Winning recipes from the 2009 Friske’s Cherry Recipe Contest

First Place, Pie: Cherry, Cherry, Cherry Pie

By Sandy Barnes, Eastport

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Double crust pie crust
12 oz dark sweet pitted frozen cherries
12 oz tart frozen cherries
1/2 C dried cherries
1 1/4 C sugar
3 Tbsp minute tapioca
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1/2 tsp lemon zest
pinch salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 C cherry concentrate
1 oz cherry flavored brandy
2 Tbsp butter, cubed

Prepare pie crust and roll out bottom crsut, fit into a large pie dish. Chill. Mix all other ingredients except butter and pour into chilled pie crust. Dot with butter. Roll out top crust, cover pie, crimp edges and cut vents or make a lattice crust.
Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Decrease temperature to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 45-50 minutes.

First Place, Breakfast: Michigan Baked Oatmeal

By Diane Nemitz, Ludington

1 C old fashioned oats
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 C milk
1/4 C sliced almonds
1/4 C dried cherries
1/4 C chunky applesauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased, oven proof 1 1/2 qt. dish. Sprinkle additional almonds on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with cherry sauce and additional milk or cream if desires.

Cherry Sauce

1 quart frozen tart red cherrie
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp grated orange rind
1/8 tsp almond extract
1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1/4 C cold water

Place cherries in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat until juices are released. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring frequently, over low heat until sauce has thickeneed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes two generous servings.