Mama's Old Fashioned Cherry Cobbler!

This is my mother's recipe for "Old Fashioned Cherry Cobbler"!  When I say its' 'old fashioned', it's because it's the way cobblers in the south used to be made all of the time.  You know the type with actually pastry dough and a top and bottom crust  For me the crust is the best part sometimes.  People just don't take the time to make them this way as much anymore.  I think its the pastry crust they don't want to deal with, but with the pastry dough you can buy in the refrigerator section of your supermarket, it's really not that difficult!  

 Here is what you will need:

1 pkg. refrigerated prepared pastry crust (contains 2 pie crusts)

3 cups pitted cherries (frozen or canned)

1  1/2 cups sugar

1 cup water

2 Tbs. cornstarch

1/2 cup water

1 tsp. almond flavoring

3 Tbs. butter, melted

3 Tbs. sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the cherries, sugar and water in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil.  Mix the other half cup water with the cornstarch until smooth.  Pour into the cherry mixture and return to boil for just a minute, stirring constantly.  This will start to tighten.  Don't let it tighten too much.  Turn the heat off and add the almond flavoring.

Spray a 2 quart baking dish with nonstick spray.  Line the bottom with one of the crusts.  Pour the cherry mixture in.  It will seem rather liquid, but it needs to be, because the two crusts really soak it up.  You don't want it to be dry. 

Roll the other crust out on a floured surface just a little larger than your baking dish.  You can make a lattice crust like this one by cutting the dough in 1" strips with a pizza cutter or you can lay the crust on top in one piece.  Make sure if you use one piece, seal around the edges, cut the excess of and cut several vents in the top.  The lattice crust works best, because it doesn't boil over as bad.  Brush the top with melted butter and then sprinkle all over with the sugar.  Place on a cookie sheet in case of spill overs and place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and enjoy the compliments!