February 2012

Cherry Round Up

by admin on February 29, 2012

Happy Leap Day!

This is the first time since I started this blog that I’ve been able to say that.

And – more importantly – how in the world is February already on its last day?

This year is flying by. But today is a bonus day. An extra 24 hours.

What are you going to do with yours?

My day will be like any other Wednesday: 40 minute drive, full day of work, drive back home, walk with Maggie, dinner, and then cuddling on the couch to end the day.

But if I could use these 24 hours as a real, extra day?

I would sleep in, make a big breakfast, watch the Today show with my coffee, take Maggie somewhere fun, maybe do some shopping, and…still end the day with dinner and cuddling. Guess you know my favorite nighttime routine.

Did you know that February is National Cherry Month? After searching through my recipes, I realized just how much I love dried cherries – that’s the only kind I use! My goal for this summer is to make some recipes using fresh local cherries – it should be fun.

But until then, here’s a few of my favorite cherry-based recipes.

Cherry, Apple, and Pecan Salad

Cherry Almond Chia Granola

Double Chocolate Cherry Bark

Homemade Izze sodas with cherry (and orange) juice

What’s your favorite cherry dish?

{ 5 comments }

Pepperoni, Salami, and Olive Pizza

February 28, 2012

This is the trouble with learning to make your favorite foods at home from scratch: You will never want the store-bought or restaurant version again. Even on the lazy days when you don’t feel like cooking. Even when all you want to do is have someone else cook for you. After finally getting our perfect [...]

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Weekend Breakfast

February 27, 2012

Saturday and Sunday mornings are my favorite parts of each week. We don’t set the alarm, we don’t have to rush around to get ready for work, and we have time to make good breakfasts. This past weekend was even more fun and special – I used our juicer for the first time! I got [...]

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Cherry Berry Smoothie

February 24, 2012

I think it’s time to come up with an official name for this weird time between winter and the start of spring. In our house, it’s mostly known as the-weather-is-nice-but-I’m-stuck-inside-with-my-second-head-cold-in-two-weeks. But this time of year is tricky for me when it comes to breakfast and snacks. The sun is shining, the weather is nicer than [...]

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Baking through the Blogs: David Lebovitz’ Gluten Free Brownies

February 23, 2012

It’s been months since I’ve done one of these posts. I guess that means that I’ve been making more of my own recipes. But I’ve also been busy with house projects (still happening) and lately, being sick. I’m now on my second cold in 2 weeks. Not being able to breathe really isn’t fun, and [...]

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Cinnamon Sugar Fruit Swirl Bread

February 21, 2012

There are only two ways I will gladly eat raisins. One is if they are covered in chocolate. Two is if they’re rolled up in bread, sandwiched between fresh dough and cinnamon sugar. But even so, raisins are not my favorite dried fruit. So what can make cinnamon raisin bread even better? More fruit than [...]

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Peach Dutch Baby Pancake

February 17, 2012

No need to worry about breakfast this weekend. I’ve got your Saturday morning covered. Please tell me you’ve had a dutch baby pancake. Yes? No? If not, we’re about to change that. Dutch baby pancakes are one of my favorite easy weekend breakfasts. If you want the flavor of pancakes without all the work and [...]

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Breakfast Rolls

February 15, 2012

From elementary through high school, most of my lunches were packed, with love, by my mom. The usual suspects: sandwich, of some kind. mini bag of chips. fruit. granola bar. My two favorite sandwiches were always a turkey/cheese sandwich that I would load with chips before eating or a pb&j. The best part of the [...]

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11 Things and Wasa Winner

February 14, 2012

I’ve been tagged. And you know how these things work. If you don’t do them, you’ll have bad luck or your wishes won’t come true or the world will…end. Right? I usually delete chain letters, but I think these questionnaires are fun. I was tagged by Emily and Heather, two of the nicest and funniest [...]

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Hot and Cheesy Hummus Dip

February 11, 2012

Are you a fan of Jarlsberg cheese? I am. It’s one cheese I know I can always find in our local store. It’s always nutty and perfectly melty. Dependable and delicious. And now they’re making a cheese dip! I was invited by Kitchen Play and Jarlsberg to try out their new dip and come up [...]

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Cinnamon Chocolate Truffles

February 9, 2012

I’m sure I got my love of cinnamon from my mom. She may not use a full teaspoon (or more) in her oatmeal like I do, but her favorite candies have always been red hots and fire balls. I used to be a wuss when it came to fire balls. I would let them soak [...]