Yummies: Cherry...Cherry Baby...

We told you about our undying heart for the delicious, bright colored, sexy, TDF tasting ball of fruit that cherries are and gorgeous readers of Things We Heart we are here to profess that love again!

How on earth did Mother Earth pack such a big, bold, tangy, sweet, amazing taste into such small bite sized packages? No seriously? How?

Man tried when he gave us Sour Patch Kids or Nerd filled gumballs but neither compare to the "bite" of a cherry.

Although we have been know to eat an entire bowl of cherries in one sitting...

Krisatomic

we are going to give you our fave ways to use the gorgeous globes of yum in fun, muy delish recipes...

Oh...PS we are not talking about the nasty...gooey...fake red maraschino cherries...



we are talking about the real deals...

Ok...choo choo the cherry train is off and running!

Now how can we possibly talk about summer and cherries with out talking about Cherry ICE CREAM!



Sorry to shout...but hello? ICE CREAM!!!

We never thought we would like cherry ice cream until we tried Ben and Jerry's, Cherry Garcia on a hot summer day.



Then we accidentally picked up a tub of Breyer's Cherry Vanilla and were just as happy!



Hot fudge poured over and we were sent to heaven!

Soooo you know what we say? Make it yourself!! No preservatives, all natural and hello? Homemade!!!

PS Ice Cream is waaaay easier than you think it is to make...

We are sooo making this Dark Chocolate and Cherry Ice Cream!

Over cherry pie? (shhh we kinda are too but we couldn't do a post with out it and there are tons of people who totally heart it)

NO? Ok good! We just happen to have an award winning recipe for Cherry Pie right here!

Ingredients

• Store bought pie crust bottom and top
• 2 cups pitted sour cherries
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 10 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

1. Place pastry bottom in a 9 inch pie pan.
2. Place the cherries, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium size non-aluminum saucepan. Allow the mixture to stand for 10 minutes, or until the cherries are moistened with the sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Lower the heat; simmer for 1 minute, or until the juices thicken and become translucent. Remove pan from heat, and stir in butter and almond extract. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Cover with top crust.
3. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F (190 degree C) oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Try a ridonculous cherry cheese pie?!?!?

It's cherry pie meets cheese cake!! DOne and DDDOOONNNEE!!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add butter; stir until combined. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-in. pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Pour pie filling into crust.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. Carefully spread around outside edges of pie, leaving a 3-in. circle of cherries exposed in the center. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Still not sold? Otay...what about warm gooey cherry cobbler?



You remember how amazing cobblers are right? Not too sweet but oh soooo homey and comforting and every bit "yummmm" inducing.

Ingredients

Filling:

• 6 cups tart red cherries, pitted
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch

Topping:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon bakingshowlist_icon.gif"> powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tablespoons milkshowlist_icon.gif">

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a saucepan combine filling ingredients and cook, stirring until bubbling and thickened. Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish. Meanwhile, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until it is crumbly. Mix together egg and milk. Add to flour mixture and stir with a fork just until combined. Drop topping by tablespoonfuls onto filling. Bake for 25 minutes until browned and bubbly.

And cookies might be the last things we think about when thinking about cherry inspired recipes but these Cherry Chocolate Chippers may just change our minds about cherry cookies all together.

Packed with everything amazing we are suuuper excited to make these for everyone at our next BBQ and fill with ...oh nothing...just a bit of vanilla ice cream or frosting!!!

Our favorite way to eat cherries? The easiest recipe ever? Here it is...

Ingredients

1 bag of fresh cherries

1 bowl

1 small bowl for pits

Directions

Open Bag

Wash cherries thoroughly.

Fill large bowl with cherries.

Pop a cherry in your mouth, bite into crisp skin, let flavors explode in your mouth (see we told you cherries were sexy)

Spit the pit.

Did we not sell you on the scrumdidiliumtousness of cherries? OK well you can't deny the cuteness of them..

So if you don't want to eat them...Nike says, "Wear them" Yes please!!!

How ever you love your cherry...remember they are as delish as they are amazingly healthy for you! Packed with anti-oxidants for heart health and cancer battling...they are also high in fiber and can even help you sleep at night!

All of that in a sweet package? Wooo hooo!

xoxo things we heart

Yummies: Oh Summer Fruits! Please don't go! We heart you! Berries and peaches and tropicals...oh my!

You've heard it before and now we say it again...(this time with tears welling up in our eyes from sadness...or maybe that's just from the horrible fires) we are summer lovers and heart everything that glorious summer has to offer...the beach, weather, the beach, bbqs, picnics, bikinis, flowers...but what we will miss the most about the end of summer?...

The glorious fruits!

We uber HEART summer fruits!

There is nothing juicier, sweeter, higher in antioxidents, more versatile and just plain more fantastic to eat than summer fruits...

So why don't we take advantage of Miss Summer (it has to be a woman...so warm and bright...sorry boys) and run to your nearest farmers market (best and most fresh fruits and veggies there...they actually taste like what they are supposed to) and load up on her fruits.

Take said Summer Fruits and cook like you have never cooked before...you will be in Summer Fruit heaven...

Oh P.S. you don't even have to cook...just wash and devour!  But keep a napkin handy...they are messy (in the best most juiciest way possible!)

So with out further adieu, here are just a sprinkling of our most favoritest summer fruit recipes...

Nothing says summer like ripe delish berries...so easy, so juicy, so tasty and tartly sweet...perfection!

If you are in the mood to bake with them rather than just finish the basket off while driving home from the market (not that, that's what we do..just sayin) we found and tried an amazing Berry Lemon Shortcake recipe.

It's soooo good you will be the toast of the town...or not if you eat the whole thing like me with out sharing...hey...it's that yummy!

It's filled with berries and custard!!!!!!!!! Done and Done!


OMG what we wouldn't give to have a ripe juicy peach right now!!!

Uggh...why did I have to eat them all yesterday?  Oh well...at least I still have time to go get more :) and I will buy extras so I can make one of our most fanstastical favorite desserts ever! (Yes it's that good!)

Fresh Peach Cobbler!!!  

Here you go!  Just don't drool into the bowl you are prepping in!

4 cups of fresh peaches, sliced.
1 ¼ cups of flour.
1 cup of sugar.
½ cup of brown sugar.
½ cup of margarine.
1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
1 teaspoon of lemon peel.
½ teaspoon of cinnamon.
¼ teaspoon of salt.

Preparation Instructions:

Combine 1 cup of flour, ½ of cup sugar, the salt and the cinnamon.

Cut in the margarine until the mixture resembles corn meal.

Combine the sliced peaches, lemon juice, lemon peel, ½ cup of sugar and ¼ cup of flour; then spoon into greased nine-inch square dish.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over top of the peaches.

Cover and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake for another 40 minutes.

Go here for the whole recipe ;)  you will be super happy you did!

Speaking of the gloriousness of peaches...

We found an amazing way to start your day or just an amazing way to make all of your friends and neighbors fall into heartville with you when you give them the slice of this delish Yogurt Peach Almond Cake.  Yup you read that right...now stop drooling ;)

Lurving Almost Bordain Site!  Sooo great!


Oh cherries!  Why do you tease us so?  You are so crispy, juicy, sweet, tangy, bright, flavorful and portable.  And why oh why do we finish the whole bag you come in before we can even make this next delish recipe?

How amazing is a fresh cherry pie? (No not the song silly boys)

If you say not..then chances are you have not had a fresh one!  Just try Summer's most famous dessert and you will be a fan for life.

Up next is one that actually hurts my heart.

My mom used to make this for me during summer parties and again, sharing was tough for me.  It is by far one of my most favorite desserts ever created and now I pass the Fruit Pizza torch to you...enjoy and you're welcome!

The crust is made from Sugar Cookie dough...ding!  The fresh summer fruits are coated in a zesty citrus glaze...ding ding!  And they sit atop a ridiculous sweet cream-cheesy filling!  DING DING DING!!!

Here is the recipe...take care of it!  (tear)

Hello Pineapples!  We super heart you too!  Why do you have to go??!?!??!!

Well, before you do we will make an amazing Pineapple Sorbet to celebrate your gloriousness...how's that sound?

  Um yum!  We got this one off of one of the cutest sites ever!  Kissmyspatula!

Fresh Pineapple Sorbet
Tweaked from The Perfect Scoop, by David Lebovitz

Ingredients

• 1/2 ripe pineapple, peeled and cored (about 2 cups)
• 8-10 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• small squeeze of fresh lime juice (optional)

Method

Slice the pineapple into chunks and puree in a blender with 8 tbsp of sugar and water until smooth.  Taste, then add up to 2 tablespoons additional sugar, if needed.  If the pineapple is fairly ripe, you should be good to go.  You don’t want to add more sugar than you need or the sorbet will end up tasting far too sweet.

Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Eat right away if you like your sorbet on the softer side.  For an icier treat, leave it in the freezer for 3-4 hours before serving.

Oh...this one would be amazing at your next dinner party!

Yummy yummy in our tummies!!!!!!!!  

Don't feel like baking anything to enjoy the fruits of summer?  Just toss them all into a bowl and eat...easy breasy and unbelievable!!!

P.S. The best thing about Summer Fruits and eating all of these recipes???  The weather is warm enough to just go outside and exercise the desserts away!

P.P.S. Sorry for the late post!  We Labored all day yesterday we broke our brain!

xoxo t.w.h.

Yummies: Life is a bowl of cherries!

Woops... Looks like someone named Miss Me was a little confused about what day it was on Tuesday, so you got your decor fix a little early! 

So you get your yum-yums today! 

And what could be more cheerful and summer-ish then the cherry? 

This fruit is so delicious and yet we never really buy them... They are a little hard to eat, you sort of have to dedicate your self to it. Well, you at least have to have an extra bowl for the stems and pits. 

But lately these little ruby colored balls of yummy have been showing up all over the place, and we can't resist them! 

Besides they make you really happy! 

We prefer these just as Mother Nature made them, pick them, rinse them and pour them in a bowl and we are in heaven! 

But a super cute and evil friend of mine introduced me to these delicious dried cherries! I call her evil because now that I have tasted these things, I can't get enough! I eat a whole tub by myself! Thanks G. 

But the best thing about cherries, is how beautiful cherry blossoms are! 

Fresh, beautiful and super summer time! Head to the local Farmers Market and pick up a bowl of cherries! 

Enjoy! 

XOXO- Things-We-Heart