Cherries and a Pedicure...

Here is my very first attempt at bottling anything...


I remember when I was little sitting at our counter begging for some bottled cherries, with extra juice. My parents bottled so many of these every year and we loved them...but I don't think they have bottled cherries for 15 or so years...and I was having a craving! Go figure! Below is the recipe exactly how I did it...I will admit that the color isn't how I remember but they still taste good...I hope you will be brave and try them! The juice is the best part...we used to mix it with 7-up or sprite...I think it would be good with some white grape juice and some diet lemon-lime soda...YUM!

Bottled Cherries:

First I sterilized my jars (pints) in the dishwasher. Then, I cleaned and stemmed my cherries...I left the pits in for the sake of being easy. I made a simple syrup which consisted of 2 parts water to 1 part sugar and brought that to a boil. I packed the jars with the raw cherries almost to the rim and then filled the jars with the hot syrup, leaving a half inch space at the top. I put on the lids and rings and them processed them for 25 minutes in a steam/dry processor. Voila!!! You have bottled cherries...super easy right? We just tasted them on Saturday and they are really good...I can't wait to make the yummy drink with the juice!


Now for the pedicure...This morning I woke up to the sweetest note from Taylor saying that she wanted to give me a pedicure and anything else I wanted. How exciting for me!! When I picked them up from school, she had the boys right on their homework and was changing the laundry over for me and everything...she set up this little salon in her room and we were ready to roll! She is such a thoughtful little girlie...