The Apple-Cherry Pie Saga

So, when it comes to pies on Thanksgiving, we always end up with Pumpkin and Mincemeat.  I'm not a huge fan of either, so I generally make a Chocolate Dream pie if I have time.  Well, this year I decided to branch out and make an Apple-Cherry pie.  Now, you must understand...I have never made a REAL pie in my entire life.  So the events that followed were slightly traumatizing.  I had no problems with the filling.  Cut the apples, layer with the cherries and the sugar mixture.  It was the crust that was my undoing!  I used my Grandma Johnson's recipe for "Never Fail Pie Crust."  However, following any of Grandma's recipes for anything is kind of a crapshoot.  She never measured anything.  She just knew what it was supposed to look like.  I'm not kidding.  (I have tried to make her famous chocolate cake a couple of times, and it's just not the same!!!!)  Anyway, I don't think I put enough flour in, because the dough was not cooperating.  I finally managed to tame it and got it into the pie plate.  The rest was pretty easy.  I just layered everything in.  Then I had to put the top crust on.  More trauma.  It was also uncooperative, but I finally got it on the pie.  Here is the pie prior to baking:

In the oven it went!  And boy, did it smell GOOD!!!!  There's just something about apples and cinnamon baking in the oven.  Mmmmmmmm......

When I took it out of the oven, I set it on the stove.  Almost instantly, it started to bleed!  I'm serious!  It leaked cinnamony sweet juice for about 5 minutes!  All over the stove!!!  I finally got it to stop without destroying the pie, but not before it made a big mess.  (But a yummy tasting mess it was!!)  Here is the pie, all finished:

 

You can see the leaking point in that picture!!

The word on the street at Thanksgiving dinner was that the pie was good!  I definitely enjoyed my piece!  I will probably make it again, but I'm going to have to figure out an easier way to do the crust.  HAHA!!  The TV is on in the other room and a commercial just came on for Pilsbury pie crust.  I think it's a sign.

And for those interested, here's the recipe:

Swiss Apple-Cherry Pie
4 large cooking apples
6 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups pitted sour red pie cherries, fresh or canned
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Make pastry for two-crust pie.  Pare apples, core, and slice.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter and brush on bottom of pastry shell.  Arrange a layer of apples on bottow of shell.  Mix dry ingredients and sprinkle portion over layer of apples.  Arrange layer of red cherries, then sprinkle with some dry ingredients; then layer of apples and dry ingredients; layer of cherries, dry ingredients; and end with layer of apples.  Top with dots of remaining butter,.  After top crust is added to pie, rub crust with cream or evaporated milk and sprinkle with mixture of 1/4 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.  Bake at 425 degrees F. oven for 30 to 40 minutes.

Never Fail Pie Crust (from LaReta Johnson)
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 cup shortning
1 teaspoon salt
1 whole egg
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon vinegar

Sift flour and salt together.  Cut in shortning until it resembles coarse meal.  Beat egg and combine with vinegar and water.  Add to flour and mix well.