Old-Fashioned Strawberry Pie

Name: Old-Fashioned Strawberry Pie
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8 servings.
Ingredients: 1 sheet refrigerated pie crust; 1 package (3 ounces) cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix; 1-1/2 cups water; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1 package (.3 ounce) sugar-free strawberry gelatin; 1/2 cup boiling water; 4 cups sliced fresh strawberries; 3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese; 2 cups reduced-fat whipped topping, divided; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 8 fresh strawberries

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. Cook: 10 min. + chilling YIELD: 8 servings.

I've been cooking since I was a girl and I especially enjoy making fresh, fruity desserts like this. It's wonderful and light for warm weather or after a large meal. A must when fresh berries are in season! —Erica Cooper, Elk River, Minnesota

Ingredients

1 sheet refrigerated pie crust
1 package (3 ounces) cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
1-1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 package (.3 ounce) sugar-free strawberry gelatin
1/2 cup boiling water
4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
2 cups reduced-fat whipped topping, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 fresh strawberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Unroll crust into a 9-in. pie plate; flute edge. Line crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edge is lightly brown, 8-10 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-6 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.
2. In a small saucepan, combine pudding mix, water and lemon juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer or until thickened. Remove from the heat; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Gradually stir in pudding. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until thickened. Fold in sliced strawberries. Transfer to crust.
4. For topping, in another bowl, beat the cream cheese, 1/2 cup whipped topping and vanilla until smooth. Fold in remaining whipped topping. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert a medium star tip. Fill with topping. Pipe topping around edges of pie; garnish with whole strawberries. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 259 calories, 12g fat (7g saturated fat), 13mg cholesterol, 220mg sodium, 37g carbohydrate (16g sugars, 2g fiber), 3g protein.