I usually do my grocery shopping on Saturday morning. And I usually like to go alone. Elizabeth hates shopping of any kind, so dragging her along is basically torture for me. From the second we step through the doors of the store, she starts complaining.
I want to go home.
Are you finished yet?
My feet hurt. My head hurts. My back hurts.
Oh, my gosh! How many things are on your list? We’ll be here FOREVER!
It smells weird in here.
You’re not cooking THAT, are you?
It’s not fun.
Christopher actually loves shopping (and eating), so we have a whole different set of problems.
Can I get this?
Can you make that?
I’m hungry.
I need these.
Can I just eat this now?
I really want you to make that next week.
Hey, there’s somebody from school. See ya later, Mama!
We really NEED ice cream.
I really like to grocery shop alone.
I make pretty detailed menus and arrange my grocery lists according to location of items in the store. I use my iPad to make the menu and list and then text the list to my phone. I don’t do well with paper lists. I always, always, always lose them.
I try not to deviate from the items on my list. Of course, there’s always the “Oooh, we’re almost out of salt (or cream cheese or chicken stock or sugar or flour)!” situation. And I do occasionally get hit with a sudden inspiration while shopping.
Like yesterday. I knew from social media and the morning news that it was National Pi Day. We’ve already discussed my dislike of math, but while I was shopping yesterday, I remembered seeing the cast of The Today Show eating PIE for Pi Day. I began to plan my pie while I was shopping, mentally listing the needed ingredients and their locations.
After I had returned home and all of the groceries were unloaded and put away, I sat on the couch for a few minutes before starting lunch. Christopher came inside from mowing the front lawn and said, “Mama, you know it’s National Pi Day. I think you should make a pie!” He was thrilled when I informed him that making a pie was indeed on my to-do list.
People are funny about desserts. Either you’re a cake person or a pie person. I’m a pie person. Either you’re a fruity pie person or a creamy pie person. I’m a creamy pie person. I love coconut cream pie, French silk pie, lemonade pie, lemon meringue pie. Okay, I know that last one is technically a fruit pie, but the meringue kind of makes it a creamy pie. Oh, who am I kidding? I love pie! Cherry, chocolate, apple, strawberry, pecan, blueberry. I love pie.
This particular one is one of my favorites because it’s easy, only has three ingredients, and it’s delicious!!
Frozen Hershey Bar Pie
- Oreo crust
- 6 Hershey bars with almonds
- 1 16-oz. tub of Cool Whip
Break Hershey bars into small pieces in a large mixing bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from oven (bowl will be hot!). Stir, stir, stir! Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove from oven (still hot!). Stir, stir, stir! At this point, chocolate should be melted and smooth. If not, return to microwave for 30 more seconds and stir.
Put one big spoonful of Cool Whip into the melted chocolate and stir until well blended. Continue putting in one big spoonful at a time. When all the Cool Whip has been mixed thoroughly into the chocolate, spoon the mixture into the crust.
Freeze for at least 3 hours.
Well Duh #1: Use a glass bowl for microwaving. If you use a plastic bowl, the Cool Whip will chill the chocolate too fast and make it solidify to the bottom of the bowl. The glass will keep the chocolate melted for longer, allowing you to get it completely mixed with the Cool Whip. OR you can put the Cool Whip in a big bowl and pour the melted chocolate into it. But that just messes up an extra bowl, so where’s the fun in that?
Well Duh #2: You can use melted chocolate, ganache, or chocolate syrup for garnish. I have served it with a big dollop of whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and a cherry, but my tribe really just likes it plain.
Well Duh #3: Of course, you can use the Hershey bars without almonds. But we’re nuts about nuts in our family, so we always use the Hershey bars with almonds.
Well Duh #4: The cool thing about Cool Whip is that it never really freezes solid like ice or even like ice cream. It retains a semi-soft creamy texture even when frozen.
Well Duh #5: Make sure your Cool Whip is completely thawed before starting this dessert!
Well Duh #6: Of course, you can make your own Oreo crust. It’s just crushed Oreos and melted butter. But I was – as usual – looking for quick and easy, so I bought a pre-made crust. They are with the graham cracker crusts in the grocery store.
Well Duh #7: DON’T BURN THE CHOCOLATE! Microwave in short increments of time. Once it’s burned, there is no recovery. Have a good cry, scrape out the bowl, go get more chocolate bars, and start over.
We love this pie. I usually make it several times during the summer, but it was a great treat for National Pi Day. I hope you’ll enjoy it, too!
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