Brown Sugar Strawberry Pie...

What could signal spring better than strawberries?  Nothing - save it be the mister removing all of his "winter wool sweaters" out of his armoire and putting his "spring/summer sweaters" in.  It's an annual event...he carefully removes his sweaters, one by one...never two at at time...and gently squishes them into the bottom of the armoire...then he neatly refolds every single "spring/summer sweater" and places it carefully onto his shelf...smoothing as he goes.  It is a ritual I never get tired of watching...he's so "Rain Man" about the whole thing and it fascinates me!  I like to remind him, every third sweater or so, that Spring in the Northwest is still winter...but he scoffs.  He thinks just by him WEARING a lighter-weight sweater that the weather will cooperate...never-mind that it SNOWED for the first time all year just the other day!  He's such a creature of habit...no, make that just a creature - because it could be a blizzard outside, snow, sleet or hail, but if the calendar says April then those sweaters must be switched!  To celebrate the arrival of his Spring sweaters onto the scene, I made him this Brown Sugar Strawberry Pie...definitely NOT the kind of thing to eat if you want to wear sweaters!  But...I say nothing.

Okay, listen up...this is an "anyone-can-make-it-pie.  No lie.  I'd rather die than to lie about pie.  I know I tell you this all the time, but this is truly worth 5 dangs...'cause it's dang, dang, dang, dang, dang good.  And when you throw an EASY and FAST on top of a 5-danger, well folks, we're talking about something that is going to become a family favorite...and recipe to pass down to the youngin's...something special to make if Oprah ever comes to tea...she would LOVE this!

Here's all I know about strawberries...they don't last only a few days so keep them covered and in the refrigerator and DON'T wash them until right before using.  Also, try to buy deep-red strawberries because they DON'T ripen after they're picked!  Look for glossy, sweet-smelling berries - most grocers will let you sample one before buying - so do!  

Brown Sugar Strawberry Tart ~ Adapted From Sunset Magazine, April 2010

1 cup flour

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, divided

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla, divided

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream

12 oz. strawberries, hulled and sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a food processor, whirl flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, the cornstarch, and salt until combined.  Add butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and pulse until fine crumbs form and dough just begins to come together.  Press evenly into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable rim.  Bake until edges are golden, 20 to 22 minutes.  Let cool on a rack, then gently push tart crust from pan rim; set on a plate.  In a bowl with a mixer on high speed, beat sour cream, cream, remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla until thick.  Spread in cooled crust.  Arrange strawberries in circles on top, alternating cut sides down and up.  Chill, loosely covered, up to 4 hours.   Serves 8. 

"Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"  ~Robin Williams

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One year ago:  Carrot Table Runner

Two years ago:  My Grandbaby's Nursery