STRESS BABY, STRESS!

Now children there comes a time in any business or life endeavor when we need to "grow up"...AKA Eat Dudu and swallow. And believe me as a proud member of a profession with the highest reported suicide rate I feel somewhat entitled to rant and lecture about stress. I have as sunny a disposition as I can muster and many times the big assimilating machine of grown up society punishes me for being ...well, different.
For all or you public service professionals (government clerks) and customer services representatives; for all of you auditors, solicitors and collectors. Lets have a bite of the "chill pie" shall we.
Photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/santos/

Chill Pie
Aka: Poor Man's Charlotte
1 cup Water
1/4 lb Linden tea (Or collect the clean flowers off the many trees that line Boston quaint streets)(4 tea bags)
Three or four (Hibiscus) Jamaica Flower Buds (Dry)(Two Tea bags)
You may use the equivalent in tea bags as is more readily available.
Boil do not brew this tea (dark) as it will be used for a sauce.
Couple of Teaspoons of Rose Water (Syrian Stores)(Save for last)
Strain and Reduce the liquid to 1/2 cup
Sugar Refined one table spoon
Add Sugar and keep reducing to 1/4 Cup
(Adult Cool Aid)
1 package of Kosher Gelatin (Unflavored)
Graham Crackers Ready Crust
OR Make your own with Crumble Graham Crackers and cold "Marje-uan" Butter -(follow the lead of the South Park Social Worker) For extra soothing effect (Unless you get drug tested at work... same as poppy seeds dear, stay clear of them)

Bake crust using a double mold, line the first mold with the butter including the sides and line the bottom of the second mold with butter or non stick spray, weight the second mold with a brick place the bottom of the weighted mold over the crust "Nesting the two molds. Bake for 4 minutes at 350 degrees (watch it if it browns it means is burned...so just time it) and let cool off completely before separating. Darn just buy the crust!
1/4 Lb Sliced Strawberries
1 large tub of Ready Whip (Cool Whip)or Whipped Cream (Cream Chantilly)
1 Cup of Yogurt (Strawberry)(I prefer Greek Strained Yogurt with macerated strawberries for consistency)(Any commercial yogurt can do too0
Add the Rose water slowly and check for consistency.
Different yogurts and using Whipped cream
can significantly make your filler very runny.
Mix in a bowl to a fluff while cold.
Pour into the cooled crust.

Refrigerate pie for several hours until firm.
Cover the filler top and decorate with a layer of sliced strawberries

MEAN WHILE BACK AT THE FAT FARM..I mean at the stove
(Hum Flash Back)
Make a syrup ...oh you already did..ha is it not wonderful!
Well that tea thing should be a little thicker by now as it cooled down and thickened into a syrup..not there well boil away dear..boil away.
Mix the gelatin as instructed in the package
(I get always confused with the hot and the cold liquids thing)
So just dump it in the saucer and stir away the lumps.
(Ah quite a life metaphor)
You should have a Cherry Pie looking clear red syrup.
Let cool a little and pour over Strawberries layer chilled pie
Return to Cooler (NOT FRIDGE)Unless it still somewhat runny and your guess are pulling at your apron!
Serve cold