(Original source: AllRecipes.com)

I made this pie for Dad’s 68^th birthday. He was experiencing some serious back pain at the time and was on intense painkillers. I wanted to do something to lift his spirits, so I stayed up until 2:00 am the night before baking this pie and brought it by the house after class on his birthday. Since Dad’s birthday is November 23, he saved most of the pie for Thanksgiving two days later. (Of course I also baked an apple pie and pumpkin pie for the holiday).

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Filling

• 1 lb. (16 oz. or 2 cups) fresh cranberries
• ¾ cup white sugar*
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup walnuts (optional)**

*This is a very tart pie. Add more sugar if you like your pie on the sweeter side.

** I don’t use walnuts because no one in my family likes them. You may substitute for a different kind of nut (i.e. pecans) or simply leave them out.

Streudal Topping

• ½ cup walnuts– optional
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. shortening (butter)
• Pastry shell for 9 inch single crust pie

Instructions:

• Smash cranberries.***
• Stir in sugar and 1/4 cup flour.
• Pour filling into pie crust.
• Smash walnuts into small pieces. Stir in brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and shortening with a pastry blender or Cuisinart. The mixture should be crumbly. Sprinkle over pie.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes, or until done.

*** You can smash the cranberries with a Cuisinart or potato masher. If using a Cuisinart, add berries very gradually and alternate between “Chop” and “Puree” settings. You don’t want the berries to be liquefied, but they should be crushed into pieces and easy to mix with the sugar and flour.