February is Cherry Month!
I can't wait until the cherries are on our trees. I usually put them in the freezer and use them to make cherry cobbler in the winter months.
Below are some helpful tips, facts and a recipe about those delicious cherries that will be ripe on the tree before you know it.
* Look for a supple exterior and a bright color. Keep them dry and discard any crushed fruit.
* Avoid cherries with blemishes, rotted or mushy skins, or those that appear either hard and light-colored or soft, shriveled, and dull.
* Look for cherries that are plump with firm, smooth, and brightly colored skins.
* Good quality cherries should have green stems attached.
* Cherries do not ripen further after harvest.
* Cherries bruise easily; handle with care.
* Both the sweet and sour types should be refrigerated as soon as possible, although the sweets are more durable. Chilling not only preserves, but also seems to improve the flavor.
* Raw sweet cherries: 1 cup contains 81 calories, and is a source of Vitamin C and potassium.
* Rinse in cool water and drain, in a single layer, on paper towel.
* Both sweet and sour can be made into jams, preserves or brandied.
* Rich in bio-flavonoids and ellagic acid. Studies show cherries to be a good source of antioxidants and darker cherries will have higher levels than red/yellow ones.
* Fat-free, Saturated fat-free, Sodium-free,Cholesterol-free, A good source of fiber.
A Quick Cherry Snack Recipe
1 cup dried tart cherries 1 cup cashews 1 cup smoked almonds 1 cup honey roasted peanuts
Mix all together for a great snack.
Angela Billings is a stay at home wife and mother who publishes an online newsletter Home and Family Ezine. Subscribe and receive a free ebooklet C is For Cherry http://www.homeandfamilyezine.com
Source: www.isnare.com
