Fresh Strawberry Lemon J E L L O Pie

Hey there, remember me? Seems like forever since sharing a recipe from my kitchen. The menu has been simple, swift, and prepared at erratic hours. Food photos were totally out of the question under the circumstances. Nevertheless, we ate good quality meals and even managed to sneak in a few home made desserts too.

My father’s health is stable but he never fully returned to pre-accident status. While this is a common occurrence among the elderly, personality also played a huge role in his recovery or, should I say, the lack thereof. That old adage “You can‘t teach an old dog new tricks” proved to be 100% true. He now resides in a skilled nursing facility. What can I say…? I guess we all have to live with the consequences of our decisions.

Anyway, relishing in the Florida strawberry season, a midnight search based on what was in the pantry returned this delightful, fresh flavored Strawberry Lemon Jell-O Pie. The recipe author claimed this was an adaptation of the original by her 5-year-old daughter. With a pre-made crust in the fridge, I thought yes I could definitely construct this JELLO pie!


Fresh Strawberry Lemon Jell-O Pie

Ingredients

1 9” pre-made Pillsbury piecrust (or home made if you have time)

1 1/4 cup of water
1 1/4 cup of sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 oz lemon Jell-O gelatin
4 cups Florida strawberries, sliced thinly (about 16 oz container)


Directions
Prepare the piecrust according to package directions.

In a saucepan over high heat, combine the water, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and stir about 4-5 minutes, reaching a very slightly thickened consistency. Add lemon gelatin and stir until dissolved. Cool to room temperature. Add strawberries and mix thoroughly. Pour into the prepared piecrust and refrigerate for 4 hours or until set.


You may not notice a thickening in the consistency while stirring, I didn’t. However, don’t worry stirring the full 5 minutes is sufficient.


Strawberry Lemon Jell-O Pie Assessment

The pie was bursting with that distinctive fresh strawberry flavor. Expecting a sweet lemon Jell-O undertone, I was pleasantly surprised to find the contrast of lemon completely enhanced the fresh strawberry flavor. The texture was delightful, in no way rubbery, and much lighter than traditional Jell-O. Not an excessively sweet pie, a dollop of whipped cream is the perfect finish.

Thank you Pam - fortheloveofcooking - for the delicious recipe and photo!

Other combinations of Jell-O I’ve tested were raspberry and strawberry. The strawberry was my least favorite as it overpowered the fresh strawberry flavor. The raspberry Jell-O and fresh strawberry combo needed something more. Perhaps a thin layer of kiwi is the answer…. We will see next pie!


Are you hungry?
♥