Frozen Strawberry Lemonade Pie!

 

It is hot and dry here in Kentucky and the thoughts of being in a hot kitchen over a hot stove are not good right now.  This pie doesn't require any heat and it is cold and refreshing to eat, so it's just perfect for this time of year.  

I love strawberry lemonade to drink so the idea of putting it in a pie worked for me.  This recipe makes two pies, so you can share with a loved one or neighbor also.  The ingredients are pretty simple:

 

Ingredients:

2 graham crack

er crusts

1 can sweetened condensed milk

16 oz frozen whipped topping

1 12 oz. can frozen lemonade

2 cups sliced strawberries

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut (optional)

With an electric mixer whip the condensed milk and the frozen lemonade together until it's thick. Do not thaw the lemonade beforehand. Blend in the whipped cream.  Only thaw it enough so that you can blend it in.  Keep it as frozen as possible.  I added a couple drops of red food coloring at this point.  Go easy on it though or your pie will resemble Pepto Bismol...not a good look for pie!

Mix in the confectioner's sugar and then the strawberries.

Fold in the nuts and coconut.  These are optional, if you don't like either one, leave it out and the pie is still really good. They do add something to it if you like them though.

 

 

  Pour into two graham cracker crusts, cover and place in a the freezer at least 6 hours or overnight.  Remove 30 minutes before serving.

Frozen Strawberry Lemonade Pie!  Garnish with more whipped cream and sprig of KY mint!

Fresh Strawberry Pie!

Every spring when strawberries first start to come in around here, this is what my husband gets a craving for.  He is a strawberry nut!  It must be genetic.  His grandfather was a strawberry grower and organized the Strawberry Grower's Association in Kentucky many, many years ago, when strawberries must have been a much bigger crop for Kentucky. Now, most strawberries grown in the United States commercially, are grown in California and Florida.   However, there are still plenty grown in Kentucky that are sold locally in supermarkets and at farmer's markets or on a "you pick yourself" basis.  They are pretty much the best strawberries you can buy also.  Anytime you can buy produce that fresh, locally, it is going to be better.

This pie was not made with Kentucky strawberries, because we have to wait a few more months for those, but these were some very good berries and they were nice and big.   This strawberry pie is probably the easiest pie anyone could make and you do not need to buy that bag of goop in the produce section of the grocery by the strawberries. 

 Here is what you need:

1 9" pie shell, baked and cooled

1 quart strawberries, washed and capped (you can leave them whole or slice them, whatever you prefer)

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

3 Tbs. cornstarch

1 (3oz.) box of strawberry gelatin (Jello)

In a saucepan over medium heat, mix the sugar, water and cornstarch.  Stir until it just boils and turns clear and thickens.   Add the strawberry gelatin to the mixture and cook for about a minute stirring constantly and making sure it's smooth.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Arrange the strawberries in the baked and cooled pie shell. You might need to sort of pile them up in the shell. 

  Carefully pour the gelatin mixture over the entire pie. Try not to let it spill over the sides, like I sort of did here.  Place in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 to 3 hours. 

Slice and serve with whipped cream!