Those of you familiar with the second recipe I ever posted on Southern Plate know how much I love my Mama’s Mandarin Orange Cake. It’s so light and refreshing and the little bits of mandarin oranges taste just like sunshine. This pie combines all the flavors in the Mandarin Orange Icing into the wonders of a pie. The cool thing about it (well other than the fact that is really is “cool”) is that the recipe makes two and you store them in the freezer. So you can have one for dessert and save the other one for unexpected company or little treats as you need them. Summer is prime time for drop-ins and I don’t know anyone in my neck of the woods who isn’t looking for something cool, light, and refreshing in the middle of a sunny day.
Speaking of sunshine
Speaking of sunshine, I like to bring my own with me. I’m a firm believer that sunny days have nothing to do with weather and everything to do with mindset. I usually post “Good Morning” greetings on the Southern Plate Family Facebook page but I’m gonna share one with you today. This is what I do each morning. I wake up around five and lay there in bed coming up with what I want to say to people to start the day. I lay there until I find the little bits of wisdom given to me by grace with the rising of the sun. Starting a day out like that really helps get your head screwed on straight.
Here is my lil bit of wisdom for today:
When you wake up to find you’ve been given an entire day, the world and all its possibilities, complete with sunshine, love, and hope –
The best first response would be “Thank you.” ~Me
At the beginning and end of the day, there is so very much for us to be grateful for. Wake up and look for it. Set your alarm ten minutes early if you have to just to give yourself time to lay there and think about it. It’s a crying shame so many folks spend their time counting their sorrows instead of counting their blessings. What you nurture is what you grow. I sure don’t wanna be caught nurturing negativity!
So sit back and count your blessings today.
If this isn’t something you normally do each day then I challenge you to try it for a week. One whole week of taking just a few minutes to think on how very good life is right now. Do you have a house? Food on the table? Healthy kids? Some people have more money than we could ever dream of but they still can’t buy the blessings of a healthy child or sitting down to a meal cooked by someone who loves them.
If you have ever found yourself sitting around hoping to someday have more, I’m challenging you to set aside an entire week full of mornings contemplating the abundance you already have. Better yet, join me in posting a positive and uplifting good morning message on your facebook page each morning this week. I’d love for you to link to the Southern Plate page or come post it on my page as well and let’s all just join in lifting each other up all week long.
And while you’re at it, make this pie. Best served with love. 🙂
You’ll need: Mandarin Oranges, Crushed Pineapple (if you have chunks or tidbits that’d be fine too), Sweetened Condensed Milk, Lemon Juice, Whipped Topping, and two Graham Cracker Crusts.
Notice that I got the “Lite” whipped topping. Hey, every little effort counts :).
Of course, you can make your own graham cracker crust if you want to. On that same note you can also relocate to the rain forest or memorize the entire United States Constitution. It’s a free country. As for me and my house, I’m buying the graham crust. No sense in complicating an easy recipe and just because I can make a graham cracker crust doesn’t mean I hafta! 😀
Place your sweetened condensed milk, whipped topping, and lemon juice in a bowl.
If you don’t get a good taste of that sweetened condensed milk then I’m gonna disown ya here and now.
I love that stuff. Any recipe that has it in there is bound to be good.
Mix that up until nice and creamy.
Don’t blink, we’re almost done.
Drain your mandarin oranges and pineapple and toss them in.
Don’t worry about a little bit of liquid left in there. I know crushed pineapple tends to want to hang onto the juice a bit so no sense in arguing with it. It’ll be fine. You know, most recipes require a lot less fuss than we seem to think. Of course, it helps that I tend to avoid recipes that put on airs anyway. I find them as useful as I do people that put on airs. If it’s someone I can’t serve iced tea in a solo cup, there just isn’t any reason for them to be in my kitchen.
Now stir that up really well with a spoon, it won’t take much.
And spoon the filling into two graham shells. Place lids on and freeze.
Before serving, set out on counter for about ten minutes but even that is optional.
If you don’t feel like waiting, just dive on in.
Oh yum! LOVE this stuff!
Ingredients
- Mandarin Orange Pie
- 2 graham crusts
- 1/2 c lemon juice
- 1 -8 oz container cool whip
- 20 ounce can crushed pineapple drained
- 15 ounce mandarin oranges drained
- 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Mix together whipped topping, sweetened condensed milk, and lemon juice until smooth and creamy. Stir in drained fruit. Fill crusts and freeze. Remove from freezer approximately ten minutes or so before serving.
Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed.
Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.
– Denis Waitley. Submitted by Jenny
Yum 
You have inspired me to look at the positive instead of the negative everyday! I have also been spreading the love among my friends and family! Thank you for your kind words and beautiful spirit!
Thank YOU for being so sweet to me, Allison! People like you sure do make it easy to be positive!
Gratefully,
Christy
Gooooooood Morning Christy!!! The sun is shining and all is right in my world!!! I wake up in a fantastic mood every morning! My Nanny used to tell me to start the day with a smile on your face and don’t let anyone or anything take that away from you, God gave it to you and it’s yours to keep, so smile and let the world know how much you are loved.
Looks great! Gonna have to try it soon! I have 4 healthy boys, a husband, a house to live in, and family that loves me. It is hard not getting caught up in the stressfulness of having 4 boys ages 9 and under. that is definitly something I need to work on. Thanks for the “words of wisdom” this morning
This looks so yummy & refreshing. Having the hubs pick up the ingredients on his way home, hopefully one will be frozen enough in time for dessert!! Will they be ok to be repeatly frozen & thawed? We won’t finish one of these in one sitting.
“Experts” will probably tell ya no but Me and Ricky have been working on one of these for a few days now and keep taking it out and putting it back in the freezer and it’s GREAT!
Works for me!
What I do is take it out the first time and cut all the slices then all you have to do is take it out, get a slice, and put it back. It’s so good!
Howdy-hi Christy.
I was surprised to read that this recipe was the 2nd one you ever posted on SP. The ‘Nanner pudding one gets so much attention, it is awesome that this delicious looking recipe is now getting a bit more attention. I must say, there is nuttin’ quite like a cool, creamy pie on a hot summer’s day! Anything w/ fruit and cool whip has gotta be a winner. Thanks for sharing. You know this pie will be made soon at my house!
Hugs comin’ atcha! T.
Terri go DAWGS: Are you by any chance a Burnet DAWG?
Christy, You know you love anything sweet. After all we sweet southern gals are all alike in that way~giggles~well, for the most part of us anyway! Happy Day everyday!!
Hi Betty,
Well, I am sure I would love to be a “Burnet dawg” where ever that is, but I reference our family’s fav Univ (in Georgia) & College football team…the UGA Bulldogs. My sweet friend Christy doesn’t talk about Sports or Politics on SP but she hasn’t “kicked” me outta SP yet. ~grins~
If you were here I’d give you the extra pie Terri!
How kind of you to say, Christy. You would give me my own WHOLE pie?!?! Not just a itty bitty slice? Awww, shucks. Annnd I still can stay on SP? Wow. ~winks~
Fact is, I made 2 of these yesterday. Kept one, shared one. ~grins~ XO
Good morning, Christy! Man, I always feel like I’ve known you for ages when I read your posts! I’ll start to tell my husband something you’ve said, and I’ll say, “Christy said …” and he’ll give me a funny look and say, “Uh… who’s Christy?” Sheesh – you’d think by now, he’d know you, too! Thanks for your always encouraging words. Today they were especially needed! I was looking at your book last night trying to narrow down what dessert to take to a church thing next Sunday and was trying to decide between banana pudding and the mandarin orange cake. This pie looks so good, it may win out! Thanks again for inspiring us all to be better people, and not just better cooks! 🙂
Oh my goodness, thank you Melanie!!! You are so sweet!!!oh and please tell your husband that Christy said “hi” ~giggle~
Gratefully,
Christy
My 90 year old mother used to make this. But what was really great was that she added toast pecans to the mix.
This sounds so good-will be making these tonight after work-Christy how long do they need to be in the freezer before you can eat them?
This pie doesn’t “have” to be frozen but it sets up better that way. I you want to make it after work, just stick it in there for fifteen or twenty minutes and it’ll be a little softer but just as good! Some people only refrigerate it anyway. Hope you love it as much as we do!
Gratefully,
Christy
I was in a gloomy-it’s-Monday-morning mood this morning, and was anxious about the week ahead. Thank you for reminding me how much difference perspective makes! Your post brightened my morning.
I make something like this but I use cream cheese, cool whip and orange jello (dry) and fold in the fruit, pour into a graham crust and top with cool whip. It reminds me of Dreamcicles!
What to do with the pineapple juice from this recipe;
APPLE SALAD
Cook in microwave until thick
Pineapple juice from drained can of pineapple
1 egg
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon Butter
Cool. Then pour over 3 pealed & chopped apples into bit size . can of chunk pineapple.drained & a cup of small marshmallows.
Good one. Isn’t this kinda like Christy’s Fruit Salad dressing. YUMMY! A covering for fruit is always good. Reddi Whip or homemade whipped cream is my all time favorite yeh but sometimes when I’m in the mood for different this is very good. Thanks for sharing with us. We all like our memory refreshed as ahem some of us need to be reminded there is other yummy stuff out there! Have a great day! Thanks again…
Good Morning Christy =) I was thinking the same thing myself about the sweetened condensed milk before I read what you said about it, it must be good with that yummy stuff in it and I always sneak a taste on it’s own! Thank you for sharing all your recipes and your sunny outlook on life. Can’t wait to try this pie and I will count it as one of my blessings today to share it with my little family =)
This looks SO refreshing – I can’t wait to try it. No better time than the present, since it’s going to be in the 90’s today! Thanks for the uplifting words. Sometimes I need to be reminded to focus on the positive. 😉 Have a great day!
I look at the positive most days because when you have been told at one point in your life that you may have a certain form of cancer, you always think of how lucky you are to have your life and enjoy your children as many days as you can. I never was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer but they had to remove it when it became full of nodules. They told me it was a certain percentage possible when I was pregnant with my youngest son, so they could not operate until after he was born. Luckily I was cancer free and just have to take my synthroid medicine daily, but I still am so blessed that I was never in any danger and each day is truly a blessing.
OMGoodness Gracious Christy – – this sounds absolutely amazin’! I think I have all the ingredients to make this and it will go great with our bbq later on this evening! Thank ya much! : )
I wake up thankful for grown children who are walking with Jesus and raising their children to do the same, for my incredible husband, and that I live in America. In the early 90’s, right after the fall of communism, we lived in Russia and saw 1st hand the effects of communism on people’s lives. My husband often travels with his work to countries where there are limited freedoms. I am so thankful for our country and the men and women in the military.
Christy, Thanks so much for the iced coffee recipe, love it! Remind your readers to save those coffee grounds for their gardens. Plants love it!
What does coffee grounds do for plants?
Hi, Christy
This looks soooo great! I want to thank you for all your great recipes,
I have made Strawberry Pie, several times in the past month, I am going to try to make it sugar free if i can figure out how to do this. I really felt bad on Memorial Day, when i made the regular Strawberry Pie, My daughter is diabetic, and when she started to eat it, She asked if it was Sugar Free. But ate a small piece. It was wonderful. Nanner Pudding, I cannot make enough. Everyone asks me to make for every gathering. My grandson wanted me to make him a Nanner Pudding, so i made yours and since have made it at least 10 times. SooooooooooooooGood I am going to make this recipe with low fat condensed cream. I think it will work, and my Jennifer will be able to eat a little of it. I know its going to be awsome!!!!!
Do You Think This Will Work? We love Mandarin Oranges in lots of recipes.
Hey! You know, I think you can make that strawberry pie with sugar free gelatin and splenda in place of the sugar. The main thing to remember is pack the splenda light and fluffy (not packed in the cup) and take a tablespoon or so out before you use it. That will cut down on the artificially sweetened taste 🙂 .
Also, if you want to really make a special treat for Jennifer, try this! https://www.southernplate.com/2009/07/celebrate-with-fresh-strawberryade.html
It is entirely sugar free and DELICIOUS. She will be in heaven, I promise.
Here is another post with some desserts and such in it that I use Splenda in, I even have a splenda section in my cookbook 🙂
https://www.southernplate.com/2011/01/better-for-your-diet-southern-recipes.html
LOTS of sweets I use Splenda in there!
As for this recipe, the lower fat in the sweetened condensed milk won’t really affect the sugar, I’m afraid. It has just as much sugar as regular sweetened condensed, just less fat. There is also the sugar in the oranges (most are packed in syrup).
It’s not super bad as each pie ends up with only 1/2 a can, but I’d probably go with Strawberryade first and then check out some of the other recipes I make sugar free or low sugar on that other link I gave you. Banana pudding is great that way and you can even get sugar free wafers now!
Let me know how this turns out!
Gratefully,
Christy
Thanks for sharing this alternative as I have several friends, family that are diabetic and I am always unsure what dessert to take for them when we visit.
Christy, do you store leftovers, of course, if there is any, in the freezer or in the fridge?
You can store them in either one but I prefer the fridge as it keeps the pie pretty firm and they keep for a verrrrry long time 🙂
Gratefully,
Christy
Opps, sorrry Christy, if I had just read the replies I would of got my answer. Melba, how much cream chese, cool whip, jello and fruit do you use in your pie? It sounds yummy also. Elizabeth I am going to try your salad. Would Granny Smiths be good in it.
I think this is what my mother in law makes. Except she calls it million dollar pie. Funny how one thing can have so many different names!!
It is isn’t it?! I think it is all about who we grew up around.
I’ve always loved your bright outlook on life and I do try everyday to have one myself….some days are easier than others but it’s always…always worth the effort.
I will be trying this recipe, I love mandarin oranges.
LYB
LYB too JoAnn, I hope you have a wonderful day!!
Mornin Christy,
This sounds a lot like my mama use to make when I was home. It was called,”Million Dollar” pie. Cool and refreshing! I think you should be invited to be a motivational speaker at events and such. You have such a positive outlook. Yes, if you have those things you talked about in your post: food, house, healthy kids, you should be sooo thankful. I have two beautiful kids and one of them has been dealt her fair share of health problems. No, she doesn’t have cancer ( thank the God above for that), but diagnosed with fibromyalgia(at 11 yrs. old and then later with lyme), she has had lots of struggles. She’s almost 21 yrs. old now and still struggling. So any one out there with healthy kids, thank our Father in heaven daily for that. Love you, Christy.
Didn’t see your comment, Angela! Guess our Mamas had the same type of recipe. 🙂
One of my favorite saying is “The dog you feed is gonna get bigger, so which dog are you gonna feed?” As in, we all have choices every second of every day. When you choose to follow those things that bring happiness and joy to yourself and others, things tend toward the better. When you recognize those positive things and hold them up you will feel better.
When you get those occasional bumps and lumps handed to you, it is best to give them a nob, pat them on the head and then send them along their way. If you give them too much attention, they tend to stick around.
I love that Mary, thank you so much for sharing, so true!!
What a positive way to look at life, and also lift the spirit of someone else. I wake up every day and meditate a few minutes to THANK GOD FOR THE BLESSING I HAVE BEEN GIVEN. There is so much we have to be thankful for, especially if we can reflect back over our lives, to see how far we have come, from where we were in the years past.. If you can learn to project that positive thinking onto others, imagine what a wonderful world we would live in.
I make a pie similar to that one, it is called a Frozen Yogurt Pie, you use 2 tubs of yogurt with fruit on the bottom, add a 8 oz. tub of cool whip, then 2 cups of sweetened chopped fruit, I usually use strawberries, with Strawberry yogurt, mix it all together and freeze. I add extra sliced strawberries on top before freezing, and then pour it into a large graham pie shell. It is my husbands favorite summer cool dessert. You can also use sweetened blueberries or peaches, along with that flavor of yogurt.. Thanks for you recipe too Christy it really does sound delish.
Yummy Rose, thanks for sharing!! I hope you have a wonderful day!!
Treva,
8oz. cream cheese, mix with 2/3 carton( reg. size) cool whip; then add 3oz box orange jello, mixing well to dissolve jello. Fold in 1 1/2 c drained pineapple, small can of Mandarin oranges; chill. Top with remaining cool whip. Store in refrigerator.
Wondering if I could substitute other fruits like oranges, strawberries, blueberries or even another canned fruit like peaches or pears cuz I just don’t care for mandarins. Sure hope so cuz this looks and sounds Delish!
I too take the first few minutes of the morning to think of all I’m blessed with! Unfortunately, then my pain begins and I have to purposely look for things to make me smile throughout the rest of the day. Thank you Christy for your cheerful words of wisdom and thanks everyone else for sharing your thoughts and ideas – Made me smile!!! ~giggle~
Substitute away Sandy! And thank you so much!!!!
I love a good simple recipe for the hot summer days. I cant wait to make this and take it out on the deck by the pool at enjoy. Thanks for sharing.
What a wonderful idea Wendy!! I hope you enjoy your day!
Love this one! But Christy, you know me….I’m gonna add somethin’……gonna throw in some sweetened coconut and pecans pieces….just cuz I can!!!!! LOL! ~hugs~
MMMM!!!
Dear Christy,
Could I use something else besides pineapple – it’s the only thing in the world that I can’t eat?