Junior'S Fresh Strawberry Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 quarts fresh ripe strawberries
1 1/4 cups cold water
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 drops red food coloring (optional)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation

Wash, sort through, hull, and slice the berries 1/2 inch thick.
Bring 1 cup of the water and the sugar to a boil in a medium sized sauce pan over high heat.
Boil for 5 minutes.
Mix cornstarch and the remaining 1/4 cup water together in a cup until the cornstarch throughly dissolves.
Slowly whisk this mixture into the boiling syrup.
Return to a full boil and boil for 2 minutes.
Remove the syrup from the heat and whisk in the food coloring if you wish.
Stir in the vanilla and gently fold in the strawberries.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.