BYU alumni Nicole Williams Winegardner (’08) and Andrea Nelson Harrison (BS ’15) became fast friends in 2019 while living with their young families in Virginia, bonding over a mutual love of the outdoors. Winegardner started a recipe blog in 2021 but quickly discovered it was a lonely endeavor. When she tentatively asked Harrison if she wanted to join, her friend responded, “I thought you’d never ask!” And so Simply Scrumptious Eats was born. They soon found balance by playing to their separate strengths: Winegardner focusing on photography and Harrison on writing. Although Harrison moved to the opposite side of the country just nine months after the blog launched, their bond has remained strong. “The blog has glued us together,” Harrison says. The two recently published a cookbook called Simply Pie.
Strawberry Pie
Enjoy this simple, delightfully fresh pie.
Crust
- Use a favorite recipe or buy a premade crust.
Filling
- 6 c. strawberries, washed and hulled
- 3/4 c. sugar
- 3 Tbsp. cold water
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 c. cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla
Prepare pie crust according to directions.
Set aside 3 1/2 c. strawberries. Roughly chop remaining strawberries, then mash. In a bowl whisk together water, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Add crushed strawberries into a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar, then stir in cornstarch mixture. Bring to boil over medium heat and let boil for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes darker and translucent. Remove from heat and stir until it stops boiling. Stir in vanilla.
Slice remaining strawberries onto cooled pie crust, then add in cooked strawberry mixture and com- bine until sliced strawberries are coated.
Let pie cool in fridge for 4 hours, then serve.
