Raspberry Cream Pie, No-Bake!

This kid friendly pie is a creamy dream topped with fresh raspberries! This recipe is soooo easy, and nothing says springtime like fresh berries. Except for handling the boiling water, this would be a great recipe for a beginning cook to try. This delicious pie is easy to make, but does need to be refrigerated for several hours before serving, so make your pie early in the day, or the night before your event. If you are watching calories, chose low calorie options when shopping for ingredients.

For this recipe, you will need:

· Water (boiling hot, cold, and ice)

· One 3 ounce package of raspberry flavored gelatin (regular or sugar-free)

· One 8 ounce package of frozen whipped topping (regular or diet)

· One ready-to-use graham cracker crust (regular, reduced calorie, or homemade!)

· One package (about one cup) of fresh raspberries

· Cooking utensils (bowl, measuring cups, slotted spoon, whisk, pot)

Thaw whipped topping for 15-30 minutes. While topping is thawing, boil one cup of water. Remove plastic (clear plate) from graham cracker crust by carefully bending foil rim upwards. Set clear plate aside to use later.

Sprinkle the 3 ounce package of raspberry flavored gelatin into a heat resistant mixing bowl. Measure and pour 2/3 cup of boiling water onto gelatin. Stir for two minutes to dissolve gelatin. Add ½ cup of cold water, and one cup of ice cubes. Gelatin will be starting to “gel” and thicken. Remove un-melted ice cubes from bowl with a slotted spoon.

Add thawed whipped topping to the bowl. Use a whisk to combine whipped topping and gelatin. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for twenty minutes, to allow the pie filling to thicken.

Remove pie filling from refrigerator, and pour into graham cracker crust.

Put the pie in the refrigerator, and chill for at least four hours before serving. Garnish with fresh raspberries, just before serving. Remember that clear plate which you removed earlier from the crust? Flip it over, and put in on top of your pie. Crimp the metal edges closed. Since you flipped the plastic plate top over, and added it to the top of the pie, you do not need a pie carrier to take your pie to a party!