(Jenni) Cherry Pie Filling

My mother in law called and asked if I wanted cherries. Her tree was packed this year. I got two big bowls full. I wanted to make cherry pie filling for cherry crisps in the winter. It was a BIG job. My fingers are stained red and I made a huge miss in my kitchen. When I opened the corn starch, it went flying all over me and my kitchen. I tasted the finished product and it is so good.

Cherry Pie Filling

6 quarts pitted cherries

7 Cups sugar

1 3/4 cups corn starch

9 1/3 water

1/2 cup lemon juice

Wash and pit cherries. Place cherries in boiling water and boil for 1 minute. Drain. Keep warm by just putting a towel over the top of them. Combine sugar and corn starch in a large pan. Add the 9 1/3 cups of water and cook over med. heat stirring constantly. When product begins to thicken and bubble, add the lemon juice and boil for one minute. Add to cherries, stirring gently to mix. Fill hot jars with hot cherry pie filling leaving 1 inch head space. Wipe the rims clean, remove any air bubbles and place your lids on.

Water bath for 30 minutes for both pints and quart jars.

Add the following time according to altitude:

1001-3000 5 minutes

3001-6000 10 minutes

6001-8000 15 minutes

8001-10000 20 minutes

Grades were high so have some Lemon Pie!!!

(Jenni) School has not been an easy thing for me. I have been going to school FOREVER! I have been taking online classes from ISU and some have left me in tears. I don't learn very well as it is, let alone not having a teacher to teach to me. I don't read well and I don't remember well. I really have to work at my grades. However, I am a good BSer. I can write a paper in no time flat! (In IEPs, you have to include something positive, so that it mine for this post)

ANYWAYS ON TO THE PIE...

Well, mom can't really help me out because she is not in special ed and has no desire to learn about it either. lol. I have had to totally do this on my own. At the end of each semester, mom makes me a lemon pie. She knows it's my favorite and she also knows how hard I work for my grades. I really look forward to it!!!

This time we were so busy planning our Disneyland trip that I didn't get my pie. I had to remind mom that I was still waiting for it. I think she felt bad. Well... my guilt trip paid off because I got a text from mom with a picture of my mouth watering lemon pie. Kailee, you better have learned how to make this because Grandma says it's a secret!!! I hope you had fun cooking with Grandma. I loved to do that with my grandma when I was younger. Thanks Mom and Kailee, you guys ROCK!!!

Thayne's Birthday Pie

Thayne's birthday was on Saturday. The same day as Carries reception. It was crazy and so I didn't get a cake made for him. I thought we could wait until Monday (my day off).

I made a chocolate cake for Thayne while he was at work. Sally saw me get it out of the oven and said, "WOW! YUMMY!) I told her that she couldn't eat it and that it was hot. She looked so sad. She then went and got her high chair and pushed it close to the stove. I reminded her not to touch. Her eyes were so big and she just sat there staring at the cake. I left the room for a SECOND all to find my little angel covered in cake. Not only was it all over her, but all over the floor. She knew I was coming back, so she went running. I about died laughing. It really was funny. Poor Thayne I thought.

I wanted to do something for him, but I didn't have the stuff to make another cake. I had seen this recipe on a blog called jamiecooksitup. I new I had the stuff to make so I did. It was awesome. Thayne's birthday was saved! I made it again for Brittney. She had seen it too on the blog and wanted to try it. It was so easy to make. Hope you try it!

(I used crushed oreos instead of chocolate chips)

Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream Pie
http://www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com/

Time: 15 minutes prep + 4 hours to freeze

Yield: 1 nine inch pie Recipe adapted from Mary Erhart45 Oreo Cookies (about three sleeves)

4 T melted butter1 half gallon Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, softened

1 C hot fudge1/2

an 8 oz container Cool Whip

Mini Chocolate Chips (optional)

***Note: You'll want to let your ice cream hang out on the counter for about 15 minutes before making the pie.

1. Put 30 of your Oreo Cookies in a small food processor. Grind them up into fine crumbs and pour them into a small mixing bowl.

2. Pour the melted butter into the crumbs and stir to combine.

3. Press the crumbs into a Deep 9 inch pie plate. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs evenly into the pie plate.

4. Put the remaining Oreo Cookies into the food processor. Grind them just for a few seconds. You just want them to be coarsely chopped here, not smashed to smithereens. Unless you like crumbs in your ice cream. If so, be my guest. Smash the heck out of them.

5. Scoop your softened ice cream into a large mixing bowl. Add your chopped (or smashed to smithereens) Oreos to the ice cream and fold them in.

6. Spread the ice cream out evenly over your tasty crust.

7. Carefully spoon the hot fudge onto the ice cream and spread it around. Yum. Why isn't there any of this pie left in my freezer!? Darn kids. Ate every last crumb in 24 hours.

8. Spread the cool whip on over the top of the fudge.

9. Wrap that bad boy up with some plastic wrap and get it into the freezer. Let it remain there for at least 4 hours.

10. Take the pie out of the freezer about 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle the top with mini chocolate chips, if you so desire. Then....slice it up....serve it up...put your feet up....and enjoy! You deserve it!