Growing up in the South, my meals included mayonnaise, butter, cream, buttermilk, fried flour and/ white gravy. Since I left home as a teenager, I have changed my diet to represent culture and essence of southern cooking, but with a healthier (much healthier) spin on the classic dishes.

I think this summer I decided that Tomato Pie has moved into my top 10 All Time Favorite Foods. Since we have had a plethora of tomatoes this summer, I was experimenting with new ways to uses them so they wouldn’t go to waste. When I saw Buy One, Get One Free piecrusts on www.southernsavers.com, I knew just what I wanted.

I clipped three of the buy one get one free coupons for piecrusts, so I knew I had some room to experiment with modernizing a southern Tomato Pie.

Since the Southern traditional one is always a hit at dinner parties and family gathering, I am going to include that recipe too.

Traditional Tomato Pie

Total Price- $2.01

Average Retail Price- $10.22

Total Savings- $8.21

Traditional Tomato Pie

1 pie shell (Publix $2.49/2 Buy one get one free. $0.62/each Average retail $1.25/each)

3 tomatoes- thickly sliced, seeded and dried- dry very well with paper towel (FREE- garden, Average retail $2.99/lb

2 tbsp fresh chopped basil (FREE–garden Average retail $2.99/pkg)

¼ cup chopped sweet onion (Super H 3lb bag $0.98 Average retail 3 lb bag $2.99)

½ cup Mayonnaise (Publix Buy one Get one Free $3.99/2 Average retail $3.99/1)

1 ½ cups extra sharp shredded cheddar cheese (Costco $6.99 5/lb bag Average retail $3.49/1 lb bag)

½ tsp salt

½ pepper

1. Baste rim of piecrust with egg white prior to baking to make it brown better.
2. Bake crust 5 minutes at 425 degrees.
3. Combine salt, pepper, basil and onions.
4. Place seeded tomatoes in crust to cover the bottom.
5. Spread onion mixture over tomatoes.
6. In a mixing bowl, mix cheese and mayonnaise and spread over tomatoes.
7. Bake for 35 minutes at 400 degrees.
8. Allow pie to cool/set before cutting and serving.

Medium Healthy Mozzarella and Basil Tomato Pie

Total Price- $2.01

Average Retail Price- $10.22

Total Savings- $8.21

Medium Healthy Tomato Pie

1 pie shell (Publix $2.49/2 Buy one get one free. $0.62/each Average retail $1.25/each)

3 tomatoes- thickly sliced, seeded and dried- dry very well with paper towel)

½ cup fresh chopped basil (FREE–garden Average retail $2.99/pkg)

¼ cup chopped sweet onion (Super H 3lb bag $0.98 Average retail 3 lb bag $2.99)

½ cup Mayonnaise (Publix Buy one Get one Free $3.99/2 Average retail $3.99/1)

1 ½ cups shredded mozzerall cheese (Costco $6.99 5/lb bag Average retail $3.49/1 lb bag)

drizzle of balsamic vinegar

½ tsp salt

½ pepper

1. Baste rim of piecrust with egg white prior to baking to make it brown better.
2. Bake crust 5 minutes at 425 degrees.
3. Combine salt, pepper, basil and onions.
4. Place seeded tomatoes in crust to cover the bottom.
5. Spread onion mixture over tomatoes.
6. Drizzle balsamic vinegar on onion mix
7. In a mixing bowl, mix cheese and mayonnaise and spread over tomatoes.
8. Bake for 35 minutes at 400 degrees.

Allow pie to cool/set before cutting and serving.

Extra Healthy Mozzarella and Basil Tomato Pie

Total Price- $2.62

Average Retail Price- $9.72

Total Savings- $7.10

Healthy Tomato Pie

1 pie shell (Publix $2.49/2 Buy one get one free. $0.62/each Average retail $1.25/each)

3 tomatoes- thickly sliced, seeded and dried- dry very well with paper towel)

8 fresh whole basil leave (FREE–garden Average retail $2.99/pkg)

¼ cup chopped sweet onion (Super H 3lb bag $0.98 Average retail 3 lb bag $2.99)

1 tbsp cups shredded mozzarella cheese (Costco $6.99 5/lb bag Average retail $3.49/1 lb bag)

5 – ½ inch thick slices of fresh mozzarella (the kind in the big ball) (Costco $1.99/each Average Retail $4.99/each)

drizzle of balsamic vinegar

½ tsp salt

½ pepper

1. Baste rim of piecrust with egg white prior to baking to make it brown better.
2. Bake crust 5 minutes at 425 degrees.
3. Combine salt, pepper, and onions.
4. Place seeded tomatoes in crust to cover the bottom.
5. Place fresh basil leaves over the top of the tomatoes
6. Spread onion mixture over tomatoes.
7. Drizzle balsamic vinegar on onion mix
8. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over onion mixture
9. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

Allow pie to cool/set before cutting and serving.