Eat fresh cherries for good health

(Bing cherries are in season, full of nutrients and antioxidants/Gannett News Service photos)

Don't you just love summer fruits?

I can't get enough fresh cherries this time of year.

Ripe and dark, sweet and tart, cherries are a seasonal, healthful addition to numerous recipes. They are one of those "Super Fruits" that are loaded with antioxidants.
Of course, the most simple way to eat them is to just pop them into your mouth!

Today's Busy Cook in the Poughkeepsie Journal features recipes for Bing cherries in a variety of ways: Mango Cherry Avocado Salad, Cherry Smoothie and Caramelized Salmon with Cherry Salsa.

There are endless possibilities for using cherries in recipes.

The California Cherry Advisory Board offers several recipes for Bing cherries on its Web site, www.calcherry.com, as does the organization that promotes tart cherries, the Cherry Marketing Institute, at www.choosecherries.com.

Here's another recipe from the California Cherry Advisory Board for a pretty cookie using freshly made cherry jam:

(Thumbprint cookies are topped with freshly made cherry jam)

Bing Cherry Thumbprint Cookies

For the cherry jam:

1. 1 pound fresh California Bing cherries, washed and pitted (about 2 cups)
2. 1⁄8 cup water
3. 1 teaspoon lemon juice
4. 1 teaspoon lemon zest
5. 1 cup sugar

For the cookie dough:

1. 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2. 3⁄4 cup sugar
3. 1 egg
4. 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
5. 2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• For jam: Combine cherries and water in a small pot and simmer over low until fruit is tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add lemon juice, zest and sugar and stir gently until sugar dissolves.
• Bring to a boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes, stirring on occasion, until thick and syrupy.
• Pour into a shallow bowl and cool, or alternately refrigerate until jam is set. This can be made a day ahead.

For cookies:

• Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy.
• Beat in egg and vanilla or almond extract.
• Add flour and mix until just combined.
• Form dough into 1-inch balls and arrange on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Using your thumb, make an impression in the center of each ball.
• Fill each cookie with cherry jam, making sure each has a cherry in the center.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the dough is set and lightly browned on bottom.
• Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Note: For more uniform cookies, refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before forming into balls.