Coconut Cream Pie with a Praline Bottom

Can you believe I made this Sunday and didn't take pictures? But thanks to iPhones...here's one of the last piece!
What the heck was I thinking?
This one isn't for the diet conscious (except if you only eat one piece...and leave the rest at your sister-in-law's house so she will send it home with someone else *wink*), but it is a decadent pie, and a coveted go-to recipe, especially when it's your mom-in-law's birthday. I made it one time for a family gathering and sold all of them on it; so, now, along with a mean chocolate pie for the boys, it's a regular at Curran family gatherings.

Here's what you need:

• baked pie shell (I cheat and buy the Pillsbury ones that you unroll and bake)
• Praline bottom:
• 1/3 cup of butter
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
• Put these ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil 30 seconds. Remove from heat and pour into baked pie shell. Let sit to cool.

• Pie filling:
• 2 small boxes of instant vanilla pudding (you can use the sugar free, but what's the point, really?)
• 2 1/2 c. milk
• 1 1/2 coconut
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• Pour the milk into a mixing bowl and then add the pudding and whisk until thickened. Stir in the coconut, and then spread this mixture on top of the praline in the pie shell.

• Whipped Topping...go ahead and get the light so you don't feel so bad.
• Spread the whipped topping over the coconut pudding. Sprinkle with more coconut.

Keep the pie refrigerated until and after serving. You might want to make two.

It won't last long.

Back tomorrow with a guest blogger!

Melissa will show us how to

make devilish cake balls!

Oh, yes, they are the devil.

We fight over them at home. Ha!