Southern Kitchen Happenings: Easy Strawberry Pie {In An Easy Homemade Buttery Shortbread Crust}

Even though it is not strawberry season here in East Texas yet, I am seeing the price of strawberries going down in the grocery stores (Sam's). I remember when I was growing up in the 60's, you had to wait until late May or early June to get fresh strawberries in the grocery stores, or you had do like we did, go to a strawberry patch and pick them. What a fun time we had. We would take buckets to put them in and a jug of water, and here we would go to picking. I don't miss the bending over and squatting down to pick them (gruesome), but I do miss the smell of the fresh strawberry plants and all the rewards that went into picking those strawberries. Love going down memory lane (smiles)!

One of the first recipes I like to make with strawberries when they come into season is this Easy Homemade Strawberry Pie in a Easy Homemade Buttery Shortbread Crust. I came by this recipe from the food section of the local newspaper years ago, and I can tell you that the best thing about this recipe, beside being the EASIEST and BEST tasting strawberry pie you will ever eat, is that it only has five ingredients in it!

Easy Strawberry Pie

1 (3 oz.) pkg. strawberry Jello
1 pkg. vanilla flavored cook and serve pudding, (not instant), 4 servings
1 1/4 cup water
1 1/2 pt. strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 teaspoon Almond Extract
l baked Easy Homemade Buttery Shortbread Pie Crust
2 cups whip cream

Combine Jello and pudding mix in a medium saucepan. Stir in water, cook and stir over high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature. Add almond extract and stir in sliced strawberries and pour into the pie shell. Chill until set, about 2-3 hours. Top the pie with whip cream.

Note: You can sprinkle sliced almonds over the whip cream if you like. The pie can also be made using the sugar free jello and cook and serve pudding!

Come join the fun!