Cherries Jubilee!

Ok. I didn't actually make Cherry Jubilee but we have had quite a celebration of cherries around here recently.  Sour cherries come in ripe (usually) at the end of June and are available to pick for 1 week.  It's a small window so you have to know when to start calling to ensure you don't miss it!  This year we picked again at Lohr's Orchard.  The cost was only $1.40/lb and picking started last Thursday (June 14, 2012).  If you are still interested in picking in your area, be sure to call soon or check out pickyourown.org.  The kids and I were able to pick 7 qt's in about an hour, that's about 10 pounds.

With the cherries we picked I washed and pitted 1 quart and set it up in my dehydrator to make dried cherries.  That took only ten minutes.  The cherries spent the next 24 hours drying.  From my 1 quart I made about a cup of dried cherries.  I found a calculation online that said that drying cherries reduces them to .175 of their original weight.  If you are looking for an electric dryer, this is the one that I use:

The next quart was made into cherry cobbler.  I used this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens.  Instead of a large container I made the cobblers in individual ramekins which made controlling portion sizes and divvying out servings to the kiddos much easier.

This year my plan is to make at least 1 batch of jam of each kind of fruit that we pick.  I already have 2 batches of strawberry freezer jam prepared and this morning the next 2 quarts of cherries were made into cherry jam.  I prefer the low sugar recipe available in the Sure Gel No Sugar Package.  The Sure gel costs about 2.79 a package.  I have the jars and you need 3 c. of sugar.  Making your own jam is definitely less expensive than buying this stuff and tastes so good.  You always have a nice gift to give, too, in a pinch.

The last 3 quarts, or what was left after the kids scavenged the fruit, was washed, pitted and frozen.  I freeze my cherries in a single layer on a cookie sheet with edges and lined with parchment paper.  Then, once frozen, I just put them into freezer bags.   You can then use the whole bag at once or just take out what you need.

The fresh and frozen cherries are fantastic in oatmeal, muffins and yogurt.  Next year, I am going to pick another quart and make this cherry sorbet from EatingWell.com.  With only 2 tablespoons of sugar it would make a refreshing, healthier alternative to ice cream.   Maybe by then I'll have my own cherry trees planted.

Tomato and Sausage Risotto

I love the internet for finding just the right recipe when I need to cook something.  Tonight, I knew I needed something relatively quick to cook. I could have made spaghetti but I didn't have any pasta noodles, at all, in the cupboard.  I did have pork sausage and risotto rice and veggies so I googled sausage risotto and found this recipe adapted from Martha Steward Everyday's Tomato and Sausage Risotto.

It fit the bill for being relatively quick and including only ingredients that I had on hand.

I also picked up a bushel of shelling peas today from Brad's Produce for $45.  This bushel will last our family for the entire year.  It is a simple process, albeit a bit time consuming, to shell the peas and then you need only freeze them.  No washing, blanching or other processing required.  I use a FoodSaver vacuum sealer to ensure that the peas stay fresh through the year.

Foodsaver V2450 Foodsealer

What's For Dinner?

This Wednesday was the first day of our summer share with Sunny Hill Farm.  Wow!  What an abundance!  We received broccoli, spring onions, romaine lettuce, spinach, cabbage, asparagus, eggs and a potted herb.  So much delicious food but planning meals based on your basket can be a challenge.

I have several goals with each meal: to utilize the stores of food that I already have, to create a healthy well balanced meal, to provide a meal my family will enjoy.  I am not sure that my young children would say that they 'enjoy' my food but certainly the opportunity is there!

Wednesday - Spinach Soup, fresh whole wheat bread and poached eggs.

• The spinach soup recipe calls for frozen spinach but you can easily replace this with fresh.  Bring a large pot with 2 inches of water to a boil.  Add fresh washed spinach and replace the lid.  Keep a close eye on your pot.  It will only take about 2 min to wilt the spinach. You can stop the cooking by draining the spinach and placing it in an ice bath.  It isn't totally necessary for this recipe.  I do find it helpful to chop the cooked spinach some.  I use an emersion blender to puree the soup in the pot when it is finished cooking.  

Thursday - Beef and Broccoli with brown rice.

• I used beef from Sunny Hill.  I didn't have oyster sauce that the recipe called for but substituted sauces I did have and that worked out just fine. 

Friday - Ham Steak, quinoa with broccoli, carrots and onions.

• The quinoa dish was one I concocted.  I cooked the quinoa and simultaneously blanched 1 head of broccoli and 3 carrots.  Next, I drained the vegetables and sautéed them with butter and 2 spring onions.  When the quinoa and veggies were finished I combined them with 1/4 c. of feta.  The ham steak was from Rumbleway. 

I have linked to the recipes that I used to help you in planning your meals.