2 cans of cherries
1 cup of sugar
Dash of salt
3 tablespoons of cornstarch or floor
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of almond extract
1 tablespoon butter
by Patricia Kennedy
You will need pie crust for top and bottom. Take two cans (about 14 ounces) of cherries (make sure it is the type for cherry pie). You will also need the liquid from one can (usually one can is enough or it will be too juicy). Pour the two cans of drained cherries into a pan. Add one cup of sugar, dash of salt, 3 tablespoons of cornstarch or flour, � teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and � teaspoon of almond extract.
Slowly mix in juice from cherries (as I said, usually about one can of juice, but some brands have varying amounts of juice. Use your judgment). When the mixture is thickened. Pour into the prepared pie shell.
Before you put on the top crust, dot about 1 tablespoon of butter over the top of the hot mixture. I always push it down into the mixture a bit--this is something that I have added over the years. It seems to give the pie a richer flavor. Then you are ready to put on the top crust and bake until pie crust is done. I always like to use a lattice type of pie crust for the top because cherry pie is so colorful--I like the cherries showing.
Remember--The real secret of this pie is the � teaspoon of almond flavoring. Be careful with it -- I sometimes use the � teaspoon measuring size, but I don't fill it all of the way.
If you have leftover pie crust because you are making the lattice-style crust, I learned from my mother to make little cinnamon sugar cookies with these. You roll out the leftover dough and sprinkle a mix of cinnamon-sugar evenly over the dough. Then you roll it up and slice it jelly-roll style. These tidbits bake quickly on a cookie sheet in the oven!
