Recipe: Wonderful Strawberry Pie and Strawberry Torte Pie (using frozen strawberries)

Here are some other options for your frozen strawberries, Bonnie. Don't forget you can use them also for a glaze when you buy fresh strawberries for other pies. Another idea is to smother your shortcake or an ice cream topping as well.

WONDERFUL STRAWBERRY PIE

Pastry for 2-crust pie
2 2/3 cups frozen strawberries
1 1/3 cups strawberry juice
3 Tbsp sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp quick-cooking tapioca
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp lemon juice

Thaw berries til most of free ice has disappeared. Drain off the juice: measure and stir it into mix of sugar, tapioca and cornstarch in saucepan. Heat rapidly until thickening is complete. Boiling is not necessary. Set aside to cool.

Add berries and lemon juice to cooled, thickened juice. Pour filling into pastry-lined 9-inch pie pan. Cut vents and adjust top crust; flute edges.

Bake in hot oven (425) 30 minutes, or til nicely browned. For a brown undercrust, bake on lowest oven shelf.

*Note* Proportions of sugar, tapicoa and cornstarch are based on 4 parts strawberries frozen with 1 part sugar.

STRAWBERRY TORTE PIE

Baked 9-inch pie shell
2 (10 oz) pkg. frozen strawberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp cornstarch
Few drops red food color
2 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Thaw berries and drain, reserving juice. To the juice (about 1 cup) add 1/3 cup sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch. Cook over low heat until thickened: add food color to intensify berry color. Cool glaze.

Beat egg whites til frothy; gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, beating til glistening, stiff peaks form. Spoon onto cool pie shell, spreading high on sides to make hollow in center.

Arrange berries spoke fashion in center of lined pie shell. Pour glaze over berries. Chill in refrigerator 1 hour or longer. Serves 8.

*Low calorie meringue takes whipped cream role in this luscious berry pie.