Strawberries and Cream Trifle

Strawberries and Cream Trifle

8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 cups milk
2 pkgs sugar-free pudding (cheesecake or white chocolate flavor)
8 oz tub sugar-free whipped topping
Ladyfingers
Fresh sliced strawberries
1 to 1-1/2 cups milk with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat cream cheese until creamy. Add milk and pudding mixes and beat until thickened. 

Fold or mix in whipped topping. 

 These are the ladyfingers my HyVee carried.  They also come more crisp and cookie like (those need a little extra soaking.)

In separate bowl mix milk and vanilla. Dip lady fingers in milk mix and line trifle dish.  Top with almost half of the pudding mixture.

Then 1/2 of the fresh sliced strawberries.

Add more ladyfingers dipped in milk.

A little bit of the pudding just to coat ladyfingers.

 Strawberries...

Rest of the pudding...

Top it with the whipped topping.  You can also put it in a decorator bag to make the top fancier. Cover and put in fridge to set up.  Needs several hours for best results but if you can't wait you could dig in now.  ;-)

**I used a 6x9" baking dish here and only 1/2 of the recipe.

Freezing Berries and Bananas

Freezing Berries and Bananas

We use a ton of bananas in our house.  I bet we go through two bunches a week.  I try to head to town just once a week and that means buying ahead on bananas and hoping they don't ripen too fast or that all they have are the greenest bananas you've ever seen.  Sometimes if I am lucky the stores have bagged bananas at a lower price, like $1.99/bag or the the other store has them for 39 cents/lb which is about 20 cents cheaper than regular price right now.  Bags are about 8-9 lbs.  They may look speckly but so far they are all still very firm. 

I take the peel off and hunk them.  Place them upright on a freezer paper lined jelly roll pan and put them in the freezer. When they are thoroughly frozen, at least all day or I wait until the next day, I put them in a freezer ziploc bag for use.  I tried the first time to see if they would turn brown and they didn't so I have frozen some several times since. We use them in smoothies, and protein shakes.  No need for ice (filler) or worrying about the bananas getting too soft or if the store only has green bananas.

I also freeze strawberries on sale (or hopefully soon from our own patch) and the wild black raspberries we have in our backyard.

Last year I bought a flat of cherries and blueberries and did the same.  I used my vacuum seal bags to keep them crystal free in the freezer. 

Try it and save some money!

Fruit Swirl Coffeecake

Fruit Swirl Coffeecake

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

3 cups flour

1 can fruit pie filling, any flavor

1 cup powdered sugar

1-2 Tablespoons milk

Add sugar, butter, shortening, baking powder, vanilla, and eggs to medium bowl.

Mix on low until blended.

Then on high for 3 minutes.

Add flour.

Mix just until combined.

Spread 2/3 of the batter into a greased 10x15" cookie sheet that has sides (also known as a jelly roll pan)

Dump on pie filling. My mom always makes cherry but I prefer apple!

Spread as best you can.

Drop remaining batter by tablespoons over top of filling.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake area comes out clean.  Cake should be golden brown.  Careful not to overcook!

Mix powdered sugar and milk until smooth.  Start off with 1 tablespoon of milk and then add 1/2 tablespoon at a time until it is runny but not too runny. This particular day I only needed 1-1/2 T.

Drizzle over top of coffeecake while cake is still warm.  Cut and serve.  I prefer mine warm but it is definitely still good at room temp!

Strawberry filling is pretty delicious too!

Cherry Torte

This is my dad's favorite dessert. My grandma used to make it for her family. Whenever we'd have it at their house my grandpa would eat the cherries for me. Now dad does. Lately though I've split the recipe into two dishes and made one with the cherries and one with just a little of the filling for my nephew and I. 

Cherry Torte                                                                                          Printable Recipe

1 can cherry pie filling
1 cup powdered sugar
8 ounce package cream cheese, softened (can use light)
1 package Dream Whip ( plus 1/2 c milk and 1/2 t vanilla)
10 graham crackers (this means 40 of the little rectangles)
6 Tablespoons butter, melted


Add crackers to a gallon bag and use a rolling pin to make into crumbs. The smaller the better.
Add to butter and mix til crumbly.

Mix Dream Whip according to directions using the Dream Whip packet, milk, and vanilla.

Add softened cream cheese and powdered sugar and mix until creamy.

Layer 3/4 of the butter crumb mixture in the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish. (I used a smaller dish here since I split it.)
Spread 1/2 of the cream cheese mixture onto crust.

Then pie filling...

Then the rest of the cream cheese mixture...

Sprinkle with remaining butter crumb mixture.

Refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours.

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Pretty individual desserts in a parfait glass. 

"Cheesecake" Pancakes

"Cheesecake" Pancakes                                                                Printable Recipe

1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar (or less, we use 2T)
1 egg
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon lemon zest (or we use lemon juice)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Dash salt (or if you use unsalted butter use 1/4 t salt)
1/2 cup small curd cottage cheese



Whisk milk, sugar, egg, butter, and vanilla together in a large bowl. (Also add lemon juice if using instead of zest. )

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl. then add to egg mixture, stir just until incorporated.

Stir in cottage cheese (and zest if using that.) Don't mix too much as it will affect the fluffiness of your pancakes.
Use 1/3 cup to measure onto hot griddle. Cook until bubbly and light brown and flip. (Add blueberries or other fruit here before flipping.)

When you flip the pancake you will see the baking powder in action and it will rise a little as it cooks.

We serve with strawberry sauce or fresh strawberries and whipped cream, sliced bananas, nuts and whipped cream or syrup. Can be frozen and reheated.