HopeAbound: Pudding Fruit Pie

If you spend anytime looking through blogs before holidays, like yesterday, you're probably like me and become overwhelmed by all of the super creative, holiday inspired crafts, desserts, and what-nots. It's all fun and games, but when you really have no one to throw a hoop-la of a party for or have anyone to entertain and ~~impress~~ interact the fun of all that work just goes out the window. Can I get a hoo-rah?!?

You would understand better if you had a glimpse of my house (which you will not because at this moment it is completely consumed by grass clippings, baby toys, blankets, and attempted to be folded laundry ev-er-y-where! Living proof of a crazy weekend) and saw that there are zero, notta, none, zilch holiday inspired decorations.

My theory: Maybe when the girls get old enough to appreciate it. Yepper!

Anyhoo...in desperation of some holiday oomf...I decided to make a festive and 4th of July appropriate dessert to celebrate our country's great accomplishments and to say thank you to the dedication of all the men and women (like my husband and I) that serve/ed in the armed forces.

Ok...really, it was my way of reasoning with a dessert. Not quite a cake. Not quite a fruit tart. More like...whatever Kristen (that's me! *wink*) wants to call it because it is in need of a name

...poor nameless cake/pie/tart/???.

It all started after a trip home from the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning. I came back with all of this fruitful bounty and it totally hit me. My mission was clear! A trip to the store for some pudding and jello and I was set.

Pudding Fruit Pie

1 pack of jello (I used raspberry flavor)

2 packs of vanilla pudding ( I used french vanilla..all that was left)

blueberries

strawberries

milk and water

pie crust (so happy to find a granola pie crust for only $0.88!!!!!)

This was soooo easy to make. I had no recipe and it turned out to be soooooooo yummy! My husband was awesomely surprised (that's because I'm really not a big dessert maker-upper *cheese!*)

Here ya go...

1. Make your pudding and jello right before you start the whole process. Pour a layer of pudding into the pie pan. Toss some blueberries in there and put it in the freezer for a good 20 minutes. This will help later on.

2. Take the pan out of the freezer and pour your jello on top of the pudding layer. Here's an important note: The longer your pudding layer sits in the freezer, the more it reduces your chance of having it look like mine did in picture #3.

3. Place the pie in the fridge to allow the jello to set. Be patient. Your jello will spread and smear if you attempt to move on to quickly. Trust me!

4. After the jello is set, spread another layer of pudding on top. I had pudding left over...enough for the girls lunch today.

When it's all said and done and you decorate it or not, your ~~nonexistent~~ crowd will thank you with fruitful smiles and a satisfied belly.

Oh and what a fun weekend we had. Sunshine, the beach, pool time, shopping...family. Can't get any better than that!!! Here's a few clips: