{ Celebrating the Summer Solstice with Sunflower Seed Pie }

Happy First Day of Summer! Today is the summer solstice; the longest day of the year where there are more hours of daylight than any other day in the western hemisphere. Even  Shakespeare honored this day with his play, A Midsummer Night's Dream.
We had this summer tradition of going to the Miller Outdoor Ampitheatre's Shakespeare Summer Nights in Houston, Texas this time of year where we would spend summer evenings sitting on a blanket, eating cherries, and watching Shakespeare Plays.

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

                   Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,

Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,

With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.

—the character, Oberon, describes the bower where Titania sleeps in Shakespeare A Midsummer Night's Dream.

In honor of the Summer Solstice and in celebration of the extra sunlight, we did a few things; Planted some sunflower seeds, colored "stained-glass" fairy pictures and made a Sunflower Pie using a sunflower seed spread by Sunbutter. This is awesome stuff.

If you haven't tried Sunbutter, click HERE to learn more. I've made this pie a few times and have finally perfected it. Here is the recipe.....

Sunflower Pie

* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

* 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

* 1/4 cup Sunbutter Brand Sunflower Seed Spread

* 1 cup heavy whipping cream, plus, 2 cups for topping

* enough Magic Shell chocolate syrup for decorative drizzling

* 1 cooled prebaked pie shell

* chocolate sunflowers from chocolate specialty shop (optional)

* Nutmeg for decorative sprinkling (optional)


In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip 1 cup heavy whipping cream until stiff. Add cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, and Sunbutter. Mix well until blended. Pour into cooled prebaked pie shell.

In a separate bowl, whip 2 cups heavy whipping cream until stiff and add to top of pie by gently spreading it with a spatula. Drizzle lightly with chocolate Magic Shell, decorate with chocolate sunflower wafers, and lighlty sprinkle nutmeg. Serve chilled. Store in refrigerator.

Sealed with a Kiss, Kirsten

S.W.A.K.

{ PB&J with Sunflower Butter }

"It's so pretty! I love it!", those were the words I exclaimed after trying my new Crustless Sandwich Press from Williams-Sonoma . This handy little gadget cuts the bread and seals it into a cute pocket of yumminess. I used it for the first time this evening while packing my daughter's school lunch after she went to bed. It's a PB & J but with a yummy twist to it b/c instead of peanut butter, I made it with butter made from sunflowers seeds aka Sunbutter. Won't she be pleasantly surprised when she opens her lunch kit tomorrow :)

Sun Butter. Sunnnnn---Butterrrr. Those 2 words put together sound really pretty, right? This is the equivalent of peanut butter except made from sunflower seeds instead of peanuts and made by Sunbutter. Oh, and it's organic. It is a really nice alternative to the same-ol-same-ol. My daughter does not have a peanut allergy, however, this would be great for anyone who does b/c it has ZERO peanuts and is made in a peanut free factory. Plus, if your kid tends to get burned out on school lunches (like mine) and you need easy alternatives (like me), then this is perfect to change up the typical PB & J and make it a SB & J. It is also yummo with bananas or as a dip with apple slices..... and in my husband's case, a spoonful after midnight.

Sealed with a Kiss, Kirsten

S.W.A.K.