Strawberry Pizza

I adore strawberries, and it is making me really happy to see them in the grocery store looking so fresh and juicey.  I guess it's time to break out some of my favorite strawberry recipes. This is a recipe my mom used to make for us when I was growing up.  We lived in Oregon where some of the worlds best berries are grown, so we had access to fresh from the field U-pick berries. Back when my mom used to make it, she would make it on a pizza pan in a circular shape - thus the name strawberry pizza.  I, however, am shamefully lazy and find it much easier to make when you just dump the crust into a 9x13 pan. So what I end up with is a lame rectangular "pizza."  In my defense, I notice that rectangular pizzas are the latest trend with all the big pizza companies :)

I made this recipe for valentines day this year and it was gone berry, berry fast.

Strawberry Pizza

1 cup flour

1 stick butter

1/4 cup powdered sugar

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup Cool Whip

1 cup powdered sugar

1-2 quarts strawberries

1 container strawberry glaze

Make the crust by mixing the flour, butter, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. I use my fingers to work the butter in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Don't overwork it - you should still see bits of butter.

Press onto a 12 inch pizza pan or, if you're lazy like me, into a 9x13 inch pan. 

See the bits of butter in there? That will make your crust light, tender and flakey.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Cool. 

What's so funny? My crust is cracking up :) 

It must be saying "cheeeeeeeeese."  Which is what we need to spread on next.

To make the cheese layer, cream softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. 

Mix in the Cool Whip.

And spread on your cool and happy crust.

Rinse and dry your strawberries really well.

I like to slice mine up and arrange them in rows to top my pizza, but you do whatever makes you happy.

Your "pizza sauce" is going to be Strawberry Glaze.  You can usually find it in the produce section near (gasp) the strawberries :) This is the one they had at my grocery store:

Spoon your strawberry sauce over the top of your pizza, and use the back of the spoon to gently spread over all of the berries.

Sorry 'bout the color of that glaze - waaaaaay too bright.

Pop your pizza in the fridge and chill until ready to serve. 

If you made a cool circular pizza on a pizza pan like my mom always did, you can cut cool pizza shaped slices. If you made the more modern and trendy rectangular version (notice no mention of lazy here), then you can cut yourself a square slice.

Again, sorry 'bout the color of that blinding, red glaze.  It looks much more appetizing in real life!

Enjoy your strawberry dessert pizza.  No need to say cheese, you'll be smiling once you take a bite!