|
Quick & EasyBy Beverly Barbour
WHAT DO GEORGE WASHINGTON AND CUPID HAVE IN COMMON?The color red. George because of the fable about cutting down a cherry tree. When asked who had wielded the ax he is said to have replied, "I cannot tell a lie." An unforgettable and unbelievable) story tying George forever to the red, red cherry. (Cherries of course are always thought of as being red, unless they're white). Cupid is associated with various shades of red because the heart is always painted pink or red (unless it is painted black). But, we won't talk about that. We'll just color February red as a good excuse to think about cooking with cherries. And, at this time of year, the available cherries are securely in a can, just dying to get out and strut their stuff to honor either George or Cupid. Cherries aren't fussy, they try to please everyone and usually succeed. Cherry pie filling is the quick and easy route to making simple but good desserts. Cheesecake takes up with any pie filling you choose to spoon over it's top and the result is usually very tasty. If you want to personalize the product you can always add a little bit of brandy to the filling, or some almond flavoring before spreading it around. VERY EASY CHERRY CHEESECAKESo simple that the kids can make it for Dad with a blender and a can. 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened Preheat oven to 325F. Combine cream cheese, salt, eggs and lemon juice in a blender or mixer and then beat in sugar and vanilla. Process until smooth. Pour into pie shell and bake for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, combine sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Spread over cream cheese mixture and bake 5 minutes longer. Chill. Serve with cherry pie filling either as sauce or spooned over top. Makes 6 to 8 servings. TOPSY-TURVY CHERRY COBBLER"The cherries will go to the bottom of the pan and the batter will rise to the top," wrote Dorothy Hofbaur of Ravenna, NE. To speed things up, you can eliminate the first 4 ingredients and use Bisquick following package directions for the biscuit dough. 1 cup all-purpose flour Preheat oven to 400F. Butter casserole or square baking pan. Sift flour, baking powder and 1/2 cup sugar into bowl. Cut in 2 tablespoons butter until pieces are very fine. Sprinkle on the water while stirring with a fork. Evenly pat dough to cover bottom of baking dish. Distribute cherries over the dough. Combine juice and sugar and pour over all. Dot with butter and bake 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 F. And bake 40 to 45 minutes longer. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or milk. Makes 6 to 8 servings. CHERRY BERRIES IN A CLOUDA dessert everyone loves - a meringue with berries, marshmallows and whipped cream Meringue: Meringue: Preheat oven to 275F. Butter 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and saLt until foamy. Gradually add sugar, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Do not underbeat. Spread evenly in prepared pan and bake for one hour. DO NOT OPEN OVEN. Let meringue cool overnight or a minimum of 12 hours Filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together until smooth. Gently fold in the whipped cream and marshmallows. Spread over meringue and chill for 4 hours. .Topping: Combine ingredients and spoon 1/4 cup over each portion. Makes 16 servings. THREE CHEERS FOR GEORGE, CUPID AND THE COLOR RED
Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2011. High Plains Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com |