Pitstop!

RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY CATHERINE MURRAY

Drunken Cherries

Drunken cherries add a special punch of flavor to ice cream, pound cake, rice pudding, pavlovas, and hot chocolate. (Shown over vanilla ice cream with toasted pecans and shaved dark chocolate.)

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 5 minutes | Servings: 8

1 cup brandy, bourbon, or spiced rum (medium- or low-cost)

1⁄3 cup sugar

1½ cups fresh sweet cherries

In a small saucepan, simmer alcohol and sugar, stirring over low heat until sugar has fully dissolved. Turn off heat and let sit 15 minutes. Wash, pit, and de-stem cherries. Pack cherries into a 16-ounce Mason jar. Pour syrup over cherries, making sure they’re fully submerged. Cover with lid and ring and let cool to room temperature, then store in fridge for up to a year. Soak overnight at a minimum before eating; a few weeks or longer is optimum. Per serving: 122 calories, 0 grams fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 0 milligrams sodium, 13 grams total carbohydrates, 0.5 gram fiber, 0 grams protein.

Mango Avocado Salad

Prep: 15 minutes | Servings: 4

2 fresh mangos, cubed

¼ cup olive oil

1 handful cilantro

1 lime, juiced

3 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons minced red onion

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 large avocado, sliced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

7 ounces arugula www.ohiocoopliving.com

With a blender, immersion blender, or food processor, puree ¼ cup of the cubed mango along with olive oil, cilantro, lime, honey, red onion, salt, and pepper for dressing and set aside. Make a bed of arugula and layer remaining salad ingredients on top. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Per serving: 391 calories, 21 grams fat (4 grams saturated fat), 0 milligrams cholesterol, 174 milligrams sodium, 55 grams total carbohydrates, 12 grams fiber, 6 grams protein.

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