Dreamy Creamy Orange Pie

Dreamy Creamy Orange Pie
By: Doris Christopher

½ package (15oz) refrigerated pie crust (1 crust)
1 medium orange
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
½ cup boiling water
1 package (3oz) orange gelatin
3 cups orange sherbet, divided
1 container (8oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
Additional orange for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Let pie crust stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Gently unfold onto lightly floured surface. Roll out to 11 ½ inch circle using rolling pin. Place crust in deep dish pie plate, pressing dough into bottom and up sides. Prick bottom and sides using fork. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely.

Zest orange to measure 1 teaspoon zest, juice orange to measure ¼ cup juice. Place cream cheese in an electric mixer, add juice and zest until smooth.

Microwave water on High 1 ½ to 2 minutes or until boiling. Whish in gelatin and stir 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Using ice cream scooper, pack 1 cup of the sherbet into small bowl, gradually add gelatin, stirring until mixture is well blended and thick. Immediately whisk gelatin mixture into cream cheese mixture in bowl.

Add half of the whipped topping (1 ½ cups) to cream cheese mixture, mix gently until well blended. Fill pie shell with filling. Chill at least 1 hour.

Fill large Ziploc bag with remaining whipped topping. Score additional orange for garnish, cut 2 slices, then cut each slice into quarters. Cut pie wedges. Garnish each serving with whipped topping, a scoop of remaining sherbet and quartered orange slice.

Yield: 8 servings