What To Make With What’s On Sale: Fresh Cherries

It’s time for What To Make With What’s On Sale!  Sweet red cherries are $1.99/lb this week at King Soopers, and the organic variety are on sale for $2.50/lb at King Soopers as well!  Also, organic cherries are $2.99/lb, Friday only, at Whole Foods.

Cherries are great to eat right out of the bowl, but there are lots of other delicious ways to use cherries.  Here are some ideas!

Cherries freeze well; first rinse them, then pat them dry.  Remove the pits and spread the pitted cherries in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Place the baking sheet in the freezer for an hour or two, then transfer the cherries to a freezer-safe bag or container.

To pit cherries, a cherry pitter is the best option — but if you don’t have a cherry pitter, there are several other common household items that will work.  Try a toothpick, chopstick, or paper clip.

Insert your pitter of choice into the cherry until it hits the pit, then twist it around until you can pop the pit out.  Pitted cherries can be frozen for up to a year or stored in the refrigerator for up to two days.

This 5-star recipe for Cherry Pie is fairly simple (especially with pre-made pie crust!)

The pie recipe calls for Bing cherries, but regular sweet cherries work just as well.

Another tasty dessert recipe is this Classic Cherries Jubilee.  It’s ready in thirty minutes or less, and your guests will love you for it.  If you flambe it for your family, your kids will think you’re the coolest parent ever! :)

I love this No-Recipe Cherry Jam from David Lebovitz.  The steps are easy to understand, the photos are helpful, and the final product can be stored in the refrigerator for several months.

Cherries are also an interesting complement to savory dishes.  This recipe for Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Fresh Cherry Chutney sounds amazing!  You could use some of the No-Recipe Cherry Jam in place of the cherry preserves called for in the pork recipe.

This Frittata with Peaches & Cherries is a surprisingly yummy breakfast dish.  It’s a great way to use frozen cherries!

Do you typically preserve your cherries or eat them up within a few days?  What’s your favorite cherry recipe?