There are moments in life when the realization of how fragile we are shifts everything into perspective.  This past week, special friends of the family, Laura, Collene & Courtney Gaugh lost their loving husband/father, Bill Gaugh, a man not quite 49 years old.  Two days later I read that food writer, Jennifer Perillo, whose blog I follow, lost her young husband.  It is times like these that remind us to gather our loved ones close, and remember how important it is to cherish every second.

Today, the food community came together to honor Jennifer’s wish in her latest blog post, For Mikey, in which she asked anyone who wanted to help to “make a peanut butter pie this Friday and share it with someone you love. Then hug them like there’s no tomorrow”.  This resonated with me on so many levels.  With friends who have just lost their husband/dad this past week, we have been searching our hearts for words of comfort, offerings of peace…How do you comfort friends and family when a loved one is lost?  There are simply no words.

Food has always offered comfort, and the idea of making something wonderful and sharing it with those we love in honor of others made sense to me.  So I am extending this simple wish to all of you as we make our pie this afternoon and remember our friends who have lost special people in their lives.  Colleen, Laura, Courtney & Jennifer, this peanut butter pie was made with love in your honor.

Sometimes we all need a little reminder to share something delicious with the ones we love & hug them like crazy.

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Out of the Box Food Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie

Special Equipment: Stand or hand mixer, pie plate

Ingredients:

For Crust:

• 26-28 chocolate wafer cookies
• 3 1/2 tbsp butter, melted

For Filling & Topping:

• 2 pints all natural vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 -3/4C natural chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 pint, heavy whipping cream
• 1 tbsp raw sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 C salted peanuts, chopped
• Out of the Box Food Dark Chocolate Sauce

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Pulse chocolate wafers in a food processor.
• Transfer cookie crumbs to a medium bowl and drizzle melted butter over the top.  Mix well.
• Butter a pie plate and press cookie mix into the plate, lining the entire plate.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes
• Let cool.

Meanwhile:

• In a large bowl, fold peanut butter into softened vanilla ice cream.
• Spread ice cream mixture into baked pie crust.
• Place in freezer and freeze 1 hour or until ready to serve.

When Ready to Serve:

• Whip heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla over high speed until fluffy.
• Spread whipped cream over the top of the pie.
• Sprinkle chopped peanuts and drizzle chocolate sauce over the top
• Serve.

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With thoughts of peace and love…