Colorful homemade cherry pie filling

3 c pitted sour cherries
1 1/2 c sugar
clear jel or cornstarch, for thickening

1. Combine fruit and sugar in a pan and stir together. Bring to a boil.

2. Mix cornstarch or clear jel* with some cold water or reserved cherry juice (about 1/3 c of each), whisking to remove lumps.

3. When cherries are boiling, add thickening while stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add enough thickening to make the consistency you desire. We like our pies fairly thick, but cheesecake topping thinner.

4. Pour into pie crusts (unbaked pastry) for pies (bake pies at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes or until browned) or use as topping or in other recipes.

*Cornstarch thickens, and will continue to become thicker as your mixture cools. Do not make it as thick when hot as you would like it to be when it has cooled, or it will be too thick.

Clear jel [2], however, is the same thickness hot as it is cold. We prefer clear jel for thickening pie filling, as it is easier to see the consistency, and the pies don't tend to run over in the oven as easily.

Wonderfully flavorful cherry topping. After making homemade cherry pie filling, you will realise how tasteless the store-variety really is. If you have fresh sour cherries, this is a great way to make toppings for cheesecakes or pie fillings! We even mix with other fruit (rhubarb, mulberry, etc.) for pies.