Tasty Monthly Cherry Recipes
Every month we will showcase new seasonal recipes featuring Wisconsin cherries. You can also view an archive of our past recipes.
March
This month's recipes include Cherry Cream Cheese Muffins, Cherry Meat Loaf and Grandma Leona's Cherry Chews.
Cherry Cream Cheese Muffins
Makes 15 large servings
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup frozen, sweetened red tart cherries, thawed, drained & halved
Topping
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions:
Beat cream cheese with lemon juice and flavorings until smooth. Add eggs and beat. Beat in milk and butter
Sift in flour, sugar, baking powder and soda and beat until well mixed.
Carefully fold in cherries. Spoon into greased and floured muffin pans, filling 3/4 full.
Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on the top of each muffin. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Cherry Meat Loaf
Makes 8 servings
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 3 cups frozen sweetened red tart cherries, thawed & drained
- 3/4 cup catsup
- 3/4 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup mild
- 1 egg
Instructions:
For Cherry Sauce: In a saucepan melt butter; add 1/2 cup chopped onion and saute over medium heat until onion is tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; set aside 1 1/4 cups cherry sauce for meat loaf.
For Meat Loaf: Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup chopped onions, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, milk, egg and 1 cup cherry sauce until well mixed. Spoon into ungreased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Top with remaining 1/4 cup cherry mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour.
Pour off drippings. Spoon rest of cherry sauce over meat loaf and bake for about 20 minutes or until done. Remove meat loaf to serving platter. Enjoy!
Grandma Leona's Cherry Chews
- 1 can cherry pie fill
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup butter
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon soda
Instructions:
Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and eggs, beat well. Sift dry ingredients, add to batter and mix well. Pour into a greased and floured 11x17 inch pan, saving 1 1/4 cup batter. Spread cherries on top, leaving 1/2 inch from edge. Place reserved batter on top by spoonfuls. Heat in preheated oven for short time, then spread batter with a knife. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar or frost with your favorite frosting.
