Summer, Summer, Strawberry Pie

Nothing screams of summer more than strawberries. So, when I was at the market the other day and stumbled upon some fabulous strawberries, I had to have them. I didn't know what I was going to do with them, but I had to have them. Thoughts of strawberry shortcake, strawberry coulis, strawberry parfaits, strawberry ice cream, and strawberry jam all entered my mind. Which one would it be? Hmmm...

Then, as fate would have it, time would not stand still for me. Where did my weekend go? Those poor strawberries were neglected. As this morning rolled around, I knew I had to use the strawberries - now or never. I couldn't let them go to waste. They needed sugar and whipped cream! And, I needed inspiration in the form of a recipe, and I needed it today. So, I did what any self-respecting food blogger would do - I searched the internet for recipes from fellow bloggers. I quickly found this recipe from Ginger Lemon Girl. The recipe seemed so easy. I was hooked when I read that it was her Grandmother's recipe. I rolled up my sleeves and begin slicing strawberries. This was going to work.

I had to make a few adjustments due to ingredients that I had on hand. The original recipe calls for softened cream cheese, which is spread on the bottom of the pie crust to prevent the crust from becoming soggy. I didn't have any cream cheese in my refrigerator, so I substituted melted chocolate on the bottom. The results were yummy.

And so easy! The recipe was a snap. I have to confess, I didn't make a homemade pie crust. I was pinched for time, so I used a store bought pie crust. I know.... And let me tell you, Grandma Margaret scolded me good for taking the easy way out. But sometimes, there are days when we all need a little help. And, even though it wasn't from scratch, it still came together nicely. After a few hours chilling, the strawberry pie was ready to serve. The chocolate on the bottom added a rich surprise. Chocolate and Strawberries and homemade whipped cream...oh my.



Go to the market. Squeeze some melons, sniff some peaches, buy some strawberries. If you find yourself with some sweet, juicy strawberries - don't think shortcake. Think pie! Treat yourself to this wonderful dessert that is summer. Don't hesitate, strawberries are waiting!


Grandma's Fresh Strawberry Pie

1 quart strawberries, rinsed, patted dry, and quartered or sliced
1 pie shell, baked and cooled
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons strawberry gelatin
4 tablespoons reduced fat cream cheese (I used melted semi-sweet chocolate)

Directions:
In a medium sized saucepan whisk together water, cornstarch, and sugar.
Bring to a rolling boil. Continue to boil for three minutes. Mixture
should be think and gel-like. Take off heat and stir in lemon juice
and strawberry gelatin. Set mixture aside and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
Warm cream cheese in a small bowl in microwave for 20 seconds. Spread
cream cheese over the bottom of your cooled pie crust. This will act
as a barrier between your pie crust and your pie filling to keep your
crust crispy. Fold cut strawberries into the strawberry gel mixture and
pour into pie shell. Refrigerate 2-3 hours before serving so pie will set.
Calories do not count when serving strawberry pie! Serve with fresh whipped
cream.

Originally published online at http://gingerlemongirl.blogspot.com/2008/04/fresh-strawberry-pie-gluten-free.html on Sunday, April 20th 2008.