Strawberry Pie!

Today it is cool with a steady downpour of rain in my part of the country, but yesterday it was a picture-perfect day - sunny, warm, and a slight breeze. It was a beautiful day for one of my favorite late-spring activities, picking strawberries! It is an extra-fun thing to do here because in order to get to the place where we like to pick the best strawberries, we get to take a ferry ride! So yesterday bright and early I picked up a friend and we headed off for our little excursion. We arrived at the perfect time - the ferry was half-empty so we got right on, and after enjoying a relaxing 20 minute ferry ride, there were not many pickers at the strawberry farm yet.

The strawberries were plentiful, huge, and sweet! It took us no time at all to fill our large baskets. In fact, we picked a third basket and split it, so I actually brought home more strawberries than I had intended - but who could resist such beautiful berries?

After I got home, the first thing I made with my strawberries was a Fresh Strawberry pie. It is a favorite of my husband's, and I have been making this recipe for many, many years. It is the BEST. I decided to share it with you today because it is SO good! And I took pictures for YOU.

Strawberry Pie

1 pie crust, baked
1 quart fresh strawberries, washed and hulled. If large, cut them in half.

3/4 cup sugar
3 T. strawberry jello powder (this is half a small box)
3 T. cornstarch
1 cup warm water

1. Make and bake your pie crust. (see below if you want to make your own crust!)

2. In a sauce pan, whisk together the sugar, jello powder, and cornstarch. Slowly pour in the warm water. Stir and cook over medium-high heat until mixture bubbles and thickens. You will know it is ready when it turns a bright clear red as it boils. Remove from heat and cool.

3. When cooled, add strawberries and toss well. Pour into baked crust. That's it!

Chill for several hours. Serve topped with whipped cream! 

This pie is extra-yummy with homemade pie crust - see how flaky it is? I understand that a lot of women today do not know how to make homemade pie crust or are intimidated by it. You CAN use a pre-made pie crust, but it really is so easy!

Pie Crust

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup shortening

3-4 T. of ice water

Whisk together the flour and salt, and cut in shortening until coarse crumbs form. Add ice water (Ice water is my secret!) one T. at a time, until soft dough forms into a ball. Flatten dough into a disk. You can wrap in plastic wrap and chill until you are ready to use it, or for immediate use, roll out on a floured surface, transfer to pie plate, and flute edges. For a baked crust like the one in the strawberry pie recipe, bake the crust at 425 for about 12 minutes. 

I hope you will try these recipes! You won't be disappointed! 

Til next time,

Kathi