Berry Patriotic Pie

This image and recipe are from:
http://www.reddiwip.com/recipes-Berry-Patriotic-Pie-2648.html

I was looking through a coupon flyer at the Commissary and found this recipe in with coupons for some of the key ingredients.  Seemed like a pretty easy recipe, and heaven knows we always have strawberries and blueberries on hand these days, so I decided to give it a shot.  Mine didn't come out as pretty as the one pictured above, but it still was decent.  This would be a relatively easy chilled pie to throw together for a Memorial Day gathering.

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons water, divided
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 package (8 oz) of cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 baked pastry shell (9 inch), cooled
• Whipped topping (obviously the original source recommends Reddi-Wip)
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Directions

1. Slice enough of the strawberries to measure 2 cups. Halve remaining strawberries; set aside. Combine sliced strawberries, granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons of the water in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer 3 minutes.
2. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons water and cornstarch until blended in small bowl. Add to strawberry mixture; mix well. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in strawberry halves. Cover and cool 30 minutes without stirring.
3. Beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and milk in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Spread onto bottom of pastry shell. Top with strawberry mixture; cover. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
4. Cut pie into 8 slices. Completely cover each slice with whipped topping and blueberries just before serving.

Double Berry Delight Smoothie

1 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt
1 small, ripe banana, cut up
2 tbsp honey
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 cup raspberry sherbert or sorbet

Whirl all ingredients in a blender until thick and smooth. Serves 2.

Strawberry Cupcakes

Strawberry Cupcakes
Recipe adapted slightly from Martha Stewart Cupcakes

1 3/8 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cake flour
1/2 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/8 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup strawberries, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with paper liners or spray with baking spray. Combine flours, baking powder, and salt and sift together.

In mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes on medium-high speed. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing for about 1 minute after each incorporation, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Add flour mixture and milk, alternating with flour first and last. Beat until well combined on low speed. Fold in strawberry mixture with a rubber spatula.

Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 of the way full and bake until set about 25-30 minutes. Bake on center rack and rotate pans halfway through baking time. Tops should spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in pan about 10 minutes and then cool completely on wire racks. Finish with icing of choice.