Orchard Talk

Nuts About Cherries Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

4 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, diced
1 cup King Orchards Nuts About Cherries, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup diced apples (we like Mutsu for this, but Cortland, Galas and Honeycrisp would be good choices too)
1/3 cup low-fat yogurt
1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 tbl. buttermilk
salt and pepper to taste

In large bowl, combine chicken, Nuts About Cherries, celery and apple. After well combined, add the yogurt, mayo and buttermilk. Salt and/or pepper if desired. Toss together well and refrigerate until chilled.

Serve by itself, on wheat bread, croissant or pita.

For an added twist, add the zest of an orange or two.

Tags: apple salad recipe, dried cherries, nuts about cherries, Recipes

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
• 1/3 cup tart cherry juice
• 2 cups low-fat pancake mix
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
• 1 cup granola
• 1 whole egg
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 2 cups 1% low-fat milk (or light plain or vanilla soymilk)
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• Cooking spray
• 3 tablespoons sliced almonds

Salsa Ingredients

• 2/3 cup dried tart cherries
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup dried wild blueberries
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup tart cherry juice
• 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 3 (2 inch) pieces stick cinnamon
• Dash of ground cloves
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat griddle.
2. In a small sauce pan over medium-high heat, stir cherries and juice until cherries are plump and juice is absorbed. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix pancake mix, wheat germ, granola, egg, egg substitute and milk until blended. Add cherries and almond extract and blend.
4. Spray heated griddle with cooking spray. Portion 1/3 cup batter onto surface, cook until bottom is golden brown, then turn and cook until golden. Top with favorite syrup and sprinkle with almonds.
5. For Salsa: Combine cherries, cranberries, blueberries, 1 1/2 cups water, the cherry juice, brown sugar, stick cinnamon and cloves in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; gently simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
6. Stir together 1/3 cup water and the cornstarch. Add cornstarch mixture to cherry mixture. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; gently simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; remove stick cinnamon.
7. Serve mixture warm over pancakes, waffles, French toast, hot cereal or ice cream.

Courtesy of The Cherry Marketing Institute

“Dried cherries are a great heart-healthy addition to your favorite pancake or breakfast bread batter. Top with a warmed Super Fruit salsa of dried cherries, cranberries and blueberries for an added antioxidant boost.”

Tags: cherry recipes

Cherry Celery Salad

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups celery, diced
2/3 cup dried tart cherries
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 tbsp. mayonnaise
3 tbsp. plain yogurt
2 tbsp. toasted pecans, chopped
3 tsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Combine celery, cherries, peas and parsley in a medium mixing bowl. In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients to make dressing and stir.  Pour dressing over celery mixture and stir until evenly coated. Serve.

Serves: 4

Tags: dried cherries, Recipes

Ingredients:
4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar, granulated
2 tbl baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup King Orchards dried tart cherries
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 tbl lemon peel, grated
1 cup milk
4 eggs

Directions:

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg in large mixing bowl. Add butter. Mix with an electric mixer on low speed until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (about  2 minutes)

Stir in cherries, pecans and lemon peel. Mix on low speed.

Whisk milk and eggs together until well blended. Reserve 1/4 cup milk mixture. Add reaining milk mixture to dry ingredients, mixing on low speed just until moistened.

Gently knead dough on lightly floured surface 5 or 6 times. Divide dough into 2 pieces (about 14 ounces each). Shape each portion into a circle 10 inches in diameter and 1-inch thick. Cut each into 12 wedges.

Place dough on greased full sheet pan. Brush surface with reserved milk mixutre. Sprinkle with additional sugar if desired.

Bake in a 400F standard oven 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.

note: Scones may be made ahead and baked, then frozen up to 2 weeks. Thaw at room temperature.

Tags: dried cherries, Recipes

1 can (16-ounce) pitted dark sweet cherries
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons hot mustard
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup dried tart cherries
6 (6 1/2 ounces each) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste
6 rosemary sprigs for garnish

Heat oven to 350F. Line a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with foil and spray foil with non-stick spray; set aside.

To make the glaze: Drain the pitted dark sweet cherries; reserve 1/4 cup of cherry juice. In a blender, puree the drained cherries until smooth.

In a skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the onion and garlic until soft; add the cherry puree, reserved 1/4 cup cherry juice, honey, vinegar, mustard, ginger, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; stir until smooth. Add dried cherries; simmer 5 minutes.

Arrange chicken breasts in foil-lined baking pan; season with salt and pepper to taste. Brush chicken lightly with cherry glaze; reserve remaining glaze. Cover the pan with foil and bake chicken 20 minutes; brush with additional glaze and bake uncovered 10 to 15 minutes longer or until chicken is done.

To serve, pour 2 tablespoons warm reserved glaze over each chicken breast and garnish with a rosemary sprig. Serves 6.

Tags: Cherries, cherry recipes, dried cherries, michigan, michigan cherries, michigan sweet cherries, michigan tart cherries, sweet cherries, tart cherries, tart cherry recipes, traverse city

2 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup shredded unpeeled zucchini
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup dried tart cherries
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons baking powder

Put eggs in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed 3 to 4 minutes, or until eggs are thick and lemon colored. Add sugar, oil, lemon juice and water; mix well.

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, soda and salt. Add flour mixture to egg mixture; mix well. Stir in zucchini, cherries and lemon peel.

Grease and flour the bottom only of an 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch loaf pan. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in a preheated 350F.oven 55 to 65 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 1 loaf, about 16 slices

Source: Cherry Marketing Institute

Tags: bread recipes, Cherries, cherry recipes, dried cherries, michigan, michigan cherries, michigan tart cherries, tart cherries, tart cherry recipes, traverse city, zucchini recipes

This recipe makes 72 biscotti

Ingredients
2 cups King Orchards dried tart cherries
1/4 cup orange juice
hot water
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch salt
3 large eggs
1 cup chopped pecans
powdered sugar, for rolling

Cooking Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Combine the cherries and orange juice in a small bowl and add just enough hot water to cover. Set aside for 15 minutes or more.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. Drain the cherries and discard the liquid. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together. Add them to the flour mixture along with the drained cherries and pecans and stir until a stiff dough forms.

5. Scrape the dough onto a lightly sugared work surface and divide it into 4 pieces. Roll each piece with the palms of your hands into a log slightly shorter than the length of your cookie sheet.

6. Place two logs on each cookie sheet, several inches apart (the logs will double in width). Bake for 15 minutes, until the logs feel set or firm to the touch. Set the cookie sheets on racks and let cool. Reset the oven to 300°F.

7. When cool to the touch, place the logs on a cutting board. With a serrated knife, slice them into 1/2-inch diagonal slices.

8. Lay the biscotti out on the prepared cookie sheets in a single layer and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until they are dry and lightly toasted. Cool completely.

9. Store in an airtight tin or plastic container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Serving Size: 3 biscotti
Nutritional Information
Number of Servings: 72
Per Serving
Calories 139 Carbohydrate 24 g
Fat 3 g Fiber 1 g
Protein 2 g Saturated Fat 0 g
Sodium 65 mg

Tags: Cherries, cherry recipes, dried cherries, dried tart cherries, michigan cherries, michigan tart cherries, tart cherries, tart cherry recipes

1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
zest of one lemon
2 eggs
2 cups flour
pinch of salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup King Orchards dried tart cherries

Cream butter, add sugar slowly, add zest.
Add eggs one at a time

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and add to creamed mixture slowly. Do not overbeat.

By hand, incorporate almonds and cherries.

Form into log, bake 40 minutes @ 350. Let cool.
Cut into 1/2″-3/4″ slices. Place on cookie sheet and bake 15 more minutes.

note: Rose baked these and brought them into the office last week. Seriously good!

Tags: cherry recipes, dried cherries

This cookie starts with a basic Oatmeal cookie recipe (I use the one from Quaker Old-Fashioned Oats). I’ve been making them with farm fresh eggs and real butter. They never last very long around our house, especially when it’s cold and blustery outside. Made a batch this weekend, with good intentions of sending some to our daughter Lexi, a sophomore in college. You know what they say about good intentions. By Monday, I would’ve been shipping a box of crumbs. Sorry Lex

1/2 pound margarine or butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup dried tart cherries (King Orchards’ of course!)
1/2 bag Chocolate Chips – (I like using white chocolate for these… I love the white chocolate/cherry combination. My hubby likes the semi-sweet chocolate. Either way, it’s all good.)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats, cherries and chocolate chips; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely (or test while still warm – it’s what we do!). Store tightly covered.

Enjoy!
Patty

Tags: cookies, dried cherries, Dried Cherries Recipes, Recipes

Double Cherry Pie

Ingredients:

Directions:

• Combine canned cherries, dried cherries, granulated sugar, tapioca and almond extract in a large mixing bowl; mix well
• Let cherry mixture stand 15 minutes.
• Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry; fill with cherry mixture. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Dot with butter.
• Cover with top crust. Seal and flute edges.
• Bake in a pre-heated 375-degree oven about 1 hour, or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. If necessary, cover edge of crust with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.

Note: 2 lbs. frozen tart cherries, thawed to room temperature and well drained, can be substituted for canned tart cherries

Tags: Recipes