I can not tell a lie: it’s George Washington’s birthday. Since he is most associated with cherries and sharp objects, let’s do a cherry recipe that requires a food processor. Cherries are out of season or dried fruit will fit the bill.
I purchase my dried fruit from Green PolkaDot Box. I use Oskri Organics because they aren’t run on shared equipment. If you aren’t gluten-free, they have both dates and nuts available that will work for you from Aurora or Nutty Guys. If you’re gluten-free, you’ll need to find a different source since both of those brands are run on shared equipment with wheat.
This snack has been in the Menu Mailers since Volume One. You’ll recognize it as a traditional foods version of a Lara Bar. I love them because they’re versatile, portable and quick to make. Nothing screams ‘happy mama’ like a quick, mess-free snack the kids can help make.
This is a go-to snack for us when I have crispy nuts of any kind on hand. You can use any dried fruit in place of the cherries, you can substitute raisins for part of the dates, you can even add cocoa powder, raw cacao powder, spices and extracts to produce different flavors. The sky’s the limit and this is a wonderful snack because you can fit it to whatever you have available on hand.
Cherry Bars
From the Menu Mailer
Makes 4 bars or 16 balls
1/2 – 3/4 cup crispy walnuts, pecans, almonds &/or cashews
1/2 cup chopped, pitted dates
1/2 cup dried cherries
2 Tbs flaked coconut, optional
Place the nuts in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until doughy. If the ingredients are too dry to blend into a dough, add water ½ tsp at a time until it blends easily.
Roll into balls or press into a loaf pan or half of an 8×8 pan and cut into bars.
Store in an air-tight container. Wrap individual bars in parchment and then cover with a layer of plastic wrap or place into a ziplock bag for easy travel, if desired.
I'm 
what can I sub for the nuts if my son has nut allergies?
I’m sorry, Ashley, I’m not sure what to tell you. You could try other hard foods like shredded coconut or even some chocolate chips, perhaps.
KerryAnn Foster recently posted..Freezer Cooking: ‘Bourbon’ Chicken
Thanks for sharing this on Friday Food Flicks, Kerry Ann! I just shared it on Facebook.
Amanda
Amanda Rose recently posted..Sardines: Why To Love, Where To Find This Super Food
How does one create “crispy nuts”?