Fourth of July Red, White and Blue Pie

1 cup crushed pretzels
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 (3.4 ounce) packages white chocolate instant pudding
13/4 cup milk
2 cups sweetened whipped cream
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 cups fresh blueberries

In a medium bowl, combine pretzels, butter and sugar. Mix until thoroughly blended. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate and up the sides.

In a separate bowl, mix together pudding and milk. Fold in whipped cream. Put aside 1 cup of filling for piping a garnish around the rim of the pie plate. Spread 1 cup of filling on top of pretzel crust. Layer sliced strawberries on top of filling. Cover with another layer of filling topped with strawberries and blueberries. Pipe leftover filling through a star tip using a pastry bag. Chill until ready to serve.

Old Glory Cherry-Blueberry Pie

5 cups fresh sweet, dark cherries, rinsed and
pitted, or frozen pitted cherries (see notes)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained,
or frozen blueberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Flag pastry
2 teaspoons butter or margarine, cut into small pieces
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

In a large bowl, mix cherries with 2 tablespoons lemon juice. In a smaller bowl, mix blueberries with remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Combine sugar and cornstarch; gently stir 1 cup of the mixture into cherries and 1/4 cup into blueberries.

Spoon cherry mixture over 3/4 of the pastry in pan, leaving 1 quadrant free. Spoon blueberry mixture into unfilled area. Scatter butter evenly over fruit.

Top filling with stars and stripes as directed for flag pastry. Set pie in a foil-lined 13 x 17-inch baking pan.

Bake on the bottom rack of a 400 degrees F regular or convection oven until fruit is bubbling in the center and pastry is well browned, about 1 hour. If pastry edges brown too quickly (check after 40 minutes), cover loosely with foil.

Let pie cool on a rack at least 3 hours; let stand at room temperature up to 8 hours. Cut into wedges and serve with ice cream, if desired.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

NOTES: If using fresh cherries, buy about 1 3/4 pound; if using frozen, you'll need about 1 1/2 packages, 16 ounces each.

Red, White and Blue American Pie

1 (10-inch) pastry or graham cracker
8 ounces cream cheese
1 (12 ounce) package whipped topping
1 (21 ounce) can blueberry pie filling
1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
1 (21 ounce) can tart cherry filling

Bake 10-inch pie pastry; let cool to room temperature. Pour blueberry pie filling into shell; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Beat cream cheese and confectioners sugar; beat until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spread cheese mixture over blueberry pie filling; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Spread cherry pie filling over cheese mixture. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Yield: 6 servings