Cherries in the Snow

Cherries in the Snow - Lula Heape

It's almost President's Day! Not exactly the holiday everyone puts on a party for, but my grandmother Lula still had traditions. Originally, the tradition of "Cherries in the Snow" grew out of George Washington's birthday specifically (with the legend of GW chopping down the cherry tree...I cannot tell a lie), but now we celebrate President's Day with it.

The recipe itself is really simple - three whopping ingredients, no cooking whatsoever...but it is a fantastic dessert any time of year. Plus, you really could change it up with other types of fruit filling, or by using sugarfree or homemade pie-filling, flavored angel food cake or even adding fresh fruit to the final mix and layer it like a trifel. It is also easy to alter into a low-fat or sugar free version!

Cherries in the Snow

1 Can cherry pie filling
1 Container Cool Whip (I use the low-fat)
1 Angel food cake (I use store bought from the bakery section)

To make this simple dessert, cube the angel food cake into 1" pieces and add to a large bowl. Mix in the cool whip and pie filling until the cake is fully coated; you can eat immediately, but for best results, chill for about 3 hours to let the flavors merge and blend into the cake. This allows it to become a new texture and truly transfoms the ingredients!



Mix well and let it chill!




Enjoy!



Texas Potatoes - A Kuhn Klassic

Texas Potatoes - A Kuhn Klassic (now known as "those potatoes Amber makes" at our house)

So every October my Grandma Ford's family has a reunion in Okawville, IL. When the Kuhn siblings (12 in all) started having children of their own, the reunion was a great way to get all of the various children and grandchildren together in one place. And over the years...it GREW. For example, my dad has 60 first cousins between the Fords and the Kuhns...so our reunions on both sides were large, with lots of little ones too. Growing up, the Kuhn reunion was always held at the community club in Okawville, and though it has since moved to a smaller facility and we haven't been able to go as often since relocating to Richmond, I know the cousins still have a good time. Between the food, golf and card games, maybe a couple drinks too, everyone always looks forward to the Kuhn family reunion.

Each and every year we would expect a lot of the same foods - fried chicken, Chip's fried rice, Aunt Ester's red velvet cake, deviled eggs, Texas potatoes, various pies...and so much more. My dad remembers this recipe being made with the "little square hash browns," and this recipe, or something like it, can be found in various church cookbooks and be made lots of different ways.

At our house, we now call them "those potatoes Amber makes" - because she does such a good job making them! We've switched up the recipe to our liking and to lighten it slightly, but they still taste like home :)

We had these as part of our 4th of July celebration in Richmond this year; hope you enjoy them soon too!

Texas Potatoes - Those Potatoes Amber Makes

1-pkg shredded frozen hash browns
1/2-C butter
2-C sour cream (we use light)
1-1/2-C shredded cheddar cheese (divided 1 cup and 1/2 cup portions)
1/2-C diced onion
1-can cream of mushroom soup (we use 98% fat free)
1-tsp salt
1-tsp pepper


Preheat oven to 350. Saute onion in butter until soft. Mix sour cream, 1 cup cheese, salt, pepper and soup; let stand. Once onions are cooked, add to the sour cream mixture, then combine with potatoes - coating evenly. Coat a 9"x13" pan with non-stick spray, and pour in the entire mixture. Bake for 25 minutes, stir and spread the other 1/2 cup cheese on top. Bake additional 20 minutes until bubbly!

Saute onion in butter...mmmm, butter

Mix other wet ingredients while onions simmer

Combine sour cream mixture with onions and butter

Coat shredded potatoes

Bake until bubbly delicious!

DID YOU MAKE IT? LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT BELOW!