Frozen Strawberry Margarita Pie

Last year I decided to stick a few strawberry plants in my herb garden and being the genius that I am, I didn't realize they multiplied every year.  So, imagine my surprise this spring when I had twice as many plants as last year.  Let's be clear....I now have FOUR plants!!    That pile of berries in the middle is my take about every three or four days!  Maybe enough to top my morning cereal.

A few days prior to Memorial Day, I posted the below pic on Instagram bragging about my farming skills!  A friend of Charlotte's, who was coming to visit for the weekend commented that she couldn't wait to have a piece of my homegrown strawberry pie.  Wise ass.

Even though I couldn't grow enough of my own berries to make a pie, I wanted to call her bluff.  I love traditional strawberry pie and no one makes a better one than my mother, but since I hate to make pie crust and I love tequila, I went the less traditional route. 

We were going to be spending the weekend outside so this was the perfect warm weather refresher....cold, creamy and light.  And (unfortunately for me) you can't really taste the tequila.  Be careful adding much more than the recipe calls for or it may not set up properly.

Here's the recipe:

Frozen Strawberry Margarita Pie

Epicurious

For crust

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs from 9 (2 1/4- by 4 3/4-inch) crackers
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For filling

1 lb strawberries, halved (3 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lime zest (from 3 limes)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons triple sec, Cointreau, or other orange-flavored liqueur
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream

Garnish: small strawberries

Preparation

Make crust: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl with a fork until combined well, then press mixture evenly onto bottom and up side of a buttered 9-inch metal or glass pie plate (4-cup capacity). Bake 10 minutes, then cool in pie plate on a rack, about 30 minutes.

Make filling: Purée strawberries, zest, lime juice, condensed milk, tequila, and liqueur in a blender until just smooth, then transfer to a large bowl. Beat cream in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold one third of cream into strawberry mixture gently but thoroughly to lighten, then fold in remainder in 2 batches. Pour filling into crust, mounding it slightly, and freeze, uncovered, until firm, about 4 hours. Remove from freezer and let soften in refrigerator, about 40 minutes, before serving (pie should be semisoft).

Cooks' notes: · Pie can be frozen up to 3 days, covered with plastic wrap after 4 hours and then wrapped in heavy-duty foil. · Pie can also be made in a 9-inch (24-cm) springform pan. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up side of pan.