Blue Cheese Dip With Michigan Dried Tart Cherries Recipes

BLUE CHEESE DIP WITH MICHIGAN DRIED TART CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients but cherries, stir to mix well. Cover and chill to blend flavors, 3 hours or longer. Just before serving blend in cherries.

SCHMIDT'S CHERRY CHEESE TART FILLING

Steps:

• Using a small mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in the sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla extract until smooth. Refrigerate filling overnight. Using a 4-ounce ice cream scoop, fill each pre-baked tart shell with the chilled cream cheese filling. Place cherry pie filling on top, approximately 5 cherries per tart.

SIDECARS WITH DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• To sugar the glass rims, pour the juice of 1 lemon into a shallow bowl and put the sugar on a small plate. Dip the rim of 2 highball or martini glasses first in the lemon juice and then in the sugar. Set them aside to dry.
• In a small bowl, combine the dried cherries with 2 ounces of the Cognac and microwave on high for 60 seconds. Set aside.
• Combine the 3 ounces of lemon juice with the remaining 4 ounces of Cognac, the Grand Marnier, and 1 teaspoon of the marinated cherry liquid. Fill a cocktail shaker three-quarters full with ice and pour in the cocktail mixture. Shake the mixer for a full 30 seconds (it's longer than you think!) and strain into the prepared glasses either straight up or over ice. Thread 3 or 4 marinated cherries on small skewers and serve each drink ice cold with a skewer of cherries.