Sour Pie Cherries are one of my favorite summer finds. In the late summer, the Farmer’s Market has frozen tubs of cherries and I hoard them until Christmas when I make Cherry Kolaches. I froze the extra cherry juice to make Cherry Granita. What a delightful, refreshing treat from extra juice.
CHERRY GRANITA
3 cups sour cherry juice
1 lemon, juice of
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Put the cherry juice in the saucepan over a medium heat, along with the sugar.
Cook until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Cool.
Pour the cherry mixture into a shallow container and freeze, stirring about once every hour, bringing ice crystals from the edge into the center.
It will take about 5 hours to freeze completely.
To serve: Remove from freezer 5-10 minutes before serving.
Deviled Eggs are an Easter ‘must have’, and this year will be no different. Everyone in the family loves them so as they say in ‘Fiddler on the Roof’…TRADITION! Back in the day, my Mother would make them from the eggs laid by our own hens. The yolks were deep yellow and it was a lucky treat when we would have an egg with a double yolk.
That was the good part. I can’t say that gathering the eggs was a treat since the hens were often pretty fussy about having anyone poking around their nests for their eggs. Then there was the washing of the eggs for our use and sale to others. All in a days work down on the farm.
Today, I usually buy my eggs at the grocery store but found that Chicken Track brown eggs closely resembled the eggs from the farm. This recipe does not include the direct measurements but was taught to me based on feel/texture. The filling should be moist but not runny.
DEVILED EGGS
Boiled eggs
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Dill pickle juice
Salt to taste
Paprika
Peel boiled eggs and cut eggs in half, lengthwise.
Remove yolks to a separate mixing bowl.
Mash egg yolks and add mayonnaise, pickle juice and dash of prepared mustard to taste.
Fill egg whites with yolk mixture. Sprinkle with paprika. Chill before serving.
Blackberries, or any berries for that matter, are among my favorite foods. This recipe sounded so delicious, simple and somewhat healthy, I had to try it. It was delicious and I wish I had more in my freezer. While grandson, Evan, wasn’t initially excited about the cold, he acquired a ravenous taste for it and wanted more, more, more.
I’m anxious to try other fruits this spring and summer!
BLACKBERRY FROZEN YOGURT
5 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups (32 oz.) fat-free (or low fat) vanilla yogurt
In a food processor, puree blackberries, water and lemon juice. Strain blackberries, reserving juice and pulp. Discard seeds. Return pureed blackberries to food processor; add sugar and vanilla. Cover and process until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine yogurt and blackberry mixture. Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer two-thirds full; freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Refrigerate remaining mixture until ready to freeze. When yogurt is frozen, transfer to a freezer container. Freeze for 2-4 hours before serving (IF you can wait that long!).
I’m convinced that every time I get sick, I lose a few more brain cells. This past week I was sick with a cold…not a big deal, right? Wrong! This cold packed a wallop and put my mental capacity on the level of a 3-year-old. I honestly thought, I’m ready for the home…
I couldn’t remember what I did 2 minutes ago and wandered aimlessly around the house trying to remember why I got up in the first place. I would sit or lie down and would instantly be in a deep sleep. Thank goodness that never happened in the bathroom!
The most idiotic thing I did during this adventure was to microwave my iPhone. I know you are asking yourself, how in the world…well let me tell you…
I have a wonderful aromatic blanket that can be heated in the microwave. When you are cold or down with a bug, it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. After a long, but cold, afternoon nap, I warmed the blanket and put it on my lap. Evidently, I also put my iPhone on my lap and when the blanket had cooled, I wrapped it up and put it back in the microwave to heat again.
Funny thing, my iPhone was nowhere to be found. I looked everywhere, even resorting to going through the garbage. After a long period of hunting, I was worn out and decided to sit down with the warmed blanket. Guess what was stuck to the blanket…the micowaved iPhone.
My humbling trip to the AT&T store was greeted with comments by the staff of ‘that’s one for the books’. Now I’m known by my very friendly and kind AT&T store staff as ‘the microwave lady’.
Today, I feel like the majority of my strength and some of my brain cells have returned. At least that’s what I’m telling myself…now where is my iPhone?
Post Update 1/18/14:
I would like to thank my neighbor and good buddy Maribeth for making me a special microwaved appetizer last night. So glad I have friends and family to laugh with!
Summer and watermelon go together like Mac and Cheese.
When the weather is scorching hot…
a chilled slice of watermelon hits the spot.
As a kid we would take a half slice of watermelon outside and let the sweet juice run down our chins and arms. Seedless watermelons were unheard of so a little ‘seed spitting’ was in order, too! Mom probably had to hose us down before letting us back in the house.
My Mother would always eat watermelon and canteloupe sprinkled with salt. I prefer my watermelon naked but daughter, Sarah, and her friends introduced me to TAJIN fruit with lime seasoning a few years ago. From the moment I tried it, I was hooked and it has become family favorite. The combination of lime, salt and a little kick with the sweet juicy watermelon is delectable.
I find TAJIN at Walmart and sometimes at the local grocery store in either the fruit section or ethnic foods section.
Fork Lore 