With spring comes warm weather, and summer is always quick to follow! It seems one day it’s 50 degrees outside, then 70, then you’re right up in the hot and humid 80’s and 90’s!

Frankly, I can’t wait! Just a little warmer, and we can get down all the screens, power wash the house, wash the windows and screens, and pop them in to let the soft breezes off of the lake drift through the house. Nothing better than fresh air after having the house closed up all winter long!

When warm weather approaches, I get thinking immediately about some of my favorite hot weather dishes! Grilling, fresh fruit, vegetable salads, and cool creamy pies!

One of my favorites, hands down, is this classic pie! Super quick and easy to make, and doesn’t heat up the whole house!

I’m not sure of the origin of this creamy delight, but after googling, there are a few possibilities.

One lady from Fort Worth, Texas, recalls enjoying this pie back in the 1950’s at Wyatt’s Cafeteria. And others claim that they have had it in other cafes and diners around the same time in North and South Carolina, Indiana, and Georgia. So, your guess is as good as mine!

Though the origin is pretty much unknown, I think the name of this pie was decided because of the pretty pieces of pineapple that resemble flecks of gold, and because, let’s face it, it tastes like a million bucks$$$!!!

Super cool and creamy, and chock-full of pineapple, coconut, pecans, (plus an additional layer of sliced bananas on the bottom that I’ve added to the recipe myself), this pie, as simple as it is, never disappoints!

Along with cream cheese and Cool Whip in the filling, it’s then topped with more Cool Whip, a sprinkling of more coconut, and chilled! You can either bake a pie crust and cool that for the base, or you can make a simple graham cracker crust if you’d like. I’ve made it both ways, and both are equally delicious!

Once the pie has chilled for a couple of hours, just slice and serve with a maraschino cherry on top! The perfect pie for warm weather! And since Cool Whip holds it’s shape, you can easily take this pie along with you to barbecues. It goes great with anything grilled and really cools the palate after a spicy meal!

The perfect hot weather pie! But, you don’t have to wait for the weather to get hot. It’s always best to try out a recipe before you take it to someone’s house anyway, right? (wink, wink!)

Hope you all enjoy, and have a wonderful spring day! 😀

Yield: 8 servings

Creamy Classic Millionaire Pie

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Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked and cooled, *can sub a graham cracker or shortbread cookie crust
• 1 (8 oz.) brick cream cheese, room temp
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained very well
• 1 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut, to desired consistency and taste
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1-2 large or medium banana(s), sliced 1/4"
• 1 (8 oz.) tub Cool Whip, thawed and [i]divided[/i]
• 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut, untoasted or lightly toasted
• 8 maraschino cherries, with or without stems

Instructions

In large mixer bowl, cream together the cream cheese and sugar on high for 3-4 minutes.

Stir well-drained pineapple into cream cheese mixture. Stir in coconut and pecans mixing well.

Gently and carefully fold in 3/4 of the Cool Whip.

Peel and slice banana(s) and line bottom of baked and cooled pie pastry. Fill pie with filling mixture. Spread top with remaining Cool Whip, sprinkle top with (toasted or untoasted) coconut.

Chill for several hours.

Serve slices topped with a maraschino cherry.

Notes

*The bananas are optional. It's my own additional ingredient from the well-known version, and we really enjoy it this way.