Cherry Delight Pie

This dessert has been called so many different things, but I grew up with it being called a layered delight dessert. 

8oz package of Cream Cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla
8oz tub of Whipped Topping (like cool whip type)
1 can Cherry Pie Filling

Graham Cracker Crust

Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread mixture in pie crust and refrigerate until firm. Top with cherry pie filling. Top with more whipped topping if desired. 

Miniature Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

Miniature Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

2 cans (20 oz. each) Dole pineapple slices

1/3 cup butter, melted

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 package (18.25 oz.) yellow or pineapple flavored cake mix
9 maraschino cherries, cut in half 

Drain pineapple, reserve juice.

Stir together the butter and brown sugar. Evenly divide sugar mixture into 18 (2/3 cup each) muffin cups* coated with cooking spray.

Lightly press well-drained pineapple slices into sugar mixture. Place cherries in the center of the pineapple, slice side up.

Prepare cake mix according to package directions, replacing amount of water called for with reserved juice. Pour 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup.

Bake in a preheated 350 oven 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Loose edges and invert onto cookie sheet.

*Note - If muffin cup is smaller than 2/3 cup, it will not be large enough to hold pineapple slice and batter. I used some small round ramekins to make mine fit perfectly!

These mini cakes are moist and delicious! Everybody was coming in the kitchen asking me what smelled so delicious! They won't sit around long no matter what occasion you make them for this year!

Cherry Jelly ~ March Food in Jars Mastery Challenge

I am participating in a year long Food In Jars Mastery Challenge hosted by Marisa from Food in Jars, and the March challenge was Jellies and Shrubs! Since my family and I really aren't into the Shrubs, vinegary concentrated drinks, I decided to stick with jelly, but I used my cherries from last years crop to make jelly. I've never made Cherry Jelly before. It is sweet, tart and delicious!

My cherries were frozen. I rinsed them off and set the colander on the base after they drained well. I let them thaw. I removed the pits over the colander, yielding about 4 - 4 1/2 cups of cherries. 

The base caught 3/4 cup of cherry juice! I cooked the cherries after adding Sure-Jell (I didn't need to add water since the base of my colander caught the juice. I boiled them and then added the sugar. I boiled them for a few minutes to yield the most juice. I used the colander and base again to separate the cherries from the jelly juice. I filled the jelly jars and processed them.

Jelly juice...
I skimmed off the foam.

Jelly done! Recipe below...
I reserved the cherries for chutney.

6 cups cherries, stemmed and pitted
  (Note that you are only using the juice for jelly which will yeild about 3 1/2 cups of juice)
1/2 cup water*
Sure-Jell
4 1/2 - 5 1/2 cups granulated sugar**

Stem and pit the cherries. Place cherries water and sure-jell into a large stock pot. Stir until the sure-jell is dissolved and cook over medium to medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Add all the sugar at once and return to a boil. I let mine cook down for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully strain the cherries and reserve them for some chutney or jam. Spoon the juice or pour into jars. I yielded 3 half pints and a 4 ounce jar from this batch. You can either process the jars of preserves in a water bath for 10 minutes, or store in the refrigerator. 
* I used frozen cherries from last year's batch, so I didn't need to add water. If you use fresh cherries, add a little water to dissolve the sure-jell and start the process of breaking down the cherries.

** Depending on how ripe the cherries are, you may use more or less sugar. These cherries are a little tart, so I used about 4 1/2 cups. Taste and adjust the sugar.

Cherry~Apple Jalapeno Chutney

This month in the Food in Jars Food Mastery Challenge, we are featuring jellies and shrubs. I made Cherry Jelly, so I saved the actual cherries and used them in this chutney! Think about Easter and the Lamb and Mint Jelly combo you've always heard the hype about? How about Lamb (or pork loin, ham or chicken) and this Cherry~Apple Jalapeno Chutney?!?

 Cherries strained from the jelly.

Since the cherries had already cooked down in the jelly,

I combined the other ingredients to cook down and soften. 

... then I added the cherries.

Take out the cinnamon stick before canning.

 It looks like this when it's finished.

You can see a bit of jalapeno sitting on top of an apple in the picture.

Cherry~Apple Jalapeno Chutney

1lb cherries, pitted, coarsely chopped

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tart apple (such as Granny Smith), finely chopped

2 or 3 chopped jalapenos, or to taste

1/3 cup cider vinegar

3/4 teaspoon mustard seed

1/4 teaspoon allspice
1(4-inch) cinnamon stick

In 3-quart saucepan, combine all ingredients; stir to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce heat to medium-low; boil gently 50 to 60 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard cinnamon stick. Cool at least 1 hour before serving. 

Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove jars and allow to cool 24 hours on a towel on your kitchen counter-top. Store jars in the pantry up to one year. Opened jars need to be refrigerated.

Swedish Butter Cookies

We didn't have anymore pecans, but the hubby wanted to make them anyway... He says that he'll get some pecans later. When he thaws them out at Christmas, he says that he'll brush them with butter and roll them in chopped pecans. I say leave them alone and make another batch when you get the pecans! LOL

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, separated
1 tbsp half & half cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 finely chopped pecans
maraschino cherries, halved

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla and cream. Combine flour and baking powder and gradually add to the butter mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans. Roll about a tablespoon of the dough into a ball. Repeat with remaining dough.

In a small bowl, beat the egg white. dip the top of the balls in the egg and then dip in the remaining pecans. Place them about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Using the handle of a wooden spoon, make a hole in the top of each cookie. Place a cherry in each hole, cut side down. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

 The hubby working on his cookies...
See he really does love to do this stuff! LOL

 

24 maraschino cherries, patted dry
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp maraschino cherry juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and juice. Gradually add flour and salt to butter mixture. Mixture will be thick and may be crumbly. Form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the frig for about an hour.

Insert a chocolate chip into each cherry. Flatten about a tablespoon of dough and wrap it around a cherry. Repeat with the remaining dough and cherries. Place about an inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Melt the remaining chocolate chips in the microwave. Dip tops of cookies in chocolate or spoon enough chocolate to cover the mound containing the cherry of each cookie. Place on wax paper and allow to set. Store in an air tight container.

Mama's Icebox Fruitcake

Ice Box Fruit Cake

My Mama made this every Christmas! I can remember sneaking in the frig and cutting a sliver off. It is so rich all you need is a thin slice... so this 'cake' goes a long way!

1 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafers, crushed
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (4 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained and halved
2 cup chopped pecans

In a medium bowl, stir together the pecans, cherries, condensed milk and vanilla wafers. Dough will be very thick, you will need to use your hands.

Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap and place dough inside. Refrigerate overnight or until the cake is set and all the milk is absorbed.