April 12, 2010

strawberry rhubarb pie

Last week, I shared one of my two rhubarb recipes, Rhubarb Crisp. This week, I'm going to bring out the big guns and introduce you to Strawberry Rhubarb Pie like you've never had it before.....unless you just happen to already have this very recipe, in which case you'll probably want to just click to the next blog on your list.

With this recipe, there will no longer be any question as to where I stand on the whole cream cheese issue. So far we've seen it turn up in enchiladas, soup, and now pie.

Not only is it a perfect compliment for the strawberries and rhubarb, but one could argue that a nice layer of sweetened cream cheese just might keep your pie crust from getting soggy.

Let's hear it for cream cheese with a purpose!




Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

1 baked 9" pie shell

8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sugar - I used powdered sugar this time
Mix together and spread in bottom and up sides of cooled pie shell.

2 cups rhubarb cut in 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup sugar
1/2 of a 10 oz package of frozen strawberries
lemon juice - I did not use this and there is no amount given on my recipe
red food color - I used one drop only, as fakey, bright red pie is not happy pie
3 heaping tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with a bit of water to thin it out
1 pint fresh, sliced strawberries - I used more than a pint

In a saucepan, combine rhubarb with 1/4" of water and simmer till soft. Remove from heat. Add sugar and food coloring, then add frozen berries, lemon and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly. Cool and then add fresh strawberries. Cool completely and then add to pie shell. Chill till firm.

In my usual habit of recipe skimming, I missed the fact that the cornstarch amount was 3 heaping tablespoons, and so my pie turned out a bit runny. I'm pretty sure that extra bit of cornstarch would have solved the problem.

I'm really looking forward to making the recipes that were kindly left in the comments of the rhubarb crisp post. They all look delicious, and once I've worked my way through them, my freezer stash should be pretty much gone.

14 comments:

  1. Sounds absolutely delicious... Although not to sure how it will fit into my dieting! Good thing my rhubarb is pathetic this year!

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  2. I'm so intrigued by that layer of cream cheese. I never seen anything quite like it.

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  3. It's 8:20 in the morning and I'm ready for dessert! Can't wait to give this recipe a try :)

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  4. ooh looks yummy! Believe it or not I've never had Rhubarb before. What's wrong with me.

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  5. Oh this sounds delicious! You totally had me at cream cheese. ;)

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  6. Oh so long ago when I was in college and my mom was visiting, we bought a very similar pie from a local bakery and brought it back to my room at the sorority house. It was summer and I was one of the few boarders. We snuck the pie up to my room (luckily I didn't have a roommate) along with two forks and ATE THE WHOLE THING! We still laugh about that and how delicious it was. Can't believe I'm older now than she was then. I'm going to make your pie recipe the next time she visits! xx P&H

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  7. That looks and sounds fabulous! Must give this one a try!

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  8. Will you please send me one? This is my favorite pie out of all the pies...YUM! Come say hi sometime..I'm nice LOL :D

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  9. I think that in INGENIOUS! I'm a big fan of cream cheese...in fact, I like a little bagel with mine.

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  10. Oh My! I have GOT TO TRY THIS! It looks so yummy! Thanks

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  11. Looks yummy. My 24 year old son still looks forward to rhubarb season as much as when he was younger. I fill his freezer with strawberry rhubarb jam. When he makes toast in the morning his motto is "one spoonful for the toast and one scoop for me". It goes awfully quick that way.

    AND....the photo is stunning....if you can say that about a pie.

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  12. I made this pie (sort of) today and the version I wound up with came out great! http://websterupdate.blogspot.com/2010/04/fruit-pie.html Thanks for the cream cheese idea!

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  13. This sounds and looks delicious! Thanks for the recipe...

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