No Bake Peanut Butter & Jelly Pie

This is another recipe that I got from Food Network. It's one of those really simple no bake pies. This is even pretty enough to serve on Valentine's Day. There's not a lot of work involved so that leaves plenty of time for more important things....like catching up on the last three episodes of Lost on Hulu.com. Heh!

Ingredients

• 1 (1/4-ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup warm water
  
• 1 (12-ounce) jar seedless strawberry jam
  
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
  
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 pre-baked (9 or 10-inch) graham cracker pie shell
• Roasted peanuts, for garnish

Directions

Sprinkle gelatin over the water to soften and let stand for 5 minutes. Over very low heat, warm the mixture in a small saucepan, just until gelatin is dissolved. Do not boil.

In the work bowl of a food processor, add jam and process to break up the chunks. Add gelatin mixture and process until smooth.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the peanut butter, cream cheese, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth. Very gently fold in the thawed whipped topping.

To assemble the pie:

Add 1/3 of the jam mixture to the bottom of the pie crust, spreading with a spatula to smooth. Add half of the peanut butter mixture evenly over top. Top with another 1/3 of the jam mixture. Add the last half of the peanut butter mixture. Using the back of a spoon, make dips and swirls in the top mixture. Drizzle the remaining jam in and around the swirls in a decorative manner. Add small groups of roasted peanuts to the top, in and around the peanut butter swirls and in the jam. Chill for several hours before serving.

I went wrong somewhere and came up short on filling. I didn't have enough whipped topping to make the dips and swirls. I ended up spreading the rest of the strawberry mixture evenly on top. I also forgot all about the peanuts for garnishing. I think the mint leaves worked though. Doug really liked it. He said it tasted just like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, only soft and mushy. Thanks, I guess?!?