Love, Logic and Strawberry Pie

I've been trying to Love and Logic it around here. If you've heard of this parenting technique, you'll know that it's a lot about letting consequences and not words do the teaching. This works great at my house since the kids don't listen to a whole lot of what I say anyhow.

So today Jonah was sassin' me with the usual "You're in big trouble, mom" and "No, you're going to corner time" kinds of phrases when he didn't get something he wanted. I quick decided I needed a consequence and came up with the strawberry pie I made last night.

Lunch time came around and "Oh, Ellie! Would you like some of this yummy strawberry pie?" Jonah asks, "can I have some Mom?" "Oh I don't think so. Sorry Jonah." (I say with a sweet, loving smile on my face) "Why?!" Jonah demands more than asks. "You haven't been very nice to me today, Jonah. I'm really sorry honey." And then the tantrum ensues. You get the picture I'm sure...well, maybe your kids are more angelic than mine.

Part of me wanted to feel bad for not letting him have the pie even later on when he had calmed down, but most of me was actually very proud that I stuck to my guns on this one and you know what, he's been a very pleasant boy this afternoon and is even at this very moment taking a nap!
Of course the real reason for this story is the pie. This is seriously the yummiest strawberry pie ever. (Recipe courtesy of Michelle Jacobs...we love it!)

(I've been cheating and using a store-bought crust, but for you serious pie makers out there...)
Vinegar Pie Crusts

2 ½ c. flour
1 c. shortening
½ tsp. salt
1 beaten egg
¼ c. cold water (or a little more, as needed)
1 T. vinegar

Blend the flour and salt. Add shortening and mix lightly. Then add egg, water, and vinegar. Form dough into a ball, wrap in saran wrap, and leave in fridge for about 15 minutes. Roll flat, place in pie tins, and prick bottoms of pie shells with fork. Bake at 475 for 8-10 minutes.
*Makes 2-3 single pie crusts

Strawberry Pie

9-inch pie shells (2)
3-4 quarts fresh strawberries
2 c. sugar
6 T. cornstarch
2 ¼ c. water (somehow this always ends up being too much water when I make it, so next time I'll try cutting in half)
1 small box strawberry jell-o
1-8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
Powdered sugar for sweetening (about 1/2 to 1 cup depending on your sweet tooth)

Pie Crust, cream cheese, and berries:

Bake two vinegar pie crusts. While they are baking, beat the cream cheese (be sure it’s at room temperature) and powdered sugar together. Add enough powdered sugar to sweeten the cream cheese. When the pie shells are cool, spread the sweetened cream cheese on the bottom of each pie crust. Then stack the strawberries in the pie tin so that the strawberries reach the top of the pie dish around the edges and are mounding in the middle.

**Glaze:

Mash enough berries to measure one cup. Add mashed berries and water to a saucepan. Stir together the cornstarch and sugar, then add to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and boils. Add jell-o. Mix and then let the glaze cool. Pour over strawberries. Chill until set, about 4 hours.
* Makes 2 strawberry pies

**I make the glaze first so that while it's cooling I can be doing the rest of it.

Other cute pictures...

What's that in your bum, Char? Have you been playing with Ellie? I think so.

My favorite time of day. And really we had put them down in their own beds, but this is how they ended up. Can you tell that my bed didn't get made that day? Whoops.