Sunday, May 5, 2013

My Scrumptious Homemade Strawberry Pie Is a Sure Winner!


Now is the perfect time to take advantage of strawberries since this is currently the season for them.  One of my favorite ways to enjoy these tasty berries is to make this easy strawberry pie recipe that I want to share with you today.

This pie involves thickening the base with a little cornstarch and water along with your sugar before adding some strawberry gelatin and vanilla extract that will soon be poured over your baked pie shell lined with fresh, sliced strawberries.  Do save a few of the bigger berries for the top of the pie.  Next, you fill the pie with that mixture before refrigerating.  

Once cold, you top the pie with whipped cream for a scrumptious seasonal pie bursting with that sweet, but tart awesomeness of strawberries!

Feel free to add a few drops of red coloring to the base mixture to pretty it up for guests, but I usually skip that since I like to avoid unnecessary food additives like dyes of any sort to my food.

To make life even simpler and healthier, I strongly recommend making my oil pie crust.  Honestly, I will not give you any other pie crust recipe than this one because it is the best in my opinion.  No matter how inexperienced a pie maker you are or how you handle this greasier feeling dough, it will turn out flaky and never disappoint you.  

Equally wonderful about my crust is that you use this recipe for pot pie crust, quiche, or just any dessert pie crust as well.

My Scrumptious Strawberry Pie

1 cup of sugar
2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch
1 cup of cold water
1/2 of a small size package of a strawberry gelatin (3-oz. size) or 1/4 cup of a strawberry gelatin from the larger size
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 drops of red coloring (optional)
1 quart of fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
1 9-inch pie shell, baked and cooled
whipped cream

Mix the sugar, cornstarch and color water in your saucepan.

Cook the mixture slowly, stirring until thick and clear.

Remove from the heat and add your gelatin powder, vanilla, and food coloring (if desired).

Slice most of your strawberries to line the bottom of baked crust.

Save a few of the large strawberries to decorate the top .

All that if left to do is pour the cooked mixture over everything in your shell and then refrigerate.  This tastes best thoroughly cold so resist the urge to sample this pie too soon.  Wait at least a few hours before serving.

Feel free to top with whipped cream or your favorite frozen topping before digging in.

ENJOY!