Whoa! Thanks to you generous Forum contributors, we already have a huge helping of molasses candy recipes for Martha Patterson of Monroe.

So, if you were getting all set to fire off a favorite, please hold off. At least for the time being.

And now, in the “better mousetrap” category, Camano Island cook JoBee has sent us a recipe for something she calls “better than the best strawberry pie.”

“I hope it’s not too late to submit a new variation to the strawberry pie I submitted recently,” she writes. “I picked up my last flat of strawberries at the local fruit stand in Stanwood, Schuh Farms, and also grabbed their suggested strawberry pie recipe.

“I think I am actually going to convert to the following Schuh Farms recipe because the lemon juice adds a zing to the flavor.”

Schuh’s strawberry pie

2quarts strawberries

1cup sugar

3tablespoons cornstarch

3tablespoons fresh lemon juice

19-inch pie shell, baked and cooled

Whipped cream

Wash, drain and hull strawberries. Mash half of the berries with the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice, turn into a saucepan and cook until thick. Remove from heat and cool.

Slice remaining berries, arrange in cooled pie shell and top with the cooked berry mixture.

Refrigerate until needed. Serve with whipped cream.

Makes one 9-inch pie.

SOS: Everett reader Karen J. King says, “I’ve lost my favorite recipe for lentil enchiladas. The recipe was in a Safeway Fresh Ideas magazine several years ago. It was called lentilchiladas, and I believe it was a contest-winning recipe. I’m hoping one of your readers will be able to help me replace this favorite recipe.”

SOS: Stanwood cookie person Evelyn Tracy tells us, “Every time I make chocolate chip cookies (I use the original Toll House recipe), after a couple days, they get very dry and quite hard. What am I doing wrong? And/or what can I do to alleviate this?”

If you can help, please write to Judyrae Kruse at the Forum, c/o The Herald, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.

We are always happy to receive your contributions and requests, but please remember that all letters and all e-mail must include a name, complete address with ZIP code and telephone number with area code. No exceptions and sorry, but no response to e-mail by return e-mail; send to kruse@heraldnet.com.

The next Forum will appear in Monday’s Time Out section.