Diane's Cherry Pie

Whoa!  Sorry about that unplanned hiatus there.  I found out in December that I'm pregnant with #3 and this boy has really thrown me for a loop.  We're still trying to find our new normal here (which I'm sure we will figure out just before the baby comes in August and changes everything again!) but I'm hoping to get back on the blog train.  I've tried so many new recipes lately, along with some old favorites that still haven't made their way on to the blog.  I definitely want to get back to sharing!  We'll start things off with my mother-in-law's cherry pie because you can never go wrong with pie.  This is my husband's favorite pie--the tart cherries combined with the sweet sauce and a little hint of almond flavor provide a great balance and when the buttery, flaky crust is surrounding it all, I think you'll find it hard to resist.  I know we do!

Diane's Cherry Pie

Number of Servings: 8-10
Time to Prepare: 1 hour 10 minutes

• 2 unbaked pie crusts (use your favorite recipe or just by the pre-made ones...no judgement)
• 4 cups tart red cherries, pitted (canned is fine)
• 8 tsp quick cooking tapioca
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1 1/2 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place in preheated oven.

Line a 9" pie plate with one of the pie crusts.  Place in fridge (along with the other crust) while preparing the filling.

In a medium bowl, toss cherries thoroughly with tapioca, sugar, lemon juice, and almond extract.  Let stand for10 minutes.

Pour into unbaked pie shell and dot with butter.  Cover with the other pie crust (or cut into strips for lattice top) and seal edges.  Make a few slits in the crust to allow steam to escape.

Place the prepared pie in the fridge for ten minutes.  Transfer the pie to the preheated baking sheet in the oven and bake for ten minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 40 more minutes. (Cover the edges of crust to keep from over-browning.)

Source: my mother-in-law, Diane
Produce Used: Cherries, lemon