NO-BAKE STRAWBERRY PIE

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Chill Time: 5 Hours
Yields: 6-8 Servings

Comment:
It’s that time of the year…when those wonderfully sweet, delicious Ponchatoula strawberries make it to market. There are so many ways to enjoy them, but this is one of my favorites.

Ingredients:
3 pints fresh ripe strawberries, washed, stemmed and sliced
1 pie shell baked and cooled or crumb crust, if preferred
1 cup 7-Up® (or any lemon lime soda)
¾ cup sugar
5 tbsps cornstarch or arrowroot
⅛ tsp salt
3 tbsps fresh lemon juice
1 tsp red food coloring (optional)
4 tbsps package strawberry gelatin
whipped cream
sliced strawberries for garnish

Method:
In a saucepan, dissolve cornstarch in soda, whisking until smooth. Add sugar, salt, lemon juice and food color (if using). Over medium heat cook mixture, stirring until sauce has thickened and resembles pie filling. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in gelatin, stirring until completed dissolved. Add sliced berries and pour in prepared pie shell. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, top pie with a generous amount of whipped cream and swirl it in a decorative fashion. Refrigerate pie for a minimum of 4 hours. When ready to serve, slice pie and garnish with additional berries.