Chipotle Cherry BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Cherry-Corn Relish

I can't believe that Labor Day weekend is upon us already! That means it's almost my favorite time of year -- fall. Even though autumn won't officially be arriving for three weeks, to me, Labor Day always heralds the beginning of my favorite season.

The produce this summer has been absolutely fantastic, and I'm really going to miss summer's bounty as cooler temperatures arrive. So, today, on what is to me one of the last days of summer, I thought I'd share a recipe that celebrates the best of the season -- cherries and sweet corn. And it's a crave-worthy one.

Since I made the peach BBQ sauce last month, I've been dying to make another fruit-infused BBQ sauce. I decided to use cherries this time around, since they're so readily available. I paired the sauce with tender shredded pork and a quick sweet-tangy-spicy relish composed of cherries, sweet corn, jalapenos, and a bit of lime juice. 

These sandwiches are phenomenal. The chipotle cherry BBQ sauce is sweet, spicy, and smoky, and the juicy pork pairs perfectly with the crisp relish. The flavors are just awesome. Joe raved about these sandwiches, and the boys both gave them two thumbs up -- and even requested the leftovers for lunch the next day. These sandwiches definitely celebrate the best of summer, and they'd be perfect for your Labor Day celebrations this weekend.

I'm including my recipe for the pulled pork, because I loved the flavor and texture of it prepared this way. But feel free to use any shredded pork recipe you like.

Chipotle Cherry BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Cherry-Corn Relish
sauce adapted from Tasty Kitchen

For the pork:

2 pounds pork tenderloin
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3 sprigs thyme leaves
2 whole cloves garlic
1 cup chicken stock

For the BBQ sauce:

4 strips bacon, diced
Half of a white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup
1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted, roughly chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons chipotle in adobo puree
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and black pepper to taste

For the cherry-corn relish:

3 ears sweet corn, kernels removed from the cob
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cherries
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste

For the sandwiches:

Hamburger buns
Mayonnaise

1. Place the pork in a Crock pot. Add salt, pepper, olive oil, and cider vinegar and rub the seasonings into the meat using your hands. Add thyme, garlic, and chicken stock. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the meat shreds easily with a fork. Remove the thyme leaves and drain the stock (I save it in the freezer for later use). 

2. To make the BBQ sauce, cook the bacon in a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. When the bacon is nearly crisp, add the onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic cloves; cook and stir 30 seconds. Add the ketchup, cherries, brown sugar, maple syrup, chipotle in adobo puree, and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce the heat and simmer over medium-low until thickened, about 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and black pepper to taste.

3. While the sauce is thickening, make the relish. Stir together the corn, cherries, and jalapeno in a small bowl. Add lime juice and salt and stir to combine.

4. Add the pork to the thickened BBQ sauce and mix gently to combine. Pile the pork on the bottom of a bun. Top with relish. Smear bun tops with mayonnaise, if desired.

Roasted Cherry Brownie Cheesecake

Oh gosh, you guys. I really don't even know where to begin with this one. I think this is one of those situations in which the photo just speaks for itself, but I'll try to compose myself enough to write some words, too. 

I didn't eat a lot of cherries growing up, other than the maraschino variety on the top of my ice cream sundaes or the chocolate-covered version in boxes of assorted chocolates (which I still have an intense dislike for to this day). And then I started dating Joe, who introduced me to the Wonderful World of Fresh Cherries. Joe could easily put away a pound of them in one sitting. He's passed his love for cherries on to me, and more recently, to our sons, who can both pound cherries like a boss. As soon as cherry season begins, we're bound to have at least two pounds of them in our refrigerator at all times.

I knew I wanted to bake with cherries before the season ended, and there was no shortage of recipes that sounded absolutely amazing, but when I saw this cheesecake I knew that it was The One. We were blown away by this cheesecake, and it's probably one of the best cheesecakes I've ever made. As if the brownie base isn't enough, it's topped with sweet roasted cherries, and then with cheesecake whipped cream. Yum, yum, and yum! It's sweet without being too sweet, and it's such an elegant, gorgeous dessert -- the perfect way to use summer's cherry bounty.

Roasted Cherry Brownie Cheesecake

adapted from Beantown Baker

For the roasted cherries:

1 1/2 pounds cherries, stemmed and pitted
1/4 cup sugar

For the brownie layer:

1 box brownie mix
Water, oil and eggs called for on the box
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the cheesecake:

3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the cheesecake whipped cream:

4 ounces softened cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream

For the garnish:

Whole cherries

1. To make the roasted cherries, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place pitted, chopped cherries in a small casserole dish or cake pan. Top with sugar and stir. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees.

2. Prepare the brownie batter and stir in chocolate chips. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray. Spread the batter into the pan and back for about 14 minutes, or until the brownies are just set but not completely cooked through.

3. While the brownies are baking, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until well combined and smooth. Add in the eggs and vanilla on low speed and set the mixture aside.

4. Carefully spoon 1 cup of the roasted cherries into the center of brownie, leaving a 2-inch brownie border along sides of pan. Place remaining roasted cherries in a covered dish and refrigerate until ready to serve.

5. Gently scoop the cream cheese mixture over surface; carefully spread to edges of pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until center is set, but jiggles when the pan is lightly tapped. Leaving the cheesecake in the oven, turn off oven and crack oven door. Allow to come to room temperature. This will take about an hour. Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving.

6. To make the cheesecake whipped cream, beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in 1/4 cup whipping cream until smooth. Add the rest of the cream and beat until it has the consistency of whipped cream (don’t overmix).

7. To serve, slice a piece of cheesecake and top with a spoonful or two of the reserved roasted cherries. Finish with a dollop of the whipped cream and a fresh whole cherry.

2011 Christmas Cookies Recap

As you know, I recently got done sharing all of the Christmas treats I made for last year’s cookie trays. Last weekend, I spent an entire day baking cookies for our family, neighbors, and friends. It was exhausting and stressful, but it was also incredibly rewarding when Andrew, Will and I delivered overflowing trays of goodies to everyone earlier this week.

Rather than saving the cookie recipes to share with you next year, I thought I’d go ahead and write about them now. I’m doing this for a couple of reasons: 1. Because I’ve talked to some people who aren’t doing their holiday baking until tomorrow (Christmas Eve), and this may give those people a few yummy last minute ideas; and 2. Because I didn’t have the time to take a picture of each cookie individually. Frankly, while I was baking these cookies, I didn’t even have time to stop and eat. (Well, aside from the baked goods and cookie dough I was sampling all day long.)

Before I started baking last Sunday morning, I wrote out my agenda on my trusty chalkboard door:

By the end of the day, all of these items except for two were crossed off – and one additional item was added (but I’ll get to that in a minute). My failures were the peppermint fudge, which never sat up for me properly, and the soft sugar cookies. I tried baking three different batches of them, but they came out incredibly dry and sort of flavorless each time.

The rest, though, were absolutely delicious, and so far I’ve gotten tons of positive feedback on all of these things. I already told you about the hot cocoa mix and dipping spoons and the hot chocolate popcorn. Here’s the rest of what I made:

Buckeyes and pretzel turtles: These are yearly staples for me, and they always go over well with everyone. This year my sister dipped the Buckeyes for me, and she did a much better job than I ever do, so that’s totally her job from now on.

Mint chocolate chip cookie dough truffles: Everyone has loved these so far. More than one person has told me that it’s so fun to bite into a truffle and see something that looks like mint chocolate chip ice cream on the inside. They’re pretty tasty, but they don’t have quite enough mint flavor for me. Next time, I’d add an additional 1/4 teaspoon of mint extract.

Nutter Butter snowmen: Are these little guys cute or what?! I usually make Santas, but thought these snowmen would be a fun change. They’re basically candy, coated with candy, and decorated with more candy. Needless to say, they’ve been a huge hit, and well worth the time it took to make them (nearly two hours for one package of Nutter Butters)!

Rugelach: This was the first time I’ve ever made rugelach, so I picked a popular recipe that was pretty highly rated and sounded simple enough for me to make. Well, I must have good recipe-picking skills, because these were perfect. The dough is so lovely and flaky and not too sweet, and the filling of walnuts, chocolate chips, and cinnamon sugar is just absolutely scrumptious. Everyone loves these, and I’ve had multiple requests for the recipe.

Chocolate caramel cookies: These are similar to the Snickers cookies I’ve made before, except the cookie base is chocolate and they’re stuffed with a Rolo instead of a mini Snickers bar. These cookies are rich and sweet, with a nice caramel surprise in the middle.

Lofthouse sugar cookie bars with easy buttercream frosting: When the soft sugar cookies failed me thrice, I did a quick online search for something sugar cookie-ish that didn’t involve a dough that I could make quickly. Thankfully, I had everything on hand to make these. And although they were a last-minute addition to the cookie trays, they’re actually my favorite thing I made this year. They taste exactly like a Lofthouse cookie, with a sweet, silky frosting and the soft crunch of holiday sprinkles. LOVE.

Oatmeal butterscotch coconut cookies: Annie said these are the best oatmeal scotchies she’s ever tried, and I agree. They’re definitely the best ones I’ve ever had. The shredded coconut and toffee bits just take them to a completely new level. I only had quick-cooking oats on hand, so that’s what I used for the cookies, and they turned out just fine. This is one loaded, delicious cookie.

Red velvet crinkles: These cookies start with cake mix, so immediately I love them, because I love easy things like cake mixes when I’m baking cookies for AN ENTIRE DAY. I added 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the mix and left out the lemon zest, but otherwise made the cookies as indicated. They came together in minutes, and they’re so festive and pretty, with that familiar red velvet flavor everyone loves.

Hot chocolate triple chip cookies: Joe had his eye on these cookies before they’d even been baked, when they were still just raw balls of cookie dough sitting on baking trays. They were the first thing he tried when presented with all of my day’s efforts, and were definitely his favorite of all of this year’s offerings. These cookies are gigantic and rich. You can really taste the hot chocolate flavor in them. I loved them, too, but because I’m not a huge fan of white chocolate chips in cookies, I’ll probably replace those with another cup of milk chocolate chips when I make these again (and I will, because they’re almost gone, and Joe will soon be clamoring for another batch, I have no doubt).

Chocolate cherry blossoms: This is a change-up of the traditional peanut butter blossom. It’s a cherry cookie instead, with both cherry juice and chopped maraschino cherries in the base. I really liked these cookies. The texture is really soft, and the cherry flavor is definitely there, and strong enough that the Hershey’s Kiss doesn’t overpower it. I thought these were definitely the prettiest cookies of all the types I made.

Are you exhausted, just reading about all of this? I was definitely exhausted by the time I finished baking all of it on Sunday evening! It was so worth it, though, to be able to give plates of delicious baked goods to the people I care about. And even while I’m recovering from all that baking, I’m already thinking about what I’m going to make next year…

I want to wish all of you Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I hope your holiday is merry, bright, peaceful, and spent as every holiday should be: with the people you love the most in the world.

Two Weeks of Christmas Treats, Day 3: Buried Cherry Cookies

I made (and posted about) these buried cherry cookies in the early days of my blog, and I’ve made them at least twice a year ever since – usually for Valentine’s Day and again at Christmas. Everyone absolutely loves these sweet little cookies.

Although I’m not a fan of chocolate-covered cherries (it’s the creamy white stuff in them that I don’t like), I adore these cookies too. First of all, they’re adorable. Secondly, it’s such a fun surprise to bite into a cookie and find a cherry hiding under the chocolate frosting. These come together really easily, and the recipe makes more than 40 cookies, so again, these are perfect for cookie exchanges and gift-giving.

The frosting does actually cook in the oven along with the cookies, which may sound a little strange. It hardens just slightly and adds an interesting texture to the cookies, and baking the frosting enables it to hide the cherry perfectly without sliding off. I think you’ll love these fun, cute little cookies!

Buried Cherry Cookies
from Better Homes and Gardens

1 10-ounce jar maraschino cherries (42 to 48)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain cherries, reserving juice. Halve any large cherries. In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in cocoa powder and as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour.

2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press your thumb into the center of each ball. Place a cherry in each center.

3. For frosting, in a small saucepan combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Stir in 4 teaspoons reserved cherry juice. (If necessary, frosting may be thinned with additional cherry juice.) Spoon 1 teaspoon frosting over each cherry, spreading to cover.

4. Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Makes 42 to 48 cookies.

Chocolate Cherry Cake with Fudge Frosting

When I saw this cake on The Sisters’ Cafe, I wanted to make it before I even read the recipe. And then I read the recipe and saw how easy it was, and I knew I’d be making it sooner rather than later. I also knew that we would all love it, and I was right. We did.

Brittany, the sister who posted the recipe, had never heard of this cake before –- and neither had I. It’s absolutely genius to use cherry pie filling in place of the oil called for in the cake mix. The result is a flavorful, moist, delicious chocolate cake. Next time (and there will definitely be a next time) I’m going to try it with strawberry pie filling; I think that would taste amazing. And the frosting! I should write a poem declaring my love for this frosting. It’s so rich and fudgy.

The only change I made to the recipe was to use vanilla extract instead of almond -– I had a bad experience with almond extract recently (I used too much in a recipe, and it was overkill), so I’m staying away from it for now.

Make this for dessert tonight. It’ll take you five minutes to mix up, and you won’t believe how good it is.

And for more chocolate cherry love, try these yummy cookies!

Chocolate Cherry Cake with Fudge Frosting
source: adapted from The Sisters’ Cafe

1 box of devil's food cake mix
1 20- or 21-ounce can cherry pie filling
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
2 eggs

1 cup white sugar

5 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup milk

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine dry cake mix, cherry pie filling, eggs, and vanilla or almond extract. Stir by hand until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

4. To make the frosting, in a small saucepan, combine sugar, butter, and milk. Boil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Immediately pour over partially cooled cake.

Buried Cherry Cookies

I've never been a huge fan of chocolate-covered cherries, but it turns out that if you take out that white creamy stuff inside and plop a chocolate cookie underneath, I actually love them. Who knew? This is another cookie for our holiday bakesale at work, and let me just say this: It's a good thing I only had to bring a dozen of them and that the recipe makes 40 cookies, because I just can't seem to get enough of these. They're absolutely succulent, and so cute too! To me, this is the type of cookie that epitomizes Christmas: decadent and irresistible, the kind of treat that just makes you happy. These are awfully rich, so be sure to have a tall glass of milk nearby. (And I'm already scheming about other ways to use this technique; you could put caramel and pecans inside instead of cherries to make a turtle cookie, or put a dollop of peanut butter mixed with vanilla and powdered sugar under the frosting and have a buckeye cookie! The possibilities are endless, and delicious.)

Buried Cherry Cookies

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

1 10-ounce jar maraschino cherries (42 to 48)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk or low-fat sweetened condensed milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain cherries, reserving juice. Halve any large cherries. In a medium mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in cocoa powder and as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour.

2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press your thumb into the center of each ball. Place a cherry in each center.

3. For frosting, in a small saucepan combine chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Stir in 4 teaspoons reserved cherry juice. (If necessary, frosting may be thinned with additional cherry juice.) Spoon 1 teaspoon frosting over each cherry, spreading to cover.

4. Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Makes 42 to 48 cookies