A Taste of Missouri — September — Cherry

Editor’s note
The following abstract describes a publication that is available for purchase or as a downloadable PDF.

Susan Mills-Gray

Easy-to-prepare recipes and tips for using cherry are displayed in this eight-page flier. Additional seasonal recipes, ingredients, tips, and safety measures are also included.

Topics

• Cherry
• SNAP
• Recipes
• Healthy eating
• Food preparation
• Cooking tips

Recipes

• Northwest Cherry Salsa
• Cherry Oat Crumble
• Tart Cherry Brownie Bites
• Fall Veggie Casserole
• Spinach Salad With Apples and Raisins
• Baked Oatmeal Cups
• Cranberry Oatmeal Balls
• Pasta With Beans and Greens

Pages

• 8

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Cherry Tips

• Cherries can be divided into two groups: sour/tart and sweet.
• Fresh sweet cherries should be firm, plump, bright and glossy, with a full red or purple color and a sweet taste. The degree of darkness depends on the variety.
• Sour cherries are smaller than sweet cherries and should be firm, bright and uniformly red.
• Avoid purchasing over-mature cherries that are soft, dull, seeping or shriveled.
• Cherries are highly perishable and should be refrigerated as soon as possible. Refrigerate cherries for up to 10 days. Tart cherries are more perishable than sweet cherries.
• Do not wash cherries before storing. Wash cherries just before use by rinsing gently in cool water.
• Cherries are free of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. They are a good source of vitamin C and fiber. One cup of pitted cherries has approximately 97 calories.
• One pound of fresh cherries provides approximately two cups pitted. Twelve pounds of sweet cherries or 15 pounds of tart cherries provide approximately eight quarts.

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Northwest Cherry Salsa

Yield: 3 Servings

Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup sweet cherries, pitted
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon grated lemon peel
• ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• Dash of hot pepper sauce (optional)

Instructions

1. Clean hands and food preparation surfaces.
2. Chop cherries.
3. Combine all ingredients and mix well.
4. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to blend.

Source:
Northwest Cherry Salsa

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Cherry Oat Crumble

Yield: 6 Servings

Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients

• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 cups pitted tart cherries (fresh, frozen, or canned and drained)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ⅓ cup whole-wheat flour
• ⅓ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted

Instructions

1. Clean hands and food preparation surfaces.
2. Rinse fresh fruits under running water before preparing.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F.
4. In a large bowl, mix the sugar and cornstarch. Add the cherries and vanilla and mix well.
5. Pour the fruit into an 8-by-8-inch baking dish.
6. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, oats and brown sugar. Add the melted butter and stir until the texture is coarse with some clumps.
7. Sprinkle the oat topping over the fruit.
8. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the juices are bubbling and the oat topping is golden brown.
9. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Variations

Use sweet cherries or another fruit such as blueberries or chopped apricots, peaches or plums. Reduce the sugar added to the cornstarch (in step 2) to 1 or 2 tablespoons

Source:
Cherry Oat Crumble

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Tart Cherry Brownie Bites

Yield: 12 Bites

Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients

• 10 dates, pitted
• ½ cup dried tart cherries
• ¼ cup walnuts
• 2 tablespoons rolled oats
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon chia or hemp seeds (optional)
• 2 tablespoons peanut or almond butter
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons tart cherry juice
• ¼ cup mini chocolate chips

Toppings 

• Cocoa powder, melted chocolate (optional)

Instructions

1. Clean hands and food preparation surfaces.
2. Add dates, dried tart cherries, walnuts, rolled oats, cocoa powder, seeds (if using), salt and almond butter to a food processor. Pulse for 30 to 60 seconds, until the ingredients are ground into tiny pieces.
3. Add the tart cherry juice in 1 tablespoon additions, pulsing the mixture after each addition, until the ingredients come together in a crumbly dough.
4. Transfer the dough to a bowl and fold in the mini chocolate chips.
5. Roll the dough into 12 balls. You can leave the balls plain or finish them off with a dusting of cocoa powder or a drizzle of melted chocolate.

Source:
Tart Cherry Brownie Bites

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Fall Veggie Casserole

Yield: 8 Servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 1/2 cups eggplant, peeled and cubed (1 medium eggplant)
• 4 tomatoes, diced
• 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or cooking oil of choice)
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Clean hands and food preparation surfaces.
2. Combine all the ingredients (except for the cheese) and cook in a large skillet over medium heat until tender.
3. Top with the Parmesan cheese and serve

Source:
Fall Veggie Casserole

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Spinach Salad With Apples and Raisins

Yield: 6 Servings

Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients (Salad)

• 1 package (10 ounces) baby spinach, washed (or kale or other greens)
• 1 1/2 medium apples, chopped
• 1 cup raisins

Ingredients (Dressing)

• 1/4 cup canola oil (or cooking oil of choice)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/16 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Clean hands and food preparation surfaces.
2. Combine spinach, apples and raisins.
3. Mix all dressing ingredients and pour over salad just before serving

Source:
Spinach Salad With Apples and Raisins

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Baked Oatmeal Cups

Yield: 12 Muffins

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups milk (any type)
• ½ cup of unsweetened applesauce, ripe banana or pumpkin purée
• ¼ cup nut butter or 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, margarine or softened butter
• 3 to 4 tablespoons packed brown sugar, maple syrup or honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup dried fruit or ½ cup fresh, frozen and partially thawed, or canned and drained fruit
• ½ cup chopped nuts or seeds (optional)

Instructions

1. Clean hands and food preparation surfaces.
2. If using fresh fruit, rinse it under running water before preparing.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.
4. In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, applesauce, nut butter, brown sugar and vanilla.
5. Add oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, fruit and nuts, if desired, and stir until combined. Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes to let the oats soak up some of the liquid.
6. Divide the mixture evenly between the muffin cups.
7. Bake until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing from muffin cups.
8. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours or freeze for longer storage.

Source:
Baked Oatmeal Cups

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Cranberry Oatmeal Balls

Yield: 16 Balls

Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup oats (quick-cooking or old-fashioned rolled)
• ⅓ cup chopped almonds or other nuts or seeds
• ⅓ cup peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons honey
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries or other dried fruit

Instructions

1. Clean hands and food preparation surfaces.
2. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients until well mixed.
3. Form about 2 Tablespoons of mixture into a ball and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture to make around 16 balls.
4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Source:
Cranberry Oatmeal Balls

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Pasta With Beans and Greens

Yield: 12 Servings

Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 package (16-ounce) whole wheat pasta
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds (1 large bunch) spinach or kale
• 2 cans (15½-ounce) great northern, cannellini, or lima beans
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Clean hands and food preparation surfaces.
2. Cook pasta following package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Set aside.
3. Rinse greens, more than once if needed to remove all grit. Remove tough stems. Chop coarsely.
4. In a strainer, drain and rinse beans.
5. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, heat oil. Add garlic, carrot, onion, and greens. Cook until onions are soft.
6. Add ½ cup reserved pasta water and seasonings. Cook until greens are tender.
7. Add beans to greens. If needed, add a little more reserved pasta water to make a sauce.
8. Add cooked pasta to beans and greens. Toss to combine. Cook until pasta is heated through, about 5 more minutes.

Source:
Pasta With Beans and Greens

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