Cherry Palooza

I'm back with what we did with all those cherries:) First we had to pick and wash them.  I put Ryan on the top branches (we still could not reach half the cherries with the ladder).

 We then cleared room in the fridge, while we decided what to do with them.

First I made Cherry Garcia Ice Cream with my Ice Cream maker:)  Just to be honest with yall....I made a HUGE mess doing this.  When making homemade ice cream, you actually cook the cheries and milk/cream. I put the mixture in the blender when it was too hot and it literally exploded all over my entire kitchen...ceiling to floor:)  Good thing I could laugh at myself and start over!

Then I made Cherry Tortes....several for gifts and one big heart shaped one for Ryan.  I used this recipe, but changed a few things....to make it healthier: substitute 1/2 butter for applesauce, regular flour for gluten free flour, and used 1/3 of the sugar it called for, but added a tablespoon of agave nectar, and used fresh cherries (obviously) not frozen.

I don't have pictures, but I also made muffins and pound cakes.  The first try of pound cakes didn't turn out right....so I cubed them and created a bread pudding recipe with white chocolate chips that was awesome!

Let me say at this point...I have not only eaten my weight in cherries, but pitted so many that my fingers are purple!  I know, I know, I need a cherry pitter....I went to 3 stores looking for one and couldn't find one.  Can someone find me one please!  Be back with a few more recipes!