Mock Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients

• 3 large lemons
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 6 Tbsp. margarine or butter
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 ready-to-use, butter flavor pie crust
• 1 package vanilla instant pudding
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

Grate peel from 1 lemon (just the outside not the white part). Squeeze enough juice from lemons to equal 1/2 cup. In 1 qt. saucepan over medium low heat, heat sugar, margarine or butter, cornstarch, lemon peel and lemon juice until smooth and margarine or butter melts. In small bowl with wire whisk or fork, beat egg yolks slightly. Into yolks, beat small amount of warm lemon mixture; stir egg mixture back into lemon mixture in saucepan. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, 5-10 minutes.

Pour lemon mixture into bowl; cover surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate 3 hours or until well chilled. Spread 1/2 cup chilled lemon mixture into pie crust. In medium bowl with wire whisk, beat pudding, milk, and remaining lemon mixture until blended. Fold 1/2 of whipped topping into lemon filling; spoon into crust. Spoon remaining whipped topping over pie, swirling with back of spoon to make attractive top. Chill pie for at least 1 hour.

By Robin from Washington, Ia