Cherry Dream Cream Pie-for Eddie

Did you see that mountain of whipped cream? Yummers.

There are two things you should know about me. First, although my family can drive me crazy, I love them more than carbs....and I love me some carbs. Second, I come from a family of major foodees. I realized it at Thanksgiving. The conversation always turns to food. ALWAYS.

So, who's Eddie? Eddie is my uncle. He is my mom's brother and an all around good ole' boy from back in the day. I grew up without a dad and being the first grand baby, you could say that I was a little spoiled. Okay, you can say that I was a lotta spoiled. No one spoiled me more than my grandmother *Nana* and my uncle Eddie.

Eddie is a hoot. Seriously. He likes to give advice, solicited or not. He always has my best interest at heart. I know he loves me and I adore him.

Remember what I said earlier, that we talk about food constantly? Eddie is of a different foodee breed. He can remember what he ate, when he ate it and more importantly, where he ate it and WHO made it. Eddie has eaten around the world...literally.

During Thanksgiving, Eddie mentioned a cherry cream pie from his past. Yep, I said it. cherry cream pie. Have YOU ever heard of a cherry cream pie? I hadn't. But, I knew in that moment, that I would spend the next few weeks trying to find a recipe so that I could surprise him with one at Christmas.

I bet your guessing I found loads and loads of recipes right? Uh..no. No one on the PLANET had ever heard of a cherry cream pie. So, I took it upon myself to make a recipe.

My first try was a good effort. I used instant pudding and cherry pie filling. Eh. It tasted a little like cherry, but not enough.

My second try, man I bought some awesome ingredients. Organic cherry preserves, real cherry juice, frozen whole cherries, and..oh yeah..instant pudding. Well, guess what. The pie had TREMENDOUS cherry flavor..with just one eency weency problem. It never set up. It was liquid. Looking back, I probably should have poured it in a glass and enjoyed it...bbbbuuuttt...I didn't.

Pie number 3 was just so so and I have admit that it finally hit me. I NEEDED CHERRY EXTRACT.

The picture you see above and below is the 4th and final pie. We dropped it off at Eddie's and I made him eat a piece in front of me. He enjoyed it! I now have the satisfaction of knowing that I have created my own savory and my own sweet recipe. Woot Woot.

So now, for your culinary pleasure, I present:

Cherry Dream Cream Pie

Ingredients:

Pie:

1 box Cook n serve vanilla pudding

3 cups of whole milk

1 ¼ tsp cherry extract

1 cup cherry preserves

2-3 drops of red food coloring

Crust:

1 deep dish prepared pie crust *or make your own*

Topping:

2 cups heavy cream

½ cup sugar

Steps:

1. Bake pie crust per directions and allow to cool

2. Following instructions on box, combine ingredients for pudding along with cherry extract. Cook and cool completely

3. Stir in preserves and food coloring. Pour into pie crust

4. In stand mixer, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and continue whipping until it forms stiff peaks.

5. Top pie with whipped topping

6. Enjoy!