Cherry Vanilla Blintzes Food

CHERRY-VANILLA CRISP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch-square baking dish.
• Toss the cherries in a large bowl with 1/2 cup sugar, the rum, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and 2 tablespoons flour. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
• Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup flour, the oats, almonds and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter until combined, then sprinkle the mixture over the cherries. Bake until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden brown, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool slightly before serving.

BLUEBERRY BLINTZES

Steps:

• For the topping: Add 1/2 cup of the blueberries to a medium bowl with the sugar, honey, lemon juice and cardamom and let sit, stirring every 10 minutes or so and mashing slightly, until the juices are a vibrant pink color, about 1 hour. Fold in the remaining blueberries, coating them in the sauce until shiny.
• For the blintzes: Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine the milk, flour, salt and eggs and blend until smooth. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Coat a 9- or 10-inch nonstick skillet with a thin layer of oil and heat over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup batter to the skillet and tilt it so that it distributes evenly into a round. Cook until the top is set and the bottom is slightly browned and pulls away easily from the skillet, 60 to 90 seconds. Use an offset spatula to transfer it to a plate or work surface (correct, you will not be flipping these). Repeat this process, stacking the cooked blintzes and separating them by sheets of parchment paper.
• For the filling: In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, ricotta, honey, lemon zest and juice, almond extract, cardamom, salt and egg until combined.
• To assemble: Place a blintz browned-side up on a work surface. Spoon 1/4 cup filling slightly below the center line of the blintz. Fold the bottom third of the blintz up over the filling and then fold in the sides. Bring the top third of the blintz down over the filling to seal. Set aside and repeat with the remaining blintzes.
• In a large skillet, heat a thin layer of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the blintzes a few at a time until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each side, adding additional oil if the needed. Transfer to a serving plate, top with the blueberry sauce and enjoy.

CHERRY CHEESE BLINTZES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the milk, eggs and butter. Combine flour and salt; add to milk mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours., Heat a lightly greased 8-in. nonstick skillet; pour 2 tablespoons batter into the center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to evenly coat bottom. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between. Wrap in foil; refrigerate., In a blender, process cottage cheese until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl; add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Spread about 1 rounded tablespoonful onto each crepe. Fold opposite sides of crepe over filling, forming a little bundle. , Place seam side down in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 10 minutes or until heated through., Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring cherries, 2/3 cup water and sugar to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until heated through. Combine cornstarch and remaining water until smooth; stir into cherry mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with crepes.

BLINTZES

Steps:

• With a whisk, beat eggs and milk together and add the salt. Gradually, a tablespoonful at a time, whisk in flour and beat until smooth. Heat a 6inch skillet and butter it lightly. Pour in enough batter to make a thin pancake. (If batter is too thick, add water to thin) Pour out excess back into the batter and don't worry if a "tab" forms on the side of the pan.
• Cook the blintz on one side only until the top blisters and it looks dry around the edges. Turn the blintz upside down onto a clean towel. Rebutter the skillet if need be, every 2 or 3 blintzes, and proceed until all the batter has been used up.
• Make assorted fillings, roll up and fry, or bake or freeze for another day.

CHERRY VANILLA BLINTZES WITH NECTARINES AND CHERRIES, FLAMBEED IN SHLIVOVITZ

Steps:

• For the crepes: Put all of the ingredients except the butter into a food processor or blender and process until smooth, about 10 seconds. If necessary, scrape down any solids that stick to the sides. Add the butter and process for a few more seconds to blend. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours or overnight. Set a 10-inch, non-stick crepe pan over moderately high heat, then spray with non-stick vegetable spray. When nice and hot, remove the pan from the heat and add 2 tablespoons of batter, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside on a plate, cooked side up, and continue with the remainder of the batter.
• For the filling: In a small saucepan, cover the cherries with water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let rest. In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, vanilla, sugar, and egg until blended. Gently mix in the pot, farmer, or cottage cheese. Drain the cherries and mix them in.
• Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the lower center of the blintz. Fold up once from the bottom, and then fold over the sides. Roll up the rest of the way. Repeat with the rest. Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan. In small batches (4), fry the blintzes fold side down until golden brown. Gently flip to fry the other side. Serve with sour cream, and Nectarines and Cherries, Flambeed in Shlivoviz.
• In a bowl, whisk together the cherry juice and cornstarch. In a hot saute pan, melt the butter. Add the sugar, then the nectarines. Carefully pour in the shlivovitz. If it does not burst into flames spontaneously, ignite with a match. Gently swirl the pan and baste the nectarines until the flames die out. Add the cherry juice mixture and cook until bubbling for 10 seconds. Take the sauce off the heat; add the thawed and fresh cherries.

CHERRY LIME VANILLA GLACIER

Steps:

• Place two tall glasses in the freezer to chill.
• Add the ice cream to a food processor and pulse to the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. Transfer the ice cream to a bowl and return to the freezer while you make the cherry slush.
• Wash out the food processor bowl and add the cherry drink mix, lime zest, 4 cups ice and 1/2 cup cold water. Process until smooth, adding more ice or water to adjust for desired consistency; for me, the icier the better.
• To assemble the glacier: Remove the glasses from the freezer and fill each halfway with cherry slush. Add 2 scoops of the vanilla ice cream to the center of each glass, pressing down to allow the slush to push up the sides of the glass. Top with more cherry slush and serve immediately. I like to serve these with a spoon and straw.