Cool Pie for the 4th of July

When my children were small they would beg for me to give them a taste of directly from the 'Cool Whip' container. I figured it can't hurt, can it. So one day I decided I would try it instead of just giving the kids a taste. I must say I was pleasantly surprised.

I come from a long line of cooks that love to experiment and the kitchen and I must have inherited this gene too. I decided I wanted to make this 'treat' more nutritious. After looking over my kitchen, I discovered 2 containers of flavored yogurt, fresh fruit, and a pre-made graham cracker crust (as a pastor's wife, I keep one on hand for the unexpected drop in guest type emergencies). I mixed all the ingredients together and popped it into the pie shell. Then I stuck it back into the freezer. Several minutes before I served the pie, I pull it out to slightly soften. You should have heard the lip smacking reviews.

Over the years I've made variations of this pie. One of my favorites is Key Lime with a chocolate crust. The variations are as limited as your imaginations. Amounts of ingredients can be changed (although I've never gone with less than the 1-8oz container of Cool Whip and 1-8 oz container of yogurt). Sometimes I'll have 2 containers of yogurt or layer the flavors and fruit for a colorful effect. This is truly a fun recipe to play with. If you are looking for a no fail easy 4th of July Pie you can literally "whip" together in minutes, have it last for several days in the freezer (if your family doesn't devour it first), here is my pie to try:

4th of July Frozen Pie

Ingredients:

• 8 oz (one small container) Cool Whip
• 8 oz containers yogurt, any flavor (vanilla, strawberry or blueberry work the best for the 4^th of July)
• 3/ 4 c sliced strawberries and blueberries (reserve a berry or two for garnish when serving)
• 1 ready made pie graham cracker crumb pie shell (I know my tastes are a bit odd. I love the flavors of chocolate and berries. So I'll use a chocolate cookie crumb pre-made crust. Keebler's makes one).

Preparation:

Swirl Cool Whip, yogurt, and fruit together until smooth. Pour into pie crust and freeze until firm. Remove from freezer approximately 15 - 20 minutes before serving. Top with reserved berries or fresh or chocolate dipped mint leaves.