No Bake Strawberry Pie

• 1 Small Carton of Fresh Strawberries
• 1 tbsp of sugar
• 1 package of instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 cup of milk (or enough for pie filling directions on pudding mix)
• whipped topping
• 1 graham cracker crust
  
• Shaved chocolate or cocoa powder (optional)

Pick out 6 pretty strawberries and set them aside. We’ll use them later to decorate the pie. Wash the remaining strawberries. Remove the stems and cut them into chunks. Put them in a small bowl, add the sugar and stir. If the berries aren’t very sweet at all, you may want to add a little more sugar. Set aside.

Prepare the pudding mix according to the instant pie filling directions. Fold 1 cup of whipped topping into the prepared pie mix. Take a big spoon full of the pie mixture and spread it in the bottom of the pie crust. Make sure the whole bottom is covered. Add a little more as needed.

Pour the sugar and strawberry mixture in the pie crust. If there is a lot of liquid, use a slotted spoon to get just the berry pieces. Top the berries with the remaining pie filling.

Spread enough whipped topping on top to completely cover the pie. Cut the strawberries you set aside in half and put them on top of the pie. I like to work in a clock like pattern, adding one berry half at 12 and one at 6. Then I add them in the 9 and 3 position and so forth.

When you’re all done, you can sprinkle some shaved chocolate or a little cocoa powder in the middle.