Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle

Oh My Gosh....This is HEAVEN! I made this for mother's day weekend and there were no leftovers (we did share it with my sister's family)! This will definitely be a Mother's day tradition at our house!

Ingredients:
2 qts. strawberries, sliced
1 c. sugar, divided
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp. lime juice (fresh squeezed is better if you can)
3 c. whipped, whipping cream (be sure to whip it before you mix it with the cream cheese mixture)
1 loaf (10 oz.) pound cake cubed (Sara Lee in the freezer section works great)
1 large chocolate bar grated, divided
Chocolate swirls and strawberries to garnish.

Directions:
1. Toss strawberries with 1/2 c. sugar. Allow to chill in refrigerator until juicy (for about an hour).
2. Cream together the lime juice, cream cheese and the remainder of the sugar. Add whip cream and blend until creamy (make sure you blend the cream cheese, lime juice and sugar first, or the acid will curdle the whipped cream.).
3. Drain juice off the strawberries and drizzle onto the cake cubes.
4. Layer in trifle bowl as follows:
1/2 cake cube on bottom
1/3 cream cheese mixture
1/2 strawberry mixture
chocolate shavings

the rest of the cake cubes
1/3 cream cheese mixture
the rest of the strawberry mixture
chocolate shavings

the rest of the cream cheese mixture
chocolate shavings
Strawberries to garnish.

And serve! This awesome recipe is from KSL's Studio 5 website.

Fun Marshmallow Bars

1 package, Devil's food cake mix
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. water
1 egg
3 c. miniature marshmallows
1 c. milk chocolate M&M's
1/2 c. peanuts

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, butter, water and egg. Press into a greased 13 inch by 9 inch pan. Bake @ 375 for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Sprinkle with marshmallows, M&M's and peanuts. Bake 2-3 minutes longer or until the marshmallows just barely begin to melt. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.
This recipe is from Taste of Home; great American cookout edition. It is a great magazine.
*I let mine stay in the oven a little bit longer than I should have the marshmallows melted a little too much and the M&M's cracked but they were yummy.

Toll-House Chocolate Chip Bars

1 c. butter, softened

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 1/4 flour

1 (11 oz.) package of chocolate chips (I like milk chocolate chips)

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and beat. Add baking soda, salt and flour and combine until well-mixed. Slowly add chocolate chips. Spread into greased 9 by 13 baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool and cut into squares. Basically chocolate chip cookies brownie style.

This recipe is from Ivory Homes Cook Book. Yummy.

Orange Cream Freezer Dessert

4 c. gram cracker crumbs
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. butter, melted
3 1/2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened
2 cans (12 oz. each) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Combine cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Set aside 2 cups for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture into 2 greased 15 by 10 pans. Cover and freeze for at least 10 minutes.
Combine ice cream and orange juice concentrate until smooth. Spoon over crusts (pans will be full). Freeze for 10 minutes or until firm. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture; gently press down. Cover and freeze for up to 2 months.
*Yields 2 desserts (24 servings each). This recipe is from Taste of Home magazine.

Creamy Cantaloupe Pops (or pick your own fruit pop)

Banana was a favorite.

We tried pineapple, Only Cooper and I liked it. We used fresh pineapple. Canned can be too sour.

These were cantaloupe creamy pops.

*We want to try more fruit flavors, so we'll post them when we do.

1-1/2 c. cubed cantaloupe
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 c. sugar
8 popsicle molds or plastic cups (3 oz.)
8 popsicle sticks

Blend cantaloupe until smooth; set aside. Combine the cream and sugar. cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in cantaloupe. Pour 1/4 c. into each mold; insert popcicle sticks. Freeze until firm. This recipe is from Taste of Home magazine.
*Yields 8 servings, you can substitute strawberries or bananas.

Fudge Ribbon Sheet Cake

*One of my neighbors doesn't like chocolate but she love this cake. I used a bunt cake pan to make this one (you can use a regular 9 by 13 if you wish).

1 (18 1/4 oz.) package of chocolate cake mix
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaporated milk), divided
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
*Chocolate Glaze (recipe below)
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 1 (1 oz.) square unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate and 1 Tbsp. butter with 2 Tbsp. water. Remove from heat. Stir in 3/4 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract. Stir until smooth and well blended. Makes about 1/3 cup.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9 by 13 inch glass pan. Preheat cake mix as package directs. Pour batter into prepared pan.
2. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and cornstarch until fluffy. Gradually beat in Eagle Brand. Add egg and vanilla; beat until smooth. Spoon evenly over cake batter.
3. Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool. Prepare chocolate glaze and drizzle over cake. Store covered in refrigerator.

Fudge Ribbon Bundt cake: Prepare oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 10-inch bundt pan. Prepare cake mix as package directs. Pour batter into prepared pan. Prepare cream cheese topping as directed above; spoon evenly over batter. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool. Prepare chocolate glaze and drizzle over cake. Store covered in refrigerator.

Easy Chocolate Lover's Cheesecake

3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. (12 oz. package) mini-chocolate chips, divided
1 (9 oz.) extra-serving-size packaged graham cracker crumb crust
2 Tbsp. whipping cream

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Stir in 1 2/3 c. small chocolate chips; pour into crust.
Bake 10 minutes. Without opening door, reduce temperature to 250 degrees; continue baking 30 minutes or just until set. Remove from oven to wire rack. Cool completely. Cover; refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Place remaining 1/3 c. chips and whipping cream in small microwave on high 20 to 30 seconds or just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Cool slightly; spread over top of cheesecake. Refrigerate 15 minutes or until topping is set. Cover; refrigerate leftover cheesecake.

Chocolate Ice cream Sandwiches

Chocolate Ice cream Sandwiches
1/3 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp. flour
1/4 c. baking cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
1 pint of vanilla ice cream

Cream butter and sugars. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Drop by rounded Tbsp. and separate 2 inches apart from each other on a greased cookie sheet forming 16 cookies. Flatten slightly with a glass, sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until set.
Assembly: Place 1/4 cup ice cream on the bottom cookie. Top with remaining cookies. Wrap each in plastic wrap. Freeze overnight. Yields 8 ice cream sandwiches. I got this recipe from Taste of Home magazine.

4th of July Flag Cake

6 sparklers (fire works)
1 box of cake mix (french vanilla)
Strawberries (halved)
Blueberries
*bake cake according to directions.

Cream Cheese frosting:
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
1 c. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
* Beat the 3 above ingredients until smooth.

1 1/2 c. heavy cream
*Whip cream until stiff peaks form.

Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Apply a thin layer of frosting on to the cake. Arrange blueberries in the top left corner of the cake (for the stars). Arrange strawberries in alternating rows. Fill a Ziploc bag with the rest of the frosting and snip the end of it for a tip. Use that to make your white stripes. Top with sparklers, light and serve. This will be our new family 4th of July dessert. I have seen it done with Jell-o's but my family isn't really into Jell-o so a cake is a great idea. I got this off another blog. It looks really fun.

Boo Cups

3 1/4 cup cold water
2 packages (3.9 oz.) of instant Jell-o chocolate pudding
1 (8 oz.) tub of cool whip
20 Oreo cookies, crushed and divided
30 mini-sweet chocolate chips
15 (6 oz.) clear plastic cups

Whisk cold water with jell-o. Fold in 1/2 tub whip cream and 1/2 crushed Oreo's. Fill all 15 cups evenly with chocolate mixture top each with remaining crushed Oreo's. Spoon on Whip cream so that it has a peak at the top and place 2 mini-chocolate chips on for the eyes and serve. I got this off of another fun blog.

Dino Dig Cupcakes.

1 large metal muffin tin (not regular size)
Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors (2 for each child)
1 package of small plastic dinosaurs

1 Chocolate cake mix (cook according to directions)
eggs
oil

Mix cake mix according to directions. Grease muffin tins and fill 1/3 the way full. Add dinosaurs, then top with remaining cake mix until 3/4 the way full. Bake according to cake instructions. Let cool, serve one to each child and let them "dig" for dinosaurs.
I can't wait to do this with our kids some time. The idea is from http://partiesandholidays.blogspot.com/ under the category of story time.

Lemon Dessert Sauce

2 eggs
3/4 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp. grated lemon peel
*You can pour over Angel food cake cheesecake or pound cake

In the top of a double boiler, beat eggs and sugar.
Stir in butter, lemon juice and lemon peel. Cook over simmering water for 10-12 minutes or until mixture reaches 160 degrees and is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Refrigerate for up to 1 week. Serve chilled over the cake. Yields 1 cup

Old-Fashioned Cheesecake

1 1/3 cup whole almonds, toasted and ground
3/4 cup crushed vanilla waffers
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Topping:
2 cups (16 oz.) sour cream
3 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
assorted fruit (optional)

Combine almonds and waffer crumbs; stir in butter. Press into the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of an ungreased 9 inch springform pan. Bake for 5 mins. and cool.
In a seperate bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Beat in vanilla and lemon peel just until blended. Pour into crust. Place pan on baking sheet. Bake @ 350 for 40-45 minutes or until the center is almost set.
Combine the sourcream, sugar and vanilla; carefully spread over filling. Bake 10 minutes longer or until edges appear dry. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen; cool for 1 hour longer. Cover and chill overnight. Remove sides of the pan. Top with fresh fruit, regrigerate leftovers. Yeilds 12 servings
I got this recipe from the Taste of Homes Magazine.

Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup Crisco stick (1/2 cup)
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda

Heat oven to 375. Combine both sugars, peanut butter, shortening, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add egg. Beat until blended.
Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.
Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with tines of fork.
Bake for 7-8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown.
*makes about 3 dozen cookies.
This recipe is from: Favorite Brand Name Best-loved Recipes of All Time.
My mom used to make these cookies all the time when I was growing up, I knew they were peanut butter cookies, but I always remembered them as, "the cookie's with the fork marks in them".

Peanut Blossoms

1 (9 oz.) bag Hershey Kisses
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup Reese's Creamy or Crunchy peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown packed sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove wrappers from Kisses (I always have my kids do it; they think it's fun and they get to help out). In a large mixer bowl, beat shortening and peanut butter until well blended. Add a 1/3 cup sugar and brown sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla and beat well.
Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to peanut butter mixture. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately place chocolate piece on top of each cookie, pressing down so cookie cracks around the edges. Removed from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.
From the book: Favorite Brand Name Best-Loved Recipes of All Time.
*makes about 4 dozen cookies.

No Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
Bring to a boil then add:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups of oats

Mix it altogether and drop on to a cookie sheet that has wax paper on it. Then put it into the freezer for about 10 minutes or until set.
This recipe is from my sister Daisy.

Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie

2 unbaked deep dish pie shells
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups (29 oz. can) Libby's pure pumpkin
3 cups (2, 12 oz. cans) evaporated milk

Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in medium bowl. Beat eggs lightly in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shells.

Bake in a pre-heated 425 degrees. for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Al's Favorite Cookies

2 cups shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. water
4 eggs

4 cups of sifted flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt

2 cups of rolled oats
2 cups chocolate chips

Mix wet ingredients, Whisk dry ingredients and blend together. Fold in rolled oats and chocolate chips.
Bake @ 375 for 10-12 minutes on a greased cookie sheet. From Connie.

New York-Style Cheesecake

Crust:
1 1/4 cups crushed chocolate wafers (they are a little hard to find; you can use Oreo's and take the filling out)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions: Combine the wafer crumbs, walnuts and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and press half-way up the sides of an ungreased 10" spring-form pan. Freeze for 15 mins.

Filling:
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese softened
3 Tbsp. sour cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Directions: Beat the cream cheese, sour cream and sugar until fluffy and smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined.
Combine milk and lemon juice, then add to cream cheese mixture, just until blended. Pour into crust. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake @ 350 for 35 to 40 minutes or until the center is almost set.

Topping:
2 cups (16 oz.) sour cream
5 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 can cherry pie filling (optional; I like just plain cheesecake)

Directions: Combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla; carefully spread over the cheesecake. Bake 10 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Cover; chill overnight. Remove sides of pan. Top with cherry pie filling. Refrigerate leftovers. I think cheesecake always tastes better the next day, so for me make it a day ahead of time. I got this recipe from Taste of Homes Magazine.

Welch's Strawberry Gram Cracker Pie

1 gram cracker crust

1 tub of cool whip

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 can of frozen Welche's Strawberry juice (thawed)

Mix juice and sweetened condensed milk. fold in cool whip. Pour into gram cracker crust and freeze over night.