If you follow on FB, you know that I came down with Strep over the weekend. Again! I just had Strep right before Christmas. How can I get it again? Really?? At least the Amoxicillin knocks it down pretty quickly. I was really glad that there was no school on Monday, which meant that I didn’t have to wake up to get the little one off to school. Thank goodness for small favors.
Recently, I received an awesome flavor favor from Roland Foods! They were kind enough to send me some of their Colored Cherries! I admit… I was a bit overwhelmed with the selection. So many great things came to mind, but I wasn’t sure what to make with these wonderful cherries.
I went through my cookbooks looking for inspiration and found it in an old (copyright 1989!) Betty Crocker Cookie Book.
I decided to go with the Lemon Cherries. I need some bright and cheery color during these long winter nights. These delicious bars come together quickly and easily.
And the taste?? Delicious! I loved them! My In-Laws loved them! And my girlfriend loved them. And then they were gone… and I was sad again.
It’s a good thing I can order more through their Facebook page HERE. Just search for “CHERRIES”.
Make these with the traditional maraschino Cherries for a fun RED Valentine treat. Or get the Lime Green Cherries for St. Patrick’s Day. What about a fun mix of all the colors for an Easter treat? The little ones would love all the colors mixed together!
I was a bit worried that the Lemon Cherries would be “weird”… (a lemon-flavored cherry?) but they tasted like cherries with just the slightest hint of lemon. If I had used the juice from the jar for the glaze, I’m sure there would have been a more lemon kick. I did add some lemon extract to the filling to put a bit more lemon flavor into the bars. If you aren’t using the Lemon Cherries, you can omit them in the recipe.
Lemon Cherry Almond Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 C All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 C Butter
- 1/4 C Powered Sugar
For the Filling
- 1 (10 oz) jar of Yellow Lemon Cherries
- 2 Eggs
- 1 C Sliced Almonds
- 1/2 C Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Lemon Extract (optional)
- 1/4 C All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
For the Glaze
- 1/2 C Powered Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Almond Extract
- 2 – 3 tsp Cherry Juice (I used Red Cherry Juice)
- 12 Red Cherries, cut in half
Instructions
For the Bars
- Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
- Drain Cherries, saving juice for the glaze. Chop cherries and place them on a paper towel.
- Combine ingredients for the crust and mix until smooth. Press into a parchment-lined 9 x 9 pan and bake for 10 minutes.
- Beat eggs with a fork in a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir until coated. Pour over cooked crust and return to oven to cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Cool Completely.
For the Glaze
- Mix ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. I used red cherry juice to make my glaze.
- Drizzle over bars and cut square. Add 1/2 a red cherry to the center of each square.
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