‘Food that Really Schmecks’ by Edna Staebler
I have mentioned this favorite old cook book before. I ‘inherited’ it, if you will, from my grandma. Her and my mother have enjoyed their copies of it for many many years, and so I had to have one too. Full of sweet stories and lovely practical Mennonite recipes, I have come to enjoy flipping through it time and time again as well. A favorite recipe that stopped me in my tracks the first time I had a gander was “Cranberry Pie”, or tarts if you put it into little shells instead.
Oh how pretty cranberries are. They are a favorite of mine and yet because of the punch-y bite they carry it can be hard to use them in large amounts. Some might have assumed this pie would be too tart right away, but seeing as my other total favorite pie is JUST rhubarb I figured I could handle it. Well hello cherry pie taste with no pitting! Yup, as lovely as cherry pie but FAR easier when making the filling from scratch!
I just boiled up a batch of filling today, in preparation for day two of my holiday baking cook off tomorrow. It looks so amazing on the stove, such a beautiful colour! I can’t help but feel cheery while cooking it:) This is a beautiful Christmas treat that will brighten up any holiday gathering!
Bellow is the recipe for the filling. Other then that all you need is a top and bottom pie crust from your favourite pastry recipe.
REMEMBER to make this ahead and cool in the fridge, even over night, because it really adds to the flavour!
Cranberry Pie
2 cups whole cranberries (fresh best but frozen are just fine)
1 cup chopped raisins
2 cups organic sugar (or coconut sugar, just add a half cup more)
2 cups water
2 generous tablespoons of unbleached flour
2 tsps vanilla
2 Tbsps butter
- Bring all the items listed to boil in a pot.
- Stir until nicely thickened.
- Turn the temperature down to low and let it stew down for 15 minutes.
- Cool thoroughly before putting into a crust. Best if it is cooled overnight in the fridge, for best taste.
- For tarts I will roll out the crust for the tops and use cookie cutters to cut out cute shapes in it, then just put a small shape in the middle of each tart.
- For pies I put it in a full shell top and bottom, putting a little design in it with a knife and then brushing the top with milk and sprinkling with sugar to give it a glow.
- BAKE at 350 degrees for about 30 in pie or tart crust(s).
VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
TTFN
Back home we spent more time wrestling off and on the ride then sitting and looking around. It was one big brawl from start to finish. Mr Hillier only ever stopped the ponies if we fell so far behind that we couldn’t catch up, weighted down, as we where, by our snow gear. We laughed so hard and loved ever minute of it. I remember it was one of the first things I had to do with him, when Garnet and I where dating. My brothers took it upon themselves to immediately try to throw the city boy off. It took a lot of work, Garnet is a stubborn and big fellow. He was game right away though. I remember I got him worse then anyone else; he was hanging on by his hands at one point and I coyly unhinged his fingers till he rolled away, carrying my brother with him. My brother had been hanging on to Garnet’s foot trying to pull him off from that side. My boyfriend landed safely… on top of my brother… knocked the wind right out of him, it was all terribly funny!
