Happy Monday, everyone!!  We had a very busy weekend, completing all of our outside work.  From mowing grass, weeding, edging, trimming to filling bird baths and planting flowers, Jake and Maggie were there by our sides helping us out (more pictures of them this week)!!  So what did Mr. TAL and I do to reward ourselves?  I baked us a cherry pie!!  Cherries coated with sugar, vanilla extract, cornstarch, and lemon juice pack a powerful sweet and sour punch.

The crust is my recipe from my third Sit, Stay, Eat Cookbook but with an extra ingredient of vanilla extract.  I used Sweet Home Vanilla in this recipe just as I did in this Traditional Italian Biscotti con Vaniglia recipe.  Check out my Digital cookbook packed full of delicious sweet recipes handed down through our families for only $5.00.  A portion of the proceeds go to Joey’s P.A.W. helping animals in need of prosthetics and wheelchairs.

I first found this recipe on A Latte Food and filed it away saving it for a rainy day.  Well, we had rain this weekend so it seemed fitting that I should make this recipe (I changed it up a bit).  I added a large scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on a hot steamy piece of pie and we enjoyed it while binge watching “Better Call Saul” on Netflix!  After all our work was done…of course :-). If you haven’t seen it, you have to watch it.  It’s so good and is the spin off to “Breaking Bad” which is also very good.

Other ways to serve up this delicious pie:

*Add chunks of dark chocolate to the filling
*Add chunks of dark chocolate to the pie crust
*Drizzle top of pie crust with melted chocolate
*Serve pie with whipped cream and ice cream
*Make pie crust for bottom or use an already made pie crust, add cherries, and top with a crumble of butter, sugar, and Bisquick.  Add in some oats and brown sugar for an extra crunch and texture.  Bake as directed.

This pie is so easy to make.  First make your filling by combining the cherries, lemon, sugar, cornstarch, flour, vanilla extract, unsalted butter (you will add the butter on top of filling before the top pie crust goes on).  I always used Land O’ Lakes butter both salted and un-salted in my recipes.  This should sit for about 15 minutes or longer if you have to.

Tips:

You can use fresh cherries but I chose to use canned cherries.  Make sure that whatever cherry you use, they are pitted.

Preheat your oven before you start making the pie so the oven is nice and hot for baking.  I used a Pioneer Woman baking dish and made sure I placed a cookie sheet underneath so that the juices from the pie did not spill over in my oven.

Drain the cans of cherries before combining your other ingredients.  The cornstarch will help thicken the juice when baking.

Make your crust by combining the flour, Crisco, salt, water, and vanilla extract.  The key to making this crust is to make sure the water is ICE cold!  I make sure that I add ice cubes to my water to make it extra cold.  The original recipe calls for whisking 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water together to baste the top of the crust but I choses not to.  I baked the pie and then added sugar to the top as soon as it came out of the oven.

Tips:

Work the Crisco into your flour mixture using a pastry cutter, forks, or two knives if you don’t have a pastry cutter.  The mixture should resemble course crumbs.  Add more water or a tablespoon of Crisco if it is to dry for your liking.

I always add my water last three tablespoons at a time.

Add flour to your counter and to your rolling pin so that the dough does not stick.  Roll out into circles approximately 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick.  We prefer our pie crust a bit thicker than some.  It really is all about your preference.

After rolling out dough, roll it back up off the counter and roll out over your baking dish.  Make sure your baking dish is coated with butter before adding the dough.  Press dough into the dish and once the top is added, press the edges together with your fingers so that the two layers are sealed.

They always say to allow your pie to cool but we never do that!  I do find you can taste the flavors of the pie better then but we are never patient enough and eat it right out of the oven :-).

Serve with a hot cup of coffee, hot chocolate, tea, or a cold glass of milk!  See this link for Puppy Paws Coffee Company.  Use code (2labs) for 10% off your order.  Enjoy!

Looking for more sweet recipes, check out my previous blogs here:

White Chocolate Covered Cherries

Blackberry Pie

Super Easy Apple Dumplings

Caramelized Peaches With Caramel Sauce and Cream Cheese Topping

Strawberry Pretzel Pie