My Mothers Strawberry Pie

3 pints strawberries
1T butter
1 cup sugar
4T cornstartch
6oz cream cheese, room temp
1/4 cup, small bowl of milk
1 pint whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 cap full vanilla
Ready made pie crust

Preheat oven to 450. Bring pie crust to room temp and roll into pie plate. Place holes all over the pie crust by using a fork. Bake the crust for 11-15 minutes or until lightly brown. Let cool.

Rinse and remove green tops of strawberries then divide them in half. Combine half the strawberries with the butter, sugar and cornstarch cooking over medium heat. Stir until thickened. Just keep an eye on it and do not walk away for very long. Let it cool.

After the pie shell is cooled take a spoon, dip into a small bowl of milk and using the back of the spoon scoop out some cream cheese and spread a thin layer onto the pie crust making sure you fill the whole area, all the way up the sides. The milk helps to smooth the cream cheese. Be sure to be gentle enough that you do not break the crust.

The other half of the strawberries can be cut up if they are to big. Place them over the cream cheese. I cut them in half to lay them on the sides of the pie crust and cut them so the end of the berry is facing up but you can do whatever works for you. No one really notices how you lay the strawberries ;-)

Now pour the cooled strawberry mixture over the strawberries in the pie crust. Let it settle with your help if needed. Refrigerate till fully cooled and set. Maybe the next day?

When pie is set its time to make the whipped cream! Place the whipping cream in the mixing bowl. Mix the cream on high till you see it start to thicken.  Add the vanilla and sugar slowly to the cream. Don't just dump it in but don't waste time, taking your time, either. Its all about the timing. It's ready when thickened. Spread over the pie and your ready to serve.

This is the BEST PIE EVER!!!!