Pudding Pie

This recipe from Dave Lieberman is one of my go-to easy dessert recipes, especially for summer barbecues. Note that you need at least an hour of refrigeration time.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

12 whole graham crackers

6 tablespoons (Tbls) butter

3 Tbls dark brown sugar

For the custard:

Two 3-oz packages "cook and serve" vanilla pudding (I would not use instant)

For the topping:

1 pint fresh strawberries

1/2 pint fresh blueberries

1/2 pint fresh blackberries or raspberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the crust: Crush the graham crackers with your hands, rolling pin or a potato masher as fine as you can. Heat the butter in a saucepan or microwave until half melted. Work the butter and the sugar into the crumbs until the crumbs look like wet sand. Press the crust into a 9-inch pie plate, making an even layer on the bottom and sides of the pan. Bake until the crust is slightly darker, about 12 minutes and let cool completely.

Filling: Make the pudding according to the package directions, then let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use spoon or spatula to scrape filling into crust and smooth into even layer. Refrigerate until the filling is set, at least an hour.

Topping: Cut the stems off the strawberries and wash (I like to cut them in half). Wash all of the fruit, drain and spread on paper towels to dry.

Arrange berries or toss them on to the pie. Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Serve cold. Enjoy!