Easy Classic American Cherry Pie

Cherry pie is one of America's top favorites in the pie category. So here is my best recipe for Classic Cherry Pie:

CLASSIC CHERRY PIE

(2) crust pie dough
2 cans cherry pie filling (regular pie pan)
  or 3 cans for deep dish pie pan
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

Mix pie dough, then roll out into two  crusts. Place one crust into the bottom of your pie pan. Pour filling into a bowl and mix the almond extract into it. Pour into pie pan. Place top crust on pie. Cut  several small slits into the top crust for venting. Sprinkle with a little sugar.

Set pie  on cookie sheet then place on the center rack of a  375 degree oven. Bake for  35-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Cool completely before cutting. Serves 8.

Click on the arrows below  to view my popular YouTube videos demonstrating how to easily make a cherry  pie  and how to easily make pie crust  from scratch: 

DECADENT MARBLE FUDGE!

FUDGE..............the perfect decadent treat  anytime, whether it be for a holiday party, gift for someone special or just a chocolatey specialty for yourself or your family.

I love fudge, any kind of fudge. I love to eat fudge and give fudge as gifts to my friends, family and as  a thank you to my professional caregivers, such as my doctors, dentist, veterinarians, postmen, etc.

Anytime is fudge time for me and this easy Marble Fudge is one of my favorites. Why? Because it tastes so darn good and is so darn easy to make in a jiffy. If you would like to try it out just follow my easy-as-fudge recipe.

DECADENT MARBLE FUDGE

12 oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
18 oz. (1 1/2 bags) white chocolate chips
(2) 14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teas. baking soda
*1-2 cups chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds(optional)
1/2 teas. vanilla extract

Line the bottom and sides of a 13x9x2 inch baking dish with parchment cooking paper. In a heavy, medium sized saucepan melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips, one can of the sweetened condensed milk and 1/4 teas. baking soda over low heat. At the same time, in another heavy, medium sized saucepan melt the white chocolate chips, the remaining can of sweetened condensed milk and 1/4 teas. baking soda on low heat. Stir frequently with a separate spoon for each, heating 5-7 minutes until both are melted, evenly incorporated and smooth to the appearance.

Remove pans from the heat, then add the vanilla to the semi-sweet chocolate mixture and the chopped nuts if you prefer. Spoon large mounds of the two different chocolate mixtures alternatively into the baking dish. Using a butter knife or kitchen spatula swirl the two mixtures together creating a marbling effect.

Cover the baking dish with a lid, foil or plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until the fudge is firm. Then, lift the fudge from the baking dish using the parchment paper to do so, or turn over onto a clean sheet of parchement.

Cut into small squares and place in covered container, gift boxes or tins.

***You can easily vary this recipe by using peanut butter chips, peppermint chips or any other flavor of baking chips instead of the white chocolate chips.

This stuff is so great that you will have a hard time keeping your hands off of it! Just warning you ahead of time. :)

Pies Made Easy

With the Holiday Season in full swing, cooks everywhere are planning their special pies for the upcoming festive dinners. Some may find making pies to be a real chore, as I did, until I finally mastered the skill of making pie crust from scratch.

My mother helped me with the first pie crust that I ever made when I was about 18 years old. She made it seem so simple and the cherry pie that she tutored me though came out perfectly. It was a fact widely known that mom was a wonderful pie baker. She always made those pies look so easy to make and she could whip one up in no time flat.

Mom once told me that her first pie was a disaster. The crust was a mess and she became very frustrated with the whole ordeal. Well she kept at it to become one of the best pie bakers around. I found it frustrating too and it took me a good amount of time to achieve her status as pie baker.

With that said, I'm going to share with you some tips on how to make the perfect pie crust the easy way. You can learn how quickly and avoid a lot  the frustration by viewing my YouTube video here.

How to Make Flakey Pie Crust From Scratch the Easy Way

I hope this video will make your Holiday pie baking just a little easier.

Please view my other pie how-to videos:

"How to Easily Place a Pie Crust into a Pie Pan"
http://www.youtube.com/user/videohomeandgarden#p/a/u/2/EZDYmYjDC-U

"How to Flute the Edges of the Pie Crust"
http://www.youtube.com/user/videohomeandgarden#p/a/u/1/7Jg0NpoChoo

Deb