No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake and Marie Callender's Pot Pies

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I hope you had a wonderful Christmas holiday.  If you don't celebrate, I hope it was a good few days for you! Ours was wonderful but whoo, it's exhausting.  I have been in recuperation mode the last few days and that means, I don't wanna cook.  That's right. I don't wanna cook! I just want to eat no bake peppermint cheesecake, Marie Callender's pot pies, and watch movies with my daughter.  That's all.  I don't ask for much, do I? Hee hee.  I didn't think so.

Marie Callender's pot pies have always been my favorite.  Their cornbread, too but we aren't talking about that today.  Today, it's all about the homemade gravy, mixed vegetables and all white meat chicken within a golden flaky crust.  Each bite warms my soul.  I have never been able to make a good pie crust at home and popping a Marie Callender's pot pie in the oven or microwave is just as good as making one from scratch.  I have always loved comfort food and a pot pie is the ultimate comfort food.  Yum.

Follow up this pie full of deliciousness with even MORE deliciousness... a no bake peppermint cheesecake.  This cheesecake is super easy.  No baking.  No sweating.  Just whip it up and assemble.  Easy peasy!

Sometimes, I just want to relax and chat with my daughter.  Some days we are just rush, rush, rush and we don't slow down enough to just chat and relax.  I want to hear about her day and she wants to talk to me.  Sit down at the table, eat our pot pies and just listen to her talk about her life.  What's important at the end of the day is just being there. Not that the dishes were done or that I baked all day.  No.  Just knowing I am there for her is what is important to my daughter. 

 RECIPE:

No-Bake Peppermint Cheesecake



Ingredients:

crust:

10 chocolate sandwich cookies.
2 tbsp. melted butter

cheesecake:

2 8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened.
1/2  of a 7 oz can of sweetened condensed milk*
1 cup of whipped topping
1/2 cup of crushed candy canes*
1/2 tsp peppermint extract *
2-3 drops of red food coloring*

topping:

whipped topping
crushed candy canes

1.  Crush cookies.  You can either use a food processor or a ziploc baggie and a rolling pin/hammer/whatever you have! Pour cookies into a mixing bowl and add the butter slowly. Mix until cookies are evenly coated.  You can put the cookie crust into a pie pan, individual dessert cups, mini mason jars, etc.  Set aside!

2.  Mix cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth with a hand-mixer.

3.  Add peppermint extract and mix.

4.  Fold in whipped topping and candy canes.

5.  Mix in food coloring.

6.  Pour mix into pie pan, dessert cups, mason jars, etc.  I would suggest an ice cream scoop or a piping bag (or a ziploc with a hole in the corner) for jars or cups.  It will look a little neater.

7.  Refrigerate at least two hours.

8.  Just before serving, top with additional whipped topping and sprinkle with crushed candy canes (I used peppermint crunch baking pieces for this batch).  Of course, these are optional toppings! Use whatever you wish!

9.  Enjoy!

*I eyeballed the sweetened condensed milk and I stopped pouring when it was about half.
*I would add the candy canes and extract to taste.  You can skip the candy canes, if you wish.  They add a nice little crunch to the cheesecake but completely soften overnight.
*You can totally skip the food coloring.  It's not a must!

Of course, Marie Callender's amazing pot pies can be found at Walmart in the freezer section at a great price.  If you'd like to learn more about Marie Callender's, be sure to visit their website and Facebook page. Need some recipe ideas? Pot Pie Please is the bee's knees.

There you have it! An easy weeknight meal

Easy meal and dessert.

No need to spend hours in the kitchen, instead save your energy for what is important- family!

Emma adores babies and was over the moon getting to hold her cousin for the first time. Don't mind her post-Christmas-war hair and face. LOL I got to see my GREAT-nephew for the first time.  Yes, great. My niece is only three years younger than me.  This little sweetie is soooo cuddly.  We love him.  Family = Love.