Homemade Cherry Pie

4 cups cherries, rinsed, stemmed and pitted (I got a cherry pitter from Bed, Bath & Beyond, and it worked GREAT!)
1 cup granulated sugar (I used 1 cup Florida Crystals because I don't use the bleached granulated sugar, it worked out just fine)
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1. Combine cherries, sugar and lemon juice in a mixing bowl, stir and let sit for at least 6 hours (I let mine sit for about 10-12 hours in the fridge) , stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Drain off and reserve cherry syrup.

2. Combine a small amount of syrup to cornstarch to make a paste, then whisk cornstarch paste back into syrup. Pour mixture into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the drained cherries and almond extract.

Makes about 5 cups.

You can make your own crust, or use a store bought one. (I made my own, because I couldn't find one at the store without lard or whatever. I probably would have had more luck at a health food store)

Pie Crust
2/3 cup canola oil (you can also use grape seed oil)
5 Tablespoons ice water
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In a mixing bowl, combine oil and water. Whip together until it appears cloudy.
2. In a measuring cup mix together flour and salt. Slowly stir flour mixture into oil mixture.
3. Gently divide pie crust dough in half (too much handling of dough makes it tough). Roll out between two pieces of wax paper into a round circle a couple of inches bigger than the pie pan. Place in pie pan.

Spoon into pastry lined pie pan. Top with remaining pastry or make a lattice crust. Fold edges of top pastry under bottom pastry. Press together to seal and flute edges. Cut slits in several place in top of pastry.

Bake at 425 degrees F. for 35 to 45 minutes or until juice begins to bubble through the slits in the crust. Make sure that you put a crust shield or aluminum foil over the crust after the first 15-20 minutes so that the crust doesn't burn.

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