Cilantro is definitely one of the more troublesome herbs for me. All the sources I've seen have mentioned that drying is unsatisfactory but freezing is an acceptable second-best alternative to fresh. The thing is, the texture and color will be different, so the frozen cilantro would be used differently in cooking, not so much for salsa but for marinades, etc. You can freeze the leaves; vacuum-sealing to keep out the air helps tremendously. Or you can freeze chopped as a "slurry" with water or oil. Cilantro butter is also a possibility; Burpee recommends 4 parts butter, 2 parts cilantro, 1/2 part lemon juice. Good melted on frozen corn for a taste of summer. I know of one person who has made and frozen a "cilantro pesto" he swears by, especially for marinating chicken, fish, etc. - no real "recipe" but a blender-full of washed and dried leaves and stems blended with juice of several limes and about 1/4 cup of olive oil. Finally, it's not freezing but canning. This is a recipe from KatieC, one of our master food preservers who pops in from time-to-time. She was one of the instructors with Annie for this summer's Canny Camp. Jessy had a favorite Sunset recipe and asked KatieC if she could come up with a way to safely can it. I haven't seen it on Harvest for a long time, and it's worth repeating: Lime-Chipotle Sauce Recipe By :Katie Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1/2 cup honey 2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce 3 tablespoons brown mustard -- or dijon 1/2 cup lime juice 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro Season with salt and pepper Blend in food processor. Serve sauce as a marinade grilled meats, poultry, and fish if your guests don't get to it first with tortilla chips. Makes 1 1/2 cups. Source: "Jessy- from Sunset Magazine" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : This can be canned in a boiling waterbath for 15 min. at 0-1000 ft., 20 min. at 1001-6000 ft. and 25 min. above 6000 ft. Carol

Both chives and cilantro taste like lawnmower clippings when dried. Blech! So I make chive butter, rolled into a log and popped into the freezer. Perfect for baked or mashed potatoes. Or on top of a steak or fish. You can also add some minced shallots. Cilantro I just toss into a zip bag and freeze. Squeeze the air out of the bag and it is less bulky in my over-stuffed freezer. Basil is also frozen this way. Parsley is dried in a dehydrator and then kept in the dark or the color will fade out. The micro method works too, or you can put a cookie sheet in the oven and dry them. Same for thyme, rosemary. (But I do bring the pot into the house for winter and can cut fresh. It sits in my living room.) Karen, dig up some chives, root and all, pot it up and bring it indoors. If they start to get lanky and floppy, shake the pot or put a fan on them to strenghten them. Now next season, you will have triple the amount in the ground to give to neighbors. In about 3 years, they will run and hide when you come by!

Are they sweet cherries or sour pie cherries? I have a Montmorency (sp) cherry tree & this is the first year it has REALLY produced cherries. After pitting, mine look pretty much like what yours sound like. Believe me, they are SO much easier to get already pitted. I froze mine, put them in freezer bags with about 1/3 cup sugar in them for 4 cups cherries. That is what I read to do. I've only used one package & it seemed to be as good as the fresh. I used it in a cobbler, & did reduce the amount of sugar I normally add to cherry cobblers. If your cherries are the sweet variety, I believe you can freeze them the same way, might not need as much sugar.

While I use cilantro in Mexican dishes, I also use it in Asian dishes. Here's a couple that my family enjoys. Becky * Exported from MasterCook * Asian Coleslaw Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 6 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar 6 tablespoons vegetable oil 5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (I used chunky) 3 tablespoons soy sauce 3 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root (I use the micoplane grater) 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (I use a garlic press) 5 cups thinly sliced green cabbage 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage 2 cups shredded napa cabbage 2 red bell peppers -- thinly sliced 2 carrots -- julienned 6 green onions -- chopped 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro roasted peanuts -- optional 1 In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, oil, peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic. 2 In a large bowl, mix the green cabbage, red cabbage, napa cabbage, red bell peppers, carrots, green onions, and cilantro. Toss with the peanut butter mixture just before serving. Source: "www.allrecipes.com" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : This is really good with chopped cooked chicken added. To make it really fast you can use bagged coleslaw mix. Don't mix it until right before you serve it - it wilts quickly. The dressing can be prepared a day or two ahead and kept in the fridge. * Exported from MasterCook * Thai Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Sauce Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 4 Boneless skinless chicken breast halves 2 tablespoons Orange juice 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce 1/4 teaspoon Sesame oil 1 large clove garlic -- minced SPICY PEANUT SAUCE 2 tablespoons Finely chopped fresh cilantro 3 tablespoons Warm water 3 tablespoons Chunky peanut butter 1 teaspoon Brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon Crushed red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce Cut each chicken breast half into 8 cubes. Thread 4 cubes onto each of 8 skewers. Place in an ungreased shallow dish or 13X9" baking dish. Combine orange juice, soy sauce, oil and garlic; mix well. Pour over chicken; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes, turning once. Combine sauce ingredients and set aside. Line broiler pan with foil; broil chicken 4-6" from heat 6-8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, turning once. Serve immediately with sauce. If desired, longer skewers can be used. Alternate chicken with cut up vegetables such as red or green peppers and mushrooms. Marinate and broil as directed above. Source: "http://www.hugs.org/Thai_Chicken_Sate_with_Spicy_Peanut_Sauce.shtml" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook * SWEET & SOUR CUCUMBER RELISH (TAENG KWA BRIO Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2 large Cucumbers -- peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly 1 small Red onion -- peeled, halved and sliced thinly 1/2 teaspoon Dried red chili flakes (or more, to taste) 4 tablespoons Granulated sugar 1/2 cup Water 5 tablespoons rice vinegar 1/2 teaspoon Salt chopped cilantro -- to taste Toss the cucumber, onion and chili flakes together in a bowl. In a small saucepan, over low heat, dissolve the sugar in the water. Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar and salt. Pour this mixture over the veggies. Stir and refrigerate until served. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -