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!