Summer Time Pies

Alright, ladies and gentlemen. We are officially in the 'dog days' of summer. The watermelon is fresh and juicy and our very own Flathead Cherries have arrived! What better way to celebrate all of this abundance than with some delicious and easy pie recipes. Yes, you can have pie for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Just keep reading! You will also get to see one of my first cooking videos I shot about 4 months ago while I was on the LONGEST ROAD TRIP EVER! I published the recipe earlier, but am republishing with the video. Yes, I have learned a lot about doing cooking videos since which will be pretty obvious, but it is still fun to watch someone build something rather than just read it. All of the directions and the visuals are here!

Summer makes me think of swimming, sunshine, bikini's and vacations. Most recently my mom, dad, and boyfriend are all embarking on yet another long road trip over to Portland, OR and the Oregon Coast. I have been tired and uncharacteristically crabby. I woke up tired and crabby again this morning and realized why... I have been serving, writing, stacking wood, cleaning, laundry, and cooking and I have been forgetting to eat!

I was starving this morning. And Mediterranean Quiche and Feta Watermelon Salad is exactly the right answer to get me re-fueled and ready to continue preparing for our great adventure on the open road! And I decide to try out my Refrigerator Chocolate Pie...again Hey! Don't judge. I needed a little chocolate and sweetness.. okay? At least it is low in  sugar and fat (of course)!

Thank God we all love to drive otherwise the only thing we would be doing is driving each other crazy, which still will most likely happen, by the way. I'm a little overly enthusiastic, my mom is her own blend of enthusiasm and manic driven activity, and my dad adds a little map driven craziness. Add that all together and I'm not sure we will make it out of this trip alive. But I am hopeful and thankful that my boyfriend likes me enough, at least right now before the trip, to go with the flow. (Check the license plate on this car!---->)

We depart early tomorrow morning for a wild adventure with lots of pie in our bellies and hope for a great adventure. I have no doubt that we will have a wild adventure as we will bump into yet more (hopefully less crazy) family while we are there.
 

I am grateful for the time off work, the van to get us there, and the wonderful company that agreed to join me and my mom on this great adventure. I can't wait to see the ocean and eat lots and lots of crab! I'll let you know how it all goes...! My first trip to Oregon with my trusty Food Lover's Guide in hand! I'll let you know how it goes.. Stay Tuned!

Mediterranean Quiche

1 cup smoked salmon; diced

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 large tomatoes; diced

1/2 cup minced kalamata olives

2 tablespoons fresh basil; minced

1 tablespoon fresh pesto; jarred is perfect (we love Genova!)

1 tsp. parsley

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup chives; chopped

1/2 cup green onions; chopped

1 can artichoke hearts (14 oz); chopped

1 prepared pie crust

5 eggs

2 tbsp. fat free cream (or milk will work too)

1. Combine smoked salmon, garlic, tomatoes, kalamata olives, basil, pesto, parsley, feta cheese, chives, and green onions, and artichoke hearts in a large bowl. Stir to mix ingredients.

2. Place prepared pie crust in a deep dish pie crust and crimp the edges with your fingers creating thick crust along the top.

3. Spread the contents of the veggie and cheese mixture in the pie crust and spread until evenly in the pie crust.

4. In a separate bowl beat the 5 eggs and cream in a bowl and gently pour over the veggies in the pie crust careful not to cause an egg over flow!

5. Place the quiche in a 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes. Do the jiggle test at 40 minutes. When the quiche is done the middle will no longer jiggle and the crust will be a golden brown color! Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Then slice and serve!

Feta Watermelon Salad

2 cups fresh watermelon; cubed

1/2 cup fresh basil; minced

1/2 cup feta cheese; crumbled

2 tbsp. low fat balsamic dressing 

1. Combine the watermelon, basil, and feta cheese. Pour the dressing over the top and gently stir to combine. 

2. Serve chilled and immediately for the perfect summertime treat! 

Chocolate Cheesy Refrigerator Pie

This recipe is so easy and requires so little baking it is the perfect go to on a hot summer day like the ones that are headed our way! Dive into this decadent chocolate treat, you won't be sorry!

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 30 minutes
• Servings: 8

2 cup(s) of chocolate chip cookies, crumbled
2 tbsp. of butter
8 ounce(s) of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/2 cup(s) of low fat milk
2 packages chocolate pudding mix (separated)
1 cup(s) of chopped pecans
1 cup(s) of dark chocolate chips
8 ounce(s) of Cool Whip

Steps

1. Combine the crumbled chocolate chip cookies and butter and press into the bottom of a pie plate. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
2. Combine the 8 ounces of cream cheese, and 1/4 cup of milk, and 1 package of pudding mix in a large bowl.
3. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the pie crust.
4. Combine the chocolate chips and the chopped pecans in a separate bowl and sprinkle over the cream cheese mixture.
5. Combine the second chocolate pudding mix, the other 1/4 cup of milk, and the whipped topping in a separate bowl until completely combined.
6. Spread the cool whip mixture over the chocolate and pecans.
7. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate and pecan mixture over the top and you are ready to dive in. This can also be refrigerated overnight or until you are ready to serve!

Mental Health Tip: No matter what you have been depriving yourself of, whether it's time off, alone time, chocolate, or ice cream. Agree with me right now that you deserve it! Make an appointment to do what you really want. Better yet, go and get that ice cream sundae right now! Don't wait until tomorrow to give yourself the pleasure that you deserve today! Life is too short. And for me that means I get to eat a lot of chocolate! Yes, we decided to do a chocolate taste. And it was delicious... Now there's an idea for you. Why not taste some good chocolate.. and go ahead and call it research. When people ask, "Research for what?" Just tell them your working on your next million dollar idea. At least that's what I do!

Happy Hot Summer Daze from our kitchen to yours!

~ "Too Lovely Hot Messes gettin' back on the open road!