Alright, let’s talk about dried cherries, eh? I ain’t no fancy chef, but I know a thing or two about makin’ good food, the kind that sticks to your ribs and makes your belly happy. My grandpappy used to say, “Good food ain’t gotta be complicated, just gotta be made with love.” And that’s how I cook, love and a whole lotta common sense.
So, dried cherries. They’re kinda like magic, you know? Take a regular cherry, dry it up, and bam! You got somethin’ sweet and chewy, perfect for all sorts of things. I use ’em in everything from cookies to salads. Don’t go thinkin’ they’re just for fancy folks, neither. They’re good eatin’ for anyone who likes a bit of sweetness in their life.
Now, I ain’t got no fancy recipes written down on no pretty cards. I just do it by feel, you know? Like my grandma used to say, “A pinch of this, a handful of that, and a whole lotta love.” But I’ll try my best to tell you how I do things.
First off, let’s talk cookies. I make these here chewy cherry cookies that are just the bee’s knees. You take some flour, sugar, butter – the usual stuff. But then you throw in a big ol’ handful of dried cherries. Chop ’em up if you want, or leave ’em whole, it don’t matter much. Mix it all up, roll it into balls, and bake ’em till they’re golden brown. And let me tell you, those cookies? They’re gone faster than a fly on a hot summer day.
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dried cherries
Mix it all up and bake at 375, maybe 10 minutes, keep an eye on them, every oven is different you know.
Then there’s chocolate-covered dried cherries. Now, those are somethin’ special. You take your dried cherries, melt some chocolate – I like dark chocolate, but you can use whatever you like – and dip them cherries right in. Let the chocolate harden up, and you got yourself a treat fit for a king, or, you know, just a regular person like me.
And don’t forget about salads. Yeah, you heard me right, salads. A little bit of sweetness in a salad ain’t gonna hurt nobody. I like to throw some dried cherries in with my greens, some nuts, maybe a little bit of cheese. It makes the whole thing taste a whole lot better, trust me on that.
I even put dried cherries in my oatmeal in the mornin’. Just a little handful, makes it all sweet and chewy. My husband, he used to complain about oatmeal bein’ too plain. But now, with the dried cherries, he eats it right up. Says it gives him the energy to work all day. And that’s important, you know? Good food keeps you goin’.
Dried cherries ain’t just tasty, they’re good for you too, or so I hear. Somethin’ about keepin’ your heart healthy and your muscles strong. I ain’t no doctor, but I figure anything that tastes this good and might be good for you is worth eatin’.
Now, some folks say you gotta soak your dried cherries before you use ’em. Says it makes ’em plump and juicy. I don’t always do that, but sometimes I do. Just put ’em in a bowl with some warm water for a few minutes, and they puff right up. It’s up to you, really. Experiment a little, see what you like best.
So there you have it. My not-so-fancy guide to usin’ dried cherries. Like I said, I ain’t no chef, just a plain ol’ woman who likes to cook good food. And dried cherries? Well, they’re just one of the many things that make my food a little bit better, a little bit sweeter, and a whole lotta tastier.
And one last thing, if you ain’t got no dried cherries you can use other dried fruit. I do that sometimes, use what you got I always say. Dried cranberries, raisins, even dried apples if that’s all you got. It’ll all work, just make sure to taste as you go. That’s the most important thing. Taste, taste, taste. That’s how you know it’s good.
Tags: [dried cherries, cherry recipes, chewy cookies, chocolate covered cherries, salad recipes, oatmeal additions, baking with dried fruit, healthy snacks, easy recipes, homemade treats]