The Pie that landed me a proposal

This pie recipe, will always be, near and dear to my heart.  You may have seen it floating around the internet under the name Shoney’s Strawberry Pie.  But in our home,  we call it the Engagement pie or The Pie That Will Make Any Man Propose  😉

One summer’s day, not too awfully long ago, my then boyfriend (and bachelor of 20 years, I might add) turned to me and said, “Honey, You know what my Mom use to make when I was a kid that I loved?  Strawberry Pie. ”  “Really?”, I replied.  “Go on.  Tell me more like what?  A glazed pie, a cream pie, a gel pie, what…?  I’ve never really made a strawberry pie but I’ll give it a shot. What made it so special?”  He looked at me and smiled with a some what quizzical expression and said, “I think … oh heck I don’t know.  You know me.  I don’t exactly have a refined palate like you do.  My Mom is a very traditional Southern cook.  She just cooks and bakes really wholesome good food.  Oh wait!  I think she calls it Shoney’s pie or something like that.  I don’t know why I like it so much.  I think it just invokes so many good memories from  my childhood.  It always just tasted so fresh and tastes like Summer to me.”

So with this arsenal of information, I scoured the internet and poured through reviews of various Shoney’s pies and gluten free pastry pie crusts and voila!  The perfect gluten Strawberry Pie.

Three days later… on a sunset beach, he proprosed.   During the very surreal moment where a beautiful diamond was being placed on my finger, I smiled and said, “It was the pie that closed it was the deal wasn’t it.”  We both laughed.  He replied, “I’m not saying if it was or if it was or wasn’t…but is it too early to ask if we can have this on our 50th anniversary together?”

I now present to you… The Engagement Pie 🙂

To make the Pie:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoon cornstarch
• 6 tablespoon strawberry Jell-O
• Enough cleaned strawberries to cover the pie shell

Directions:

Blend sugar, cornstarch and water together and cook to almost pudding stage. Add Strawberry Jell-O. Place drained whole fresh strawberries into baked deep-dish 9-inch pie shell. Pour cooked mixture over berries. Chill 2 hours at least. Top with whipped cream.

To Make The Most Amazing Homemade Whipped Cream:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions:

Whip heavy whipping cream with vanilla, almond extract and powdered sugar until stiff. I use a Kitchen Aid Mixer and let it really set up to the consistency of frosting.

To Make The Gluten Free Pie Crust:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups gluten free flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup cold butter or margerine, cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup shortening, cold
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Combine flour, sugar, xanthan gum and salt in large bowl. Cut in butter and shortening with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Combine egg, cold water and apple cider vinegar in small bowl; beat with fork until mixed. Add egg mixture to flour blend mixture; stir just until moistened. Shape pastry into a ball; flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic food wrap; refrigerate until chilled (at least 1 hour).

Remove from refrigerator; let stand 15 minutes at room temperature. Unwrap pastry; place onto parchment paper lightly floured with gluten-free flour blend. Lightly flour pastry with gluten-free flour blend.  Roll out pastry into 12-inch circle. Transfer pastry to ungreased 9-inch pie pan, pressing firmly against bottom and sides and sealing any cracks as necessary. Crimp or flute edge.

For baked unfilled pie shell, prick crust all over with fork. Bake at 475°F. for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Fill as desired.