I'm not really going to teach you how to cook. I'm just going to make whatever you tackle in the kitchen easier. I'm no pro. I won't try to pretend I am one either. I just get bonus points because I've probably practiced more than you. And if practice makes perfect, I can tell you I practice a LOT but I'm also constantly learning.

So many people ask me for recipes or they say, "Can you tell me how you did that?! You make it look so EASY!" that I've threatened to write a cookbook called "Five Ingredients or Less: Even a Fool Can Cook Like a Gourmet." It resonates. Believe me. Zola knows.

You've probably noticed that my recipe descriptions are longer than the average recipe's. Don't let that deter you. There are two reasons for long descriptions.

The first reason is I am not going to assume you know how to cook. I'm going to figuratively take your hand and guide you through the process of making the food by connecting you to your past. I might refer to something like Play-doh playtime, or I'll draw analogies about things you encounter in your daily life -- outside the kitchen. My goal is to give you a reference to cooking beyond the stove.

The second reason is I'm going to "talk to you." I'm not going to speak in kitchen code. Sometimes I might even make an attempt at humor. Cooking is supposed to be fun and relaxing.

What follows is a recipe for a beautiful cherry tart. Everyone wants to finish the meal with something that looks and tastes like a "grand finale." This recipe is a recent development from when I found cherries buried in my freezer. And if you prefer blueberries, check Zola's web site for an equally beautiful and simple recipe for a blueberry tart . . . and more!

Cherry Tart with Toasted Coconut and Slivered Almonds

1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (they come 2 to a box)
4 heaping cups pitted, tree-ripened pie cherries (once frozen and now thawed is fine)
1/2 cup sugar
4 Tbl corn starch

Optional:
1/2 cup coconut
1/3 cup slivered almonds

Take the pie crust out of the box. Leave it in the plastic and let it sit on your counter to soften up. 30 minutes should do it.

You'll need a 9-inch fluted tart pan. Remove crust from package and lay it over the tart pan. Carefully ease the crust into the recesses of the tart pan. There will be about 1 inch of crust sticking over the top. Fold that over so the top of the crust lines up with the top of the tart pan. Poke holes in the crust with a fork to keep it from bulging up while baking. Look for cracks in the folds of the crust. If they are close to showing, try to push them back together with your fingers; otherwise your finished crust will have larger cracks when it expands as it bakes and your filling could leak later.

Bake according to package directions for 400 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes. Cool.

Meanwhile, put your cherries in the sauce pan with the sugar. Cook on medium high until the sugar melts and the mixture starts to bubble. Then add cornstarch one tablespoon at a time. You might need to sift your cornstarch into the mixture. It's a real pain to get the white blobs back out if the cornstarch does not mix in well. Continue to cook cherry mixture on medium. As it bubbles, it will get thicker with each addition of cornstarch. When it looks thicker, glossy and like pie filling, you are ready to let it cool down.

While the pie filling is cooling you can toast your (optional) coconut. This is not required as part of the recipe but it looks great on top of the cherries and adds more texture. Put the coconut on a cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 7 minutes. Keep an eye on it. When coconut toasts it "goes fast." One minute it's not toasted, and the next the whole outer edge is brown. When this happens, take it out of the oven and just stir it up. All will be crispy and some of it will be browned.

Pour the tart filling in the crust. Spread it to the edges and sprinkle with coconut and slivered almonds. Leave a rim of the cherries around the edges so the red "pops." It will look great.

Store leftovers in a refrigerator. If you like it warm you can gently reheat it in the oven. Serve with ice cream if you like.

Enjoy! Zola