Chocolate Berry Pie

Welcome back to the All Things Southern kitchen, porchers. Sadly, our strawberry season is almost over here in Louisiana but we’re doing all we can at the Tomlinson house to support our local suppliers. Last week my refrigerator was running over with berries. I had picked up some, not knowing that Phil had picked up some, and then we were given some and well, it was strawberry heaven. After the strawberry pie, and after the fresh fruit salad, I was still looking for ways to use ‘em before they spoiled on me. That’s when I found this great new recipe. It called for raspberries but I substituted my strawberries and went with store bought Cool Whip instead of making my own—and VOILA—fast, fun, and delicious.

• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 and ½ teaspoons shortening
• 1 chocolate crumb crust (8 or 9 inches)
• 2 cups fresh strawberries
• 8 ounces of Cool Whip

We’ll begin by melting ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and one and ½ teaspoon of shortening in a saucepan. We’ll stir it until it’s smooth and spread over the bottom of our chocolate crumb crust. Then we’ll top the crust with sliced strawberries and finish with Cool Whip. (By the way, folks, I was really suspicious of how the pie was going to stay together and slice without a simple syrup in there, but it did and I like that about it. Able to save a few calories, you know?)

Now, we’ll decorate our pie with one big beautiful strawberry and chill. Garnish with some fresh mint when you serve it up and your family, and your friends, will think you’re all that! I mean, what’s better than strawberries and chocolate– unless it’d be second helpings of strawberries and chocolate. Yeah! I think so, too!