The One with All the Strawberries

We go to a local "Pick Your Own" strawberry patch every year - one of my fave things about spring. We went once this year and then one of my sweet friends picked us a TON of berries when they went (thanks, friend!). So I had tons of yummy juicy berries. And needed to use them all. Fast.

So I of course made Strawberry Freezer Jam (I use the recipe on the pectin box, yum!), and then tried a new recipe- Fresh Strawberry Pie. It was nothing short of fabulously delicious. A keeper. My hubby, my sis and her fiancee said we need to print out the recipe, laminate it and hang it on the fridge... it was that good. Next I will be trying homemade Strawberry Fruit Leather.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

1 (9 in) pie crust, baked

1 qt. fresh strawberries, washed and hulled

3/4 cup white sugar

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup whipping cream and 1 Tbsp sugar, optional

Arrange 3/4 of the strawberries in the baked pie crust. Mash the remaining berries and combine with sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat and simmer mixture until thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour mixture over berries in pie crust. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

To serve with homemade whipped cream: Whisk whipping cream and sugar together in a small bowl until stiff peaks form. Place a dollop on each slice of pie and serve.

*Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com