This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GiveABox #CollectiveBias Read about memories that I shared eating Cheerios™ when I was a kid and how I am passing it on by giving a box to my sister and her kids. Plus a recipe for Coconut Cream Pie with Cheerios™ Crust all in a mason jar for easy gifting.
My “sister” and I met about 15 years ago when we both worked at a restaurant. Wow has it really been that long? I call her my sister even though we are not blood because through all the ups and downs of life we remain friends and are now raising our kids at the same time. She watches my kids, I watch hers. We talk or text almost daily. If anything ever happened to her I would take her kids in in a heartbeat. You don’t often find friends like that who aren’t blood but that you consider family. Food is what brought us together and food really keeps us together. It is a time that we can gather, catch up on our weeks, and just enjoy each others company.
There is something about breakfast foods that is so satisfying in the simplicity of it. My kids love when they get breakfast for dinner. We actually did that last night with some eggs, bacon, and toast. The best memories are when my kids help me make the pancakes. The older they get the more they can help in the process. At first it was just pouring in the ingredients, then they could stir and now they are trying their hand at actually cooking the pancakes on the stove. Food and memories just seem to go hand in hand.
Most of us would probably agree that some of the first breakfast food that we had as a kid and probably are feeding to our own kids is Cheerios™. There is just something about that simple round shape that brings back memories for me eating cereal in the morning and even snacking on it after school. I used to love watching my kids as they were learning to grasp, reach for the cereal and bring it to their chubby little mouths. They would be so proud as they were learning to feed themselves. Now as my kids are getting older they still enjoy the cereal that I did as a kid but now trying new flavors like the Honey Nut Cheerios™ and Apple Cinnamon Cheerios™ varieties. They love eating it as their afternoon snack with a cold glass of milk. They are like me and keep the milk and cereal separate. haha My sister has younger kids, and now the cereal tradition is being passed on to them. They climb up in their chair at auntie’s house and love getting little snacks of cereal.
Right now you can purchase a box of Cheerios™ with a special label that says “Buy a Box. Give a Free Box”. It will come with a code that you can go online and gift your sister, neighbor, even your own mom a box. This offer is exclusively at Walmart. Readers can purchase a box of Cheerios™ at Walmart, enter their code and fill out an E-card online for a friend to open and receive a coupon for a free box of Cheerios™ at a local Walmart. How fun to be able to pass on the memories growing up eating this iconic cereal. I am going to be sending a box to my sister so that once again food can create another memory between her and I just like it did when we were waiting tables, and sneaking bread from the hot oven or some cheese fries!!
I love taking foods that you would normally eat another way such as cereal and using it in my baking. Cereal can be so versatile and just perfect to make a crust for a pie. Put that pie in a mason jar and you can gift that as well to your mom or mommy friends as a sweet little treat. When you blend the Cheerios™ in the food processor it becomes just like graham cracker crumbs. I took some other twists for this coconut cream pie to really bring out the coconut flavor and of course you have to top it with the classic meringue. This could be a great addition to a Mother’s Day Brunch.
How to make Coconut Cream Pie with Cheerios™ Crust:
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 1/4 cups crushed Cheerios™
- 1/4 cup sugar, if you use Honey Nut Cheerios™ omit the sugar
- 1 cup flaked coconut
- 3 cups coconut milk( use the full fat coconut milk in a can, will take 1 2/3 of these)
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 6 T sugar
Instructions
- Crust: Pulse the Cheerios™ in a food processor until it becomes like crumbs. You will want 1 1/4 cups total when you are done.
- Mix the butter, Cheerios™ crumbs and sugar until the crumbs become wet.
- Spoon about 1-2 T of the crumb mixture in each mason jar bottom
- Pie Filling: Spread the flaked coconut on a baking sheet and bake the coconut on 350 degrees until slightly brown.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk, eggs, sugar, flour, and salt and mix well.
- Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly.
- Cook for about 2 more minutes while boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in 3/4 cup of the toasted coconut and vanilla..
- Poor about 1/4 - 1/2 cup filling in each jar. Leaving enough room for meringue to be added to the top.
- Meringue: Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
- Slowy add in the sugar until fully incorporated and when stiff peaks form.
- Spoon meringue into the jars just to the top.
- Place the jars on a sheet tray and broil in the oven just until the meringue starts to brown.
- Chill in the fridge about 4 hours, then place the lids on and decorate for gifts.
Who would you give a box of Cheerios™ to? Would your mom or sister enjoy this coconut cream pie or maybe turn it into a banana pudding pie??!! Learn more about this program and be thinking about who you would like to send a free box.
Oh my – they look fantastic and who does not like Cheerios! Heading to Wal-Mart today!