the fettuccine according to the package directions.  Drain thoroughly under cool water, set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine pesto sauce and lemon juice.  Add the fettuccine and toss well.  Add all the remaining ingredietns and toss until well coated.

Top with parmesan cheese and either serve immediately at room temperature or store in the fridge and serve cold.

-D

Snickers Pie

If you had to guess which celebrity tv star decided to melt down Snickers, combine it with a few things including cool whip and make it into a pie, who would you guess?  I'm hoping everyone out there shouted out Paula Deen.  I have her Lady and Son's Just Desserts cook book and pretty much everything in there will make you gain ten pounds just from reading the ingredients.  This pie is no exception and has really been a fan favorite each time I've made it.  It's perfect for summer since it's frozen and doesn't require any baking.  Please excuse my super fancy aluminum pie dish, I just didn't feel like making a graham cracker crust from scratch.

Snickers Pie
from Paula Deen

4 King Size Snickers (I use about a bag of the fun-size ones, then you have some candy to snack on!)
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 1/2 tbsp. half and half
1(8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 9 inch graham cracker crust

On the top of a double boiler melt the snickers, peanut butter, and half and half until it is fully melted and smooth (as smooth as nougat and peanuts can get).  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.  Fold in the whipped cream into the snickers mixture.  When fully combined pour into the prepared pie crust.  Freeze for 4-6 hours (I do mine overnight), let thaw slightly before serving.  Drizzle with chocolate syrup or caramel sauce shortly before serving.

Enjoy!
-D

Big BBQ Salad

This salad has a ton of components.  I mean millions of trillions, and I didn't even use all the ingredients they listed on the original recipe!  To sum it all up there's a bed of mixed greens, corn, black beans, french fried onions, two salad dressings, goat cheese, and bar-b-que sauce.  Oh and you can add chicken if you want. Kind of a mouthful, but very very good.  Either one of the homemade dressings would be good on its own on a salad, but they work together really well.  I'm definitely somebody who likes their food to not have too much going on and somehow this worked for me.  Hope you enjoy!

Big BBQ Salad

adapted from twopeasandtheirpod

Avocado Vinaigrette

 2/3 c. olive oil

1/3 c. rice vinegar

1 medium shallot

3 tbl peach preserves

1 medium ripe avocado

Sour Cream Vinaigrette

2/3 c. olive oil

1/3 c. rice vinegar

1 medium shallot

1 garlic glove, roasted in the oven

2 tbl peach preserves

1 c. sour cream

For the salad

Mixed greens

Goat cheese, crumbled

Black beans, rinsed and drained

Corn

French Fried Onions

BBQ Sauce

To make the vinaigrette - put all the ingredients for one of them in a food processor or a blender and mix until smooth, repeat with the other vinaigrette ingredients when the first is done.

To assemble the salad - Make a bed of mixed greens then top with the beans, corn, goat cheese and french fried onions.  Then, drizzle with both vinaigrettes and top off with your favorite bbq sauce.  The originally recipe called for bbq chicken, which would definitely add an extra something to this salad.  Enjoy!

-D