Chukar Dried Cherry Soda Bread

Traditional soda bread first appeared in Ireland in the mid-19^th century and continues to be a popular dish throughout the Emerald Isle. Originally the bread was a simple combination of flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk that peasant farmers could cook quickly after a long day’s work.

Almost two centuries later, the ingredients have changed a bit with the addition of sugar, eggs, and dried fruits, like the Chukar Dried Cherries in this recipe. All the same, Soda Bread remains a simple, easy-to-make treat. In only ten minutes the sticky, bread-like dough is mixed and ready for the oven-no kneading required!

After about an hour in the oven, you’ll have a delicious addition to your St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Top with Chukar’s Red Sour Cherry or Cherry Amaretto Preserve and Topping for added yummy-ness and enjoy with a cup of Irish Tea!

Irish Soda Bread with Dried Cherries

Ingredients

4 c all-purpose flour

1 c white sugar

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 eggs

2 cups (16 oz.) sour cream

1 c Chukar Dried Cherries, any variety

1 jar Chukar Preserve and Topping, any variety

Hardware

1 Large mixing bowl

2 8×4 inch loaf pans, greased

Directions

Heat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Slowly add eggs, sour cream and cherries until ingredients are just blended.

Pour half the batter into each of two greased 8×4 inch loaf pans.

Bake for 1 hour or until crust is golden brown and an inserted fork comes out clean.

Oscar-Worthy Kettle Corn with Chukar Dried Cherries and Toasted Pecans

Popcorn may be the perfect movie-watching snack, but when you watch movie stars take the red carpet at the Academy Awards this Sunday, you may want to enjoy something a bit more… glamorous. Something like Chukar’s Cherry Pecan Kettle Corn, which we like to think of as the ultimate in high-class popcorn.

The corn is popped with a sprinkle of sugar then finished with a handful of Chukar Dried Cherries and pecans, a pinch of salt… and some more sugar for good measure. If you want a lower-sugar treat, simply skip the second dusting of sugar for a saltier version. Or if you want something a touch sweeter-and easier-replace the cherries  and nuts with a cup of Chukar’s Berry & Pecan mix.

It’s best served warm, but it’s still really yummy when it’s cool. Once Oscar night is over, try making it as a snack for parties, barbeques or watching movies at home.

Dried Cherry-Pecan Kettle Corn

Ingredients

½ cup vegetable oil

 1/3 cup popcorn

¼ cup + 2 tbsp sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup toasted pecans, whole or chopped

½ cup dried Chukar Cherries, any variety

 Hardware:

1 Large heavy pot with tight-fitting lid

1 Large mixing bowl

 Directions:

Heat oil in large heavy pot over medium heat. Add popcorn and sprinkle with 2 tbsp sugar. Cover with lid, making sure to create a tight seal. Shake pot continuously as popcorn pops.

When popping slows, remove from heat and pour popcorn into a large bowl. Add remaining sugar, salt, pecans and dried cherries to bowl, mix well.

There are many recipes we could make to close out National Cherry Month, but we think Ma Chukar’s Mini Cherry-Fruit Tarts are really the perfect option. Not only are they ooey, gooey and delicious, they’re also deceivingly simple and look fantastic.

Pie crust may be notoriously finicky, but this lightly sweet and buttery crust is actually really easy to make and work with. (If you’re worried about making pie dough, check out this step-by-step video. And if you’re looking for a super-fast treat, store-bought dough works great, too!). 

To form the crust, make the rolled dough into a cup with your hands and press it gently into the bottom and sides of the baking dish, folding any excess over towards the center of the dish.

What makes this tart amazing, though, is the filling. It’s fast, it’s easy and it’s fool-proof. Pretty much any combination of Chukar Fillings or Preserves and crisp fruits will make a delicious pie, so feel free to customize. We combined the Red Sour Cherry preserve with Jazz apples for a tangy pie, but try the Raspberry Cherry Preserve or Cherry Peach Pie Filling, for a sweeter treat.

Once you’ve decided on a combination, just fill the cup 3/4 of the way with the diced or chunked fresh fruit and top it off with a spoonfull of Chukar preserves or filling. 

When the cups are filled, it’s simply a matter of sprinkling on some sugar crystals and popping them into the oven. After 20 minutes or so, you’ll be treated to the bubbling, gooey fruits in a flaky, golden brown shell. Make sure to serve them hot!

Cherry-Fruit Tarts in a Cup

For Dough:
2 cups pastry flour
½ tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
12 Tbsp. unsalted butter – cold, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup icy cold water
1 egg, beaten
½ cup large sugar crystals

For Filling:
1 Jar Chukar® Fruit Filling or Preserve – any kind
2 cups pear or tart apple, cut into chunks

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine dry ingredients and cut in the butter. Add a bit of icy water to bind dough. Pat into mounds, cover and refrigerate 2 hours or so. Divide chilled dough into 12 parts. Roll dough into 7 inch diameter using floured surface. Cut dough into 9” circles (adjust if needed) and fold each circle into a baking cup, fill with fresh fruit, top with 2 Tbsp. Chukar® Fruit Filling. Roll and pinch edges of dough toward the center, brush with egg, top with sugar crystals. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Yield 8 cups.

Orange Jicama Salad with Lemon-Cherry Dressing

For the past couple of weeks, our wonderful neighbors at one of Pike Market’s many fruit and vegetable stands have been dropping off delicious navel oranges for our enjoyment as they head off into the evening. Navels are in season right now, so they’re always sweet, juicy and delicious. Needless to say, they rarely survive the bus ride home.

When they do, though, we’ve found that adding them to a hearty salad creates a light yet satisfying alternative to traditionally heavy winter fare. A particularly delicious salad is our Spinach Jicama Salad dressed with Lemon-Cherry Dressing using Chukar® Totally Tart Cherries.

To keep the salad from being too citrusy or sweet, mix the oranges with Chukar’s savory TotallyTart Cherries and sliced red onions. Julienned jicama adds some crunchiness and a light peppery flavor.  (Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with jicama, pronounced hih-kah-mah, it’s actually quite easy to work with. The jicama is a root vegetable that is peeled just like a potato and easy to cut, as this video on julienning jicama shows:

Finish with our Lemon-Cherry dressing. The sour lemon, tart Montmorency Cherries and a dash of Dijon mustard adds a hint of sour and saltiness to the salad.  You can make extra dressing and store in a clean mason jar for up to two weeks for use on all your favorite salads.  

Enjoy this recipe as a side salad or top with grilled chicken and shrimp for a light entree salad. Or add chopped almonds or sunflower seeds for a bit of wholesome protein.

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

For the Dressing:

Directions:

In a large salad bowl, mix spinach, orange slices, jicama, sliced onion, and dried cherries.

In a separate bowl, combine salad dressing ingredients and whisk until fully mixed. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat evenly.

Serve immediately. Yields 6 to 8 servings.

Chukar was featured on KEPR TV’s Morning News Show as a little pre-Valentine treat to their viewers. Check out the first segment in Prosser’s Chocolate Room, where we make all our delicious confections. Keep posted, since we’ll be updated as more videos become available:

Chukar’s Decadent Valentine Gifts

Brimming with our Black Forest Cherries and Cocoa Pecans, our Dark Chocolate Cocoa Heart Box is the perfect Valentine’s gift for dark chocolate lovers.

So much dark chocolate....

Whether your special someone enjoys the combination of sweet Bing Cherries and bittersweet cocoa or the crunch of Burnt Caramel Pecans at the center of a mouthful of rich dark chocolate (or both!), they’ll be sure to love this decadent treat.

Chukar Mini-Cherry Cheesecake Recipe

These bite-size cheesecakes are easy-to-make and absolutely delicious. Choose your sweetie’s favorite Chukar preserve or dessert sauce or choose two different varieties for extra flavor.

Pair with coffee or wine, snuggle up with your Valentine and enjoy!

Mini-Cheesecake a la Chukar

Ingredients:

• 32 each Foil baking cups
• 32 each Vanilla wafers
• 16 ounce Cream cheese
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 2 each Eggs
• 1/2 tsp Almond extract
• 2 each Chukar Fruit Preserve
•  OR
• 1 each Chukar Fruit Pie Filling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place foil cups on baking sheet with a vanilla wafer flat side up in each cup. Set aside. Mix together until smooth; softened cream cheese, sugar, eggs and extract. Spoon into baking cups. Insert 1/2 teaspoon fruit preserve or filling in each center. Bake 16 to 18 minutes until set. Cool and refrigerate. When ready to serve, top each cheesecake with 1 tsp. of preserve or filling. Recipe provided by Diane’s Market Kitchen, Seattle.

National Cherry and National Chocolate Month

February is a month of celebrating many things: romance on Valentine’s Day, past leaders on President’s Day, seizing the day on Mardi Gras… the list goes on. But here at Chukar we’re especially excited for two month long celebrations: National Cherry and National Chocolate Month!

Seriously, why WOULDN'T you want to celebrate?

Throughout the month we’re offering flat rate $5.95 standard shipping on all orders PLUS half off your second Original Assortment. Filled with decadent chocolate confections AND dried Northwest cherries, it’s the perfect treat to celebrate our favorite month.

Pike Place Brewing’s 2nd Annual Pike Chocofest, 2/11/10

Join Chukar, Pike Place Brewing and dozens of local chocolatiers, wineries, breweries and distilleries for a romantic evening of chocolate pairing at The 2nd Annual Pike ChocoFest! We’ll be sampling our delicious chocolate cherries, paired with local wines and Pike Brewing’s Extra Dry Stout beer.

Thursday, February 11, 2010
6:00 to 9:00 pm
The Pike Pub’s Microbrewery Museum Room
$25.00 per person
R.S.V.P. to Michael St. Clair

 mstclair@pikebrewing.com

206 812 6613

Bring your Valentine (and friends!) and get a taste of delicious Washington chocolates and spirits. See you there!

 from Pike Brewery’s website:

 Pike’s Chocofest, billed as “foreplay before the big day” is a romantic and educational way to discover the wide variety of chocolate treats from here and around the world. Stations set up throughout the Micro Brewery Museum and Naughty Nelly Room feature different chocolate treats, each presented by an expert (usually the chocolate makers themselves). Adjacent to each chocolate table is a drink table staffed with experts to sample and explain their beverages.

Chocolates in a heart-shaped box are a Valentine’s Day classic.  But a truly romantic gift should be filled with the best. The Best of Nature, Best of Chocolate, that is. So for lovers of chocolate-cherry-lovers, our Cherry Quartet Heart Box is the perfect way to say “Be Mine.”

Try pairing our sweet Classic and Bing Milk Chocolate cherries with a light voignier dessert wine and the decadent Cabernet and Amaretto Rainier Dark Chocolate cherries with a rich port. Order online and receive flat rate $5.95 standard shipping to anywhere in the continental United States!