I woke up this morning to dark, overcast skies, a summer thunderstorm, and a freaked out Fur Child who hates said storms.

He tries to crawl into the 27” wide space under my desk and hide from the storm, which is simply not big enough for the two of us to share. He’s such a baby, but it’s hard to deny him when he gives you such a soulful look.

At any rate, I thought today would be a good day to share one of my favorite summer time recipes. In Troy, Ohio, every year they hold a Strawberry Festival. It’s an event created to help all the local charities raise money.

One of our favorite activities at the festival is the bed races.

Local companies have created “beds” to race around the town square. While we no longer live in Troy, Hubs (right) was recruited by his old team to run with them this year. Their team took 2nd place overall (Woot!), which is amazing considering Hubs’ knee gave out in the final stretch and they had to practically drag him over the line.

The teams race down the street, around the traffic circle and then stop to do some sort of activity at the circle. This year, each participant had to jump 100 times on a jump rope. They put pedometers on their heads to count the jumps.

Hubs’ method of “jumping” consisted of repeated head bobs to activate the pedometer and about 20 or so actual jumps on the jump rope.

Around the square, charities have booths set up to raise money. Our former scout troop has been selling Strawberry Pie at the festival for more than 10 years now. The amazing women and men that help pull this off each year, have it down to a science. This year they made about 110 pies!

Now, when you’re cranking out this many pies, you don’t really have time to be all pretty about it, but I’m guessing you won’t be doing this pie in assembly line form.

One of the things I love about this pie is how easy it is to make. I hate making regular pie crust, but with this recipe, the pie crust is smooshed into the tin. It doesn’t get easier than that!

Pie Crust:

• 1½ C. Flour
• ½ tsp. Sugar
• ½ tsp. Salt
• ½ C. Oil
• 2 T. Milk

Mix dry ingredients together. I use a wire whisk to stir them. Combine oil and milk together and pour into dry ingredients. Stir together.

Press (smoosh) into pie tin.

Form a bit of an edge at the top to hold the pie filling. The crust will shrink a bit when baking, but if you build up the sides, that edge will make a dam for the glaze.

Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until light brown. Cool.

Filling:

• 1½ C. Sugar
• ¼ C. Cornstarch
• 1½ C. Water
• 1 box of Strawberry Jell-O (3 oz.)
• Fresh Strawberries

In a deep pot, mix the sugar and cornstarch, then add water and boil until transparent, stirring constantly. (It doesn't really get that transparent, and if it starts to turn a little brownish, hurry and add the Jell-O).

Add Jell-O and boil again. Remove from heat and allow to cool. You want to let it start to thicken a bit before you use it. The filling will do one deep pie, or 1.5 regular pies. I double the recipe for 2 pies.

While the glaze is cooling, rinse and top berries. Make sure berries are mostly dry before putting into crust. Place berries into crust, pointed end up and mound berries toward the center of the pie. This makes for a nice shape to the pie when cut.

Using a small measuring cup, pour the cooled glaze over the berries, making sure to coat each berry.

Refrigerate and allow glaze to set, about 1 hour, before serving.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Enjoy this fabulous pie!

Strawberry Festival Pie

Pie Crust:

• 1½ C. Flour
• ½ tsp. Sugar
• ½ tsp. Salt
• ½ C. Oil
• 2 T. Milk

Filling:

• 1½ C. Sugar
• ¼ C. Cornstarch
• 1½ C. Water
• 1 box of Strawberry Jell-O (3 oz.)
• Fresh Strawberries

Topping:

• Real Whipping Cream
• Vanilla and Sugar to taste

Blend and press into pie shell. Form a bit of an edge at the top to hold the pie filling. Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until light brown. Cool.

Mix sugar and cornstarch, add water and boil until transparent, stirring constantly. (It doesn't really get that transparent, and if it starts to turn a little brownish, hurry and add the Jell-O). Add Jell-O and boil again. Remove from heat and allow to cool. You want to let it start to thicken a bit before you use it. The filling will do one deep pie, or 1.5 regular pies. I double the recipe for 2 pies.

Top strawberries and mound into cooled pie shell. I put them in the shell so the pointy end is pointing up. Layer them and make it higher in the middle. Pour cooled filling over berries, making sure to coat each berry, and chill. Serve with Whipped Cream.

Suesan