Pie Number 14 - Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

The Year of Pie

Pie Number 14 - Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

    From Favorite Eastern Star Recipes - Old Family Favorites - Including Menus comes this yummy pie. A little history for you: the Order of the Eastern Star (OES) is a Masonic organization. It is a primarily a women's organization affiliated with the fraternal organization, the Freemasons. Male members of OES are required to be Freemasons.  There are no female Freemasons; female members of OES simply join the organization. I am a member of OES, but admittedly have not attended in decades. In the event that I ever decided to attend after moving several states away from where I grew up, my late father and now my step-mother, have kept up my dues all these years. 

    This recipe was submitted by Mrs. Amy Sanders, Secretary of Sylvan Hills OES, Chapter 602 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. While the flavor was somewhat similar to cheesecake, the texture was much lighter and creamier. Soooo good with the fresh strawberries I got a great deal on.  Sliced peaches or any kind of berry, would be good with the cream cheese base. This recipe uses a regular pastry crust, but it would be good also in a graham cracker crust. I really liked this pie and plan to make it again. 

Ingredients:

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 pint heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

1 9-inch baked pie crust

1 pint fresh sweetened strawberries or 1 10oz package frozen strawberries, thawed and drained (I actually used the bottom of the pie pan to measure my strawberries, by laying halved strawberries in the pan in a single layer, until the bottom was covered; it was perfect!

1 tablespoon sugar (maybe a little more) for sprinkling over strawberries (optional)

Directions:

Use your favorite pie crust recipe and bake pie shell according to directions. Cool your crust. Wash, stem and slice strawberries in half. In a bowl, whip cream cheese with powdered sugar. In a separate bowl, whip cream until thickened (go for those stiff peaks) and add vanilla. Fold the cream and vanilla mixture into the cream cheese mixture (The original directions say to fold in the cream cheese mixture, but I did the opposite and folded the cream and vanilla into the cream cheese mixture. It worked just fine.). Scoop your filling into your cooled pie shell and cover with strawberries or other fruit. Sprinkle sugar lightly over berries. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serves 8. 

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie