Grasshopper Pie

If you haven't noticed already, I love chocolate. I love chocolate and mint. I love chocolate and fruit. I love chocolate and pretty much everything (except coffee, I really don't like coffee. Doesn't matter if it's a mocha and "doesn't even taste like coffee." For people who don't like coffee, that's coffee). Anyway, I made this refreshing dessert for dinner the other night and it really hit the spot in this 110+ degree heat we are having.

 

The recipe is not difficult or time consuming and doesn't take any weird ingredients. Only thing I did notice is when we didn't eat the whole pie in the first sitting, there was a little bit of leakage into the pie tin by the next evening. Everything still tasted just fine, but it wasn't as pretty to look at.

• 1 1/2 cups cold milk
• 1 pkg (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2 3/4 cups whipped topping, divided, thawed
• 1 pkg (4.67 oz) mint Andes candies, chopped, divided
• 1 chocolate crumb crust (9 inches)
• 1/4 tsp mint extract
• 2 drops green food coloring
 

In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in 3/4 cup whipped topping. Fold in 3/4 cup candies. Spoon into crust. In another bowl, combine extract and remaining whipped topping, add food coloring if desired. Spread over pudding layer. Sprinkle with remaining candies. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, or until set.

NOTES: I couldn't find Andes mints at WinCo so I settled for the cheap-o faux-York Peppermint Patties. It tasted fine. The "chopping" of the candies was a little different since peppermint patties don't really chop. They smoosh. Either way I was able to get small pieces to mix in with the pie and decorate the top. I would also suggest more than two drops of food coloring. as you can tell from my photo (granted the red wood background doesn't help much), it doesn't look very green. I would say at least 4-6 drops. But your pie is your own creation. Do what you like!

Serves: 8
Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 15 min + chilling

Recipe from Taste of Home