50+ Lifestyles

Ella’s Kitchen

February always makes me think of chocolate and cherries. Chocolate for Valentine’s Day and cherries,
especially cherry pie, to commemorate George Washington’s birthday. Here are some recipes from various cookbooks of mine. Have a very cherry chocolaty February.
– Ella

Cherry Wine from Favorite Recipes – Cooking Up a New Life

5 lbs. ripe black cherries
3 1/2 lbs. granulated sugar
1 gal. water
1/4 oz. yeast

Remove the stems from the cherries and wash
the fruit. Place the cherries in a large saucepan or
preserving pan and cruch tem with a wooden spoon.
Pour on a gallon of cold water and bring them to the boil.

Simmer gently till the berries are tender, then remove from the heat and strain the liquid off through muslin into a large bowl. When you have strained off all the liquid, tip the cherries themselves into the muslin and squeeze gently to extract any remaining juice.

Add the 3 1/2 pounds of granulated sugar and the yeast; stir well, then cover the bowl and leave for three days, stirring daily. The wine is then ready to bottle. Cork loosely at first and add some more wine if any ferments over the top of the bottles. Push the corks in tight when you are sure fermentation has finished. You can drink it in six months.
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Cherry Pudding from Personal Recipes from Ottawa, Kansas

1 Tbsp. butter, rounded
1 C. sugar
1 egg
1 C. pie cherries
1 C. flour
1 tsp. soda
pinch salt
1/2 C. nuts

Cream butter and sugar, then beat in egg and cherries. Add dry ingredients. Stir in nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and top with sauce. serve with whipped cream

Sauce:
1/2 C. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cherry juice
1 Tbsp. butter

Bring to a boil and pour over warm pudding.
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Victorian Fudge from Favorite Recipes – Cooking Up a New Life

3 C. sugar
3/4 C. sweet cream
1 C. coconut
1/4 C. chopped, candied cherries
1/4 C. chopped figs
1/4 C. butter
1/4 C. chopped, candied pineapple
1 tsp. almond or rose flavoring

Combine cream, butter and sugar. Boil to soft ball stage (234° to 238°). Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Beat until creamy. Add chopped fruit and coconut. add flavoring. Pour into well-buttered shallow pan, Cut into squares.

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Chocolate Cherry Brownies from Recipes from Home – QC United Way

1 (16 oz.) jar maraschino cherries
1 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
2/3 C. margarine
3/4 C. Quaker oats
1 C. semi-sweet chocolate pieces
2 eggs
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. chopped nuts (optional)
2 tsp. vegetable shortening

Heat oven to 350°. Lightly grease 13×9 pan. Drain cherries, reserve 1/2 and chop remainder. In large saucepan over low heat, melt margarine and 1/2 cup chocolate pieces, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, cool slightly, add sugar and vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add combined flour, oats, baking powder and salt. Stir in chopped cherries and nuts, spread into prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes or until brownies pull away from the sides of pan. cool completely in pan on wire rack. cut reserved cherries in half and place evenly on top of brownies. In saucepan over low heat, melt remaining 1/2 cup chocolate pieces and shortening, stirring constantly until smooth. Drizzle over brownies, cut into 2 1/2 inch squares. Makes 2 dozen bars.

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Chocolate Covered Strawberries from Red Hats, Purple Shoes & Pink Elephants

1 lb. fresh strawberries with stems
16 oz. milk chocolate chips
2 T. shortening

Insert toothpicks into the tops of the strawberries. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and shortening. Stir occasionally until smooth. Holding strawberries by te toothpicks, dip the berries into the chocolate mixture. turn the strawberries upside down and insert the toothpick into a piece of Styrofoam allowing the chocolate to cool before serving.

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Chocolate Cherry Smoothies from Favorite Recipes – Cooking Up a New Life

1 C. (1%) low fat milk
1 (8 oz.) ctn. chocolate cherry yogurt
1 C. frozen unsweetened dark sweet cherries, pitted
1 C. crushed ice
2 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. presweetened cocoa powder

Place all in blender and blend till smooth. Pour into 3 glasses.