When we were growing up Holidays at our house were always special. As a little girl they always seemed a so magical. The Christmas tree was always wonderful even though it was not very big. I thought it was the best tree in the whole world! All the special lights that Dad took special care when he hung our lights on the tree, back when we had those bubble lights. I would sit and watch them for hours!

And there were all the visitors that would stop by with warm wishes for the Holiday Season, family and friends alike. It never failed that Mother and Dad would have something for them to eat. Sometimes it would be fresh fruit or maybe one of my Mother's warm blackberry pies.

Our whole house would smell wonderful and the pie tasted even better! I can remember when I was seven years old standing on a stool (so I would be tall enough to reach the top of the old kitchen cupboard where Mother rolled out that wonderful pie dough) and making my first pie dough. It sure didn't look like my Mothers! I have been making pies ever since.

I hope you all enjoy this recipe. This one is a must for my family every Thanksgiving and Christmas.

You can purchase black raspberries at your local orchards however Fred and I like to go out to old farm in the last week of June or first week of July and pick our own!

BLACK RASPBERRY PIE

FILLING

2 ½ CUPS BLACK RASPBERRIES

1 ½ CUPS SUGAR (OR TO TASTE, IT DEPENDS ON HOW SWEET YOUR BERRIES ARE)

½ CUP WATER

2 TABLESPOONS CORNSTARCH

ENOUGH COLD WATER TO MIX UP CORNSTARCH

Put berries, sugar and ½ cup water in a sauce pan and heat till hot. Put your cornstarch in a cup with enough water to mix it up completely, add it to your hot berries and stir till thickened. Set aside

CRUST

2 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR (Gold Meadow)

1 CUP CRISCO

1 ½ TEASPOON SALT

6 TABLESPOONS ICE WATER

Mix flour, Crisco and salt together (you can knead this mixture till crumbly, however after you add the ice water mix just till it is blended for over mixing after the ice water has been added will make your pie dough tough.)

After your dry ingredients have been blended add the 6 tablespoons of ice water and blend just till mixed well. Divide into 4 balls and roll out onto a floured surface. Place two of your crust in the bottom of two pie pans, fill with your berry filling and dot with butter, I use five small dots of butter per pie this makes you crust golden brown when baking. Remember to slit your top crust for venting; I always draw a wheat pattern on my tops. Bake @ 350 till golden brown.

ENJOY