Tis That Time of Year!

Hi out there loyal readership!  If you are a follower of our blog, apologies are in store.  We've neglected you!  However, we've been diligently working on our new website and enhancing our social media presence.  Sorry for leaving you alone for so long!  But what a more fitting time to re-connect than this dawn of Spring!  And with Spring, we have flowers blooming, plants planting and weather heating up.  It's not too early to think about harvesting those gardens and that is why I'm blogging today.  Our lead pea sheller technician aka expert aka Kerry has written a great piece about pea shellers.  If you are thinking of buying one or just want to know more about what the heck a pea sheller is, head over to his review and check it out. (Just click here).  If you have any questions or would like to further discuss pea shellers, don't hesitate to call us at 855-Sheller.  That's 855-743-5537.  We offer expert advice, fast shipping and superior products.  Have a great Spring and be sure to visit us again as we turn our focus to our neglected blog readers. Amy at 855Sheller

Cherry Nut Bread

Holiday season is fast approaching. For me, that means a lot of social gatherings. I hate showing up empty handed without a gift for my host or hostess. They have come to expect some sort of goody from me. This Cherry Nut Bread is a BIG hit! Wrap it in pretty tissue paper or colorful saran wrap, tie it up with a ribbon, and let the gift giving begin. This Taste of Home recipe is my go to every time!

Ingredients:
Yield: 4 loaves (16 slices each)

2C butter, room temp

3C sugar

5 eggs, seperated

1t pure vanilla extract

5C all-purpose flour

1t baking soda

½t baking powder

½t salt

1C buttermilk

2 jars (10oz each) maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

1C chopped pecans

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks & vanilla.

2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture, alternating with buttermilk until just blended. Batter will be thick.

3. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter, then fold in cherries and pecans.

4. Transfer into 4 greased and floured 8in x 4in loaf pans. Bake at 350°F for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean and loaves are golden brown.
5.Cool for 10 minutes before removing loaves from the pan onto wire racks.

This quick bread has such a rich and unique flavor. Sometimes, my loaves even have a pink tint to them, which I love.  You can also bake the batter in muffin pans for a handheld treat, just watch them and adjust your time accordingly. You can also swap out the pecans for walnuts or another nut you love. Of course, you can leave them out all together if needed. I have also used fresh cherries when I had them. I pit extras to juice and mix the juice with a little whole milk. I hope you enjoy this bread as much as I do.

When making these loaves, I have a few things in the kitchen that always help me out. To chop nuts I have a great little Nut Chopper that lets me get them as crunchy or fine as I like. For cherries I use a Food Chopper. It is great for fruit, vegetables, cheese, herbs, and even chocolate. When I decide to use fresh cherries for anything..pies, jam, cookies.. I use a Cherry Pitter to save time (and clothes). It neatly pops the pits into a see through container and my pretty cherries into a waiting bowl. My 5lb Kitchen Scale helps me ensure an accurate weight on those cherries, along with many other kitchen prep measurements. I am lucky to live in the South with beautiful pecan trees in my yard. I use a Nut Wizard to gather my pecans and an Electric Pecan Cracker to crack them fast.

You can find all of these items and so much more right on our websites.

www.855sheller.com

www.lawn-gardening-tools.com

www.gardenharvesters.com