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.
Nutrition
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
what if u don’t hv lemon juice?
You can:
A. use lime juice
B. Squeeze a lemon until it gives you it’s juice (sometimes you have to scare them a bit)
C. Go buy lemon juice (this is my personal preference if A is not an option).
D. Make the pie without lemon juice (it will be minus an ingredient so there will be a flavor difference)
E. Not make the pie – but then your taste buds will be sad because they have already got their hopes up at this point.
My Mama was the best pie-maker ever. In fact, at her funeral which a shirt-tail cousin of ours preached, he said “If Aunt Lois knew how many people were going show up, she wouldn’t have died. She’d be in her kitchen, making pies for all of us.” In fact, she had her heart attack in the kitchen, making a pie.
She would have loved this pie, since she would have it ready-made for company.
I made the recipe, it was lush and I’m keeping the second one in the freezer as she would have done. Thank you.
Hi Christy, hope Your having a good Memorial day. I hope you see this. A couple things. Your wrote “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 You should add and I know there are those that wont like it but you should (anyway) write “Thank You God” ~ Me 😉 And I loved what you added at the end of your blog here about memorial day & those that made it possible. I too am a vet and I Thank God every chance I get for our military and country. Even though we may be hurting. And lastly I will (maybe not this weekend) but i will make this recipe. my wife and I love mandarin oranges and pineapple. So I know we will love the pie. God Bless You & Yours Christy. 🙂
May God Bless you and yours as well John!! I hope you have a wonderful day and thank you so very much for your service!!! Enjoy a piece of pie for me as well 🙂
Oh YUMMMM!
Christy-
I just made this pie with key lime juice & a shortbread crust (because that’s what I had in the pantry) and it’s wonderful! A keeper for sure! =)
I am so glad you liked it Rachel!!
After my daughter was born, a friend brought dinner to me. She also brought me a mandarin orange pie. I have been craving one so I’m excited to try this!
This sounds lovely for a good Summer dessert! 🙂