Strawberries and More Strawberries

Today I planned on making strawberry freezer jam and I did SO much more. I am going to be sharing some recipes for the stuff I made (except the freezer jam). For the freezer jam I used the Sure Jell Pectin (the pink box not the yellow one) I like less sugar in my jam.

This is what it looked like when I was done. Now it's in my freezer waiting to be used.
I also made Strawberry Rhubarb Jam in my water bath canner. That was the last thing I did and I used up the rest of the strawberries and rhubarb. Here is where I got the recipe and directions to make this jam. She also has a video of how she did it.
Now. On to the pies. My mom made a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and my sister and I made a Strawberry Pie. Here is the recipe for the strawberry pie filling (I used cherry gelatin since that is all I had and it was yummy too. I also used the pie crust recipe below).

First I am going to share the crust recipe. It was so easy. I am the kind of person that likes fast and easy. I have branched out lately to recipes that take extra time because I love flavor. I never wanted to make a pie because the crust took FOREVER to make. Well, look no more. This recipe is easy and really good.
A close up of the crust. I didn't make it pretty. I'm sorry that I didn't take a picture of the Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. It was really good though.
Best Ever Pie Crust
"The most important tip for making a good pie crust is to keep the dough cold. Using chilled butter, iced water and a food processor all help with this. Returning the dough to the fridge prior to baking makes sure the fat is solid before going into the oven. The dough could be made by hand but be sure to work quickly and avoid handling it too much. An option would be to substitute 1/2 the butter for shortening. There are many claims to the advantages of shortening to the texture of a pie crust while butter contributes the best flavor. I still prefer all butter."

1 cup flour
1/2 cup chilled butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons iced water

Cut butter into flour, sugar and salt in a food processor just until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add iced water bit by bit until dough pulls away from bowl and forms a solid mass. This process goes very quickly. Remove dough, shape into a disc on a floured surface. Roll out to a 12-inch circle. Fold pastry into fourths and place in a pie plate. Unfold and prepare edge (if doing a single crust). Chill for 20 minutes before filling and/or baking.

If prebaking shell, bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Pierce bottom of crust with a fork and weight with pie weights or line with foil and fill with dried beans or rice. Remove weights for the last few minutes to allow browning.

Makes one 9 inch crust.


Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

3 cups fresh strawberries
3 cups rhubarb
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup tapioca
1 Best Ever Pie Crust (recipe above)

Prepare strawberries by hulling and cutting in half. Cut rhubarb into 1-inch pieces. Toss with sugar and tapioca. Place filling into prepared unbaked pie crust. Dot with butter and top with another crust or top with a crumb topping. Place pie on a cookie sheet while baking to prevent spills. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, cover edges with foil and bake and additional 25-30 minutes.

Serves 12