Yummies: Cherry...Cherry Baby...

We told you about our undying heart for the delicious, bright colored, sexy, TDF tasting ball of fruit that cherries are and gorgeous readers of Things We Heart we are here to profess that love again!

How on earth did Mother Earth pack such a big, bold, tangy, sweet, amazing taste into such small bite sized packages? No seriously? How?

Man tried when he gave us Sour Patch Kids or Nerd filled gumballs but neither compare to the "bite" of a cherry.

Although we have been know to eat an entire bowl of cherries in one sitting...

Krisatomic

we are going to give you our fave ways to use the gorgeous globes of yum in fun, muy delish recipes...

Oh...PS we are not talking about the nasty...gooey...fake red maraschino cherries...

we are talking about the real deals...

Ok...choo choo the cherry train is off and running!

Now how can we possibly talk about summer and cherries with out talking about Cherry ICE CREAM!

Sorry to shout...but hello? ICE CREAM!!!

We never thought we would like cherry ice cream until we tried Ben and Jerry's, Cherry Garcia on a hot summer day.

Then we accidentally picked up a tub of Breyer's Cherry Vanilla and were just as happy!

Hot fudge poured over and we were sent to heaven!

Soooo you know what we say? Make it yourself!! No preservatives, all natural and hello? Homemade!!!

PS Ice Cream is waaaay easier than you think it is to make...

We are sooo making this Dark Chocolate and Cherry Ice Cream!

Over cherry pie? (shhh we kinda are too but we couldn't do a post with out it and there are tons of people who totally heart it)

NO? Ok good! We just happen to have an award winning recipe for Cherry Pie right here!

Ingredients

• Store bought pie crust bottom and top
• 2 cups pitted sour cherries
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 10 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

1. Place pastry bottom in a 9 inch pie pan.
2. Place the cherries, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium size non-aluminum saucepan. Allow the mixture to stand for 10 minutes, or until the cherries are moistened with the sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Lower the heat; simmer for 1 minute, or until the juices thicken and become translucent. Remove pan from heat, and stir in butter and almond extract. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Cover with top crust.
3. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F (190 degree C) oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Try a ridonculous cherry cheese pie?!?!?

It's cherry pie meets cheese cake!! DOne and DDDOOONNNEE!!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add butter; stir until combined. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-in. pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Pour pie filling into crust.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. Carefully spread around outside edges of pie, leaving a 3-in. circle of cherries exposed in the center. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Still not sold? Otay...what about warm gooey cherry cobbler?

You remember how amazing cobblers are right? Not too sweet but oh soooo homey and comforting and every bit "yummmm" inducing.

Ingredients

Filling:

• 6 cups tart red cherries, pitted
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch

Topping:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon bakingshowlist_icon.gif"> powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tablespoons milkshowlist_icon.gif">

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a saucepan combine filling ingredients and cook, stirring until bubbling and thickened. Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish. Meanwhile, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until it is crumbly. Mix together egg and milk. Add to flour mixture and stir with a fork just until combined. Drop topping by tablespoonfuls onto filling. Bake for 25 minutes until browned and bubbly.

And cookies might be the last things we think about when thinking about cherry inspired recipes but these Cherry Chocolate Chippers may just change our minds about cherry cookies all together.

Packed with everything amazing we are suuuper excited to make these for everyone at our next BBQ and fill with ...oh nothing...just a bit of vanilla ice cream or frosting!!!

Our favorite way to eat cherries? The easiest recipe ever? Here it is...

Ingredients

1 bag of fresh cherries

1 bowl

1 small bowl for pits

Directions

Open Bag

Wash cherries thoroughly.

Fill large bowl with cherries.

Pop a cherry in your mouth, bite into crisp skin, let flavors explode in your mouth (see we told you cherries were sexy)

Spit the pit.

Did we not sell you on the scrumdidiliumtousness of cherries? OK well you can't deny the cuteness of them..

So if you don't want to eat them...Nike says, "Wear them" Yes please!!!

How ever you love your cherry...remember they are as delish as they are amazingly healthy for you! Packed with anti-oxidants for heart health and cancer battling...they are also high in fiber and can even help you sleep at night!

All of that in a sweet package? Wooo hooo!

xoxo things we heart