HOW TO MAKE A FRUIT-TOPPED AND FRUIT-FILLED CHEESECAKE RECIPE

HOW TO MAKE A FRUIT-TOPPED AND FRUIT-FILLED CHEESECAKE RECIPE

A vanilla cheesecake paired with cherries, strawberries, or other fruit is the classic combination. But cheesecakes are so rich that we like plenty of fruit with our cheesecakes. Rather than pile the cheesecake high with fruit, consider putting part of the fruit in the filling. In the following recipe, we’ll show you how.

Strawberry Vanilla Cheesecake

The following recipe uses fresh strawberries but frozen strawberries work well. We made this cheesecake with graham cracker crumbs; a nut crumb crust and a crust made from crushed vanilla wafers would pair well also. And of course, you can use raspberries, blueberries, peaches, mangoes, or other fruit for the topping.
You will need a nine or ten-inch springform pan for this recipe. The cheesecake pictured was baked and served in a nine-inch glass-base springform pan.

For the crust

2 cups crushed graham crackers
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted

For the filling

3 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup whipping cream

For the topping

3 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar (omit if using sweetened, frozen berries)
1 tablespoons cornstarch
2-3 drops of red food coloring
1 cup of fresh or individually frozen berries, cleaned and hulled
(use whole or if preferred, cut into smaller pieces)

Directions

1. Crush the graham crackers. Mix the crumbs with the cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter in a nine or ten-inch springform pan. Press the mixture into a crust across the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Put the crust in the refrigerator to set up while you prepare the filling and the topping.
2. Make the topping. Puree the strawberries in a blender with the lemon juice. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of purée. If you would like to remove the seeds, run the puree through a sieve. Place the puree in a small saucepan. Add the sugar, food coloring, and cornstarch. Cook over medium heart, stirring often, until thickened and bubbly. Set aside to cool.
3. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Mix the cream cheese with the paddle attachment of your stand-type mixer set at medium speed until smooth and creamy, scraping the bowl once. Slowly add the sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, and whipping cream one at a time making sure the batter is smooth before adding the next ingredient. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Add eggs one at a time until smooth. Do not over beat. Too much air in the filling will cause the cake to sink and crack.
4. Pour one half of the cream cheese filling into the crust. Spoon about 2/3’s of the strawberry sauce onto the filling then spoon the remaining cream cheese over the strawberry sauce. Refrigerate the remaining sauce.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top just starts to turn golden and the center of the cake is just barely jiggly.
6. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for ten minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. Remove the ring and let the cheesecake cool completely. Refrigerate for several hours.
7. To serve, stir the berries into the remaining sauce and spoon over the cheesecake.

PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIE SUNDAES IN A CONE

One of our readers wrote and asked if the peanut butter brownie cupcake recipe could be baked in an ice cream cone. Very nice idea. So we whipped up a batch. Worked perfectly. We think this would be a great idea for a birthday party or for the kids at the next family reunion. And this is such an easy recipe, you can whip up a batch of cones in no time.

Note: This recipe can be doubled.

Ingredients

2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
peanut butter
flat-bottomed ice cream cones
ice cream
cake decorations

Directions

Wrap a dozen ice cream cone cups in aluminum foil and place them in a muffin tin. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1. In a medium bowl, melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave, stirring as needed.
2. Stir the sugar into the chocolate mixture. Stir the eggs and vanilla into the mixture. Stir in the flour.
3. Fill the ice cream cone cups about three fourths full of batter. Put a teaspoon of peanut butter in the center of each.
4. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes depending on the size of the cone. A toothpick should still have gooey crumbs on it if tested.
5. When completely cooled, put a scoop of ice cream in the tops of the cups. Sprinkle the ice cream with cake decorations of your choice.

FRESH FRUIT & COOKIE PIZZA

FRESH FRUIT & COOKIE PIZZA

These make gorgeous dessert pizzas.  Use your favorite fruits or whatever is in season.  The one in the picture is made with strawberry, blueberry and key lime.  The one in the recipe is a favorite.

We sometimes use Instant ClearJel to make the glaze without cooking.

1 batch of cookie dough (our favorite is Butterscotch Pecan)
1/2 lb Bavarian cream filling or similar
1 1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup blueberries
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
2-3 bananas, sliced (tossed in lemon juice to keep from browning)
2 kiwis, sliced and halved

Glaze

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Mix your cookie dough according to recipe or package directions.
2. Press the cookie dough onto a lightly greased 14-inch round nonstick pizza pan.
3. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
4. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
5. Invert the giant cookie onto a cutting board or another pan and then onto a large plate or platter for serving.
6. Spread the bavarian cream filling over the cookie.
7. Arrange the fruit on the bavarian cream however you would like.  Usually a pattern of some sort works out well.
8. Gradually combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl until cornstarch dissolves. Combine sugar and orange juice in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the water and cornstarch mixture. Boil for 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Brush over fruit.

Serve with whipped cream or plain.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE & WHITE CHOCOLATE FRENCH SILK PIES

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE & WHITE CHOCOLATE FRENCH SILK PIES

This recipe makes a delightful silk pie whether in chocolate or white chocolate.  It is silky smooth and luscious and the filling sets firmly for nice cuts and picture perfect presentations.

1 nine-inch pie shell, baked and cooled

3 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water

10 ounces dark (semi-sweet) chocolate dark wavers  or other quality coating or eating chocolate
1/2 cup butter cut into pieces and softened

1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon French Vanilla flavor

1 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon French Vanilla flavor
1/3 cup granulated sugar

1. Add the eggs, sugar, and water to a large sauce pan.  Cook the egg and sugar mixture over low to medium low heat while beating constantly with an electric mixture.  Continue cooking and beating until the mixture reaches 160 degrees being careful not to scorch the eggs.  Remove from heat.
2. Immediately mix the butter into the hot egg mixture with the electric mixer until smooth.  As soon as the butter is melted and while the mixture is still hot, add the chocolate wavers.  Continue beating until it is completely mixed together and cooled to room temperature.
3. Whip the first measure of whipping cream in your stand-type mixer with the whip attachment until stiff peaks form.   Add the French vanilla flavor.
4. Change from the whip attachment to the paddle attachment.  Scrape the chocolate mixture into the bowl with the whipped cream.  Turn the mixer onto the slow speed setting and gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream.  Mix for less than a minute, until the chocolate is mixed into the whipped cream.  Scrape the filling into the prepared pie pan.  Set aside and let chill.
5. When you are about ready to serve, whip the second measure of whipping cream.  As the cream is whipping and after the peaks start to form, drizzle in the sugar and add the flavor.  Beat until stiff peaks form.  Spread the whipped cream over the pie filling.

For the white chocolate variation:

There shouldn’t be any difference in the performance of white and dark chocolate in these pies but as we have continued to experiment and make more of them, we have found that white chocolate does not consistently set up as firm as does the dark chocolate.  So we have started adding a 1/4-ounce packet of unflavored gelatin when we use white chocolate.  Add the sugar to the pan and stir the gelatin into the sugar before adding the eggs and beginning to cook.

With that exception, make the pie exactly as above substituting white chocolate wavers for the dark chocolate wafers and a Madagascar or Indonesian vanilla for the French vanilla.

You may wish to spread sliced strawberries or sliced peaches over the filling after it is set and then covering all or part of the pie with whipped cream.

Chicken and Dumpling Casserole

 I have added peas and carrots to it, mixed vegetables, etc., tonight I just served the veggies on the side. It's just a simple and satisfying recipe.

Chicken and Dumpling Casserole

2 lbs. of chicken 
1 C. all purpose flour
1 C. milk
2 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 10.5 oz. can cream of chicken soup
2 C. chicken broth (I used the water my chicken cooked in)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Place the chicken in a pot and cover with water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 1 hour. Remove chicken from pot, save the water, and let cool. Shred the chicken and place in the bottom of a 11x7 baking dish. Whisk together the flour, milk and butter, pour over the chicken. Whisk together the broth, soup, salt and pepper, pour over the casserole, DO NOT STIR. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Taco Meatloaf

Yield: 2 meatloaves

In this age where we are madly trying to strip fat from our diets we need to remember much of the flavor in ground meats is FROM the fat! I did not want a meatloaf swimming in fat and elected to taper the amount of fat in the ground beef (extra lean and lean) and let the sausage provide most of the fat along with the cheddar cheese on top. As I wrote it up I wondered about adding in some chorizo for the sausage too!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper, cored and chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 fresh jalapeno or Serrano peppers, cored and diced (remember to wear gloves!)
• 1-2 tablespoons chili powder (pick the amount of heat you want)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 28-ounce can peeled, crushed tomatoes , drained
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• ½ pound ground round or ground chuck
• ½ pound spicy Italian breakfast sausage
• 1 cup dried bread crumbs (if making gluten free use gluten free bread)*
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen and defrosted
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 3 scallions, sliced thinly

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large, heavy pan heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion, bell pepper, garlic, jalapenos or Serrano chiles, and seasonings until beginning to soften and onion becomes translucent (about 5-7 minutes).
3. Add tomatoes and cook at low temperature, covered, for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
4. In a large bowl combine the ground beef, sausage, vegetable mixture, bread crumbs, eggs, corn and green onion; mix until fully combined.
5. Divide evenly into 2 9x5 inch loaf pans. Bake for 50 minutes. Drain any juices, spread grated cheddar cheese evenly on the tops of the loaves and bake until melted. Allow to cool slightly before serving (10 minutes).

Notes

*you can always make your own Bread Crumbs by processing dried or stale bread in a food processor until forming crumbs. I do this often with the end of homemade gluten free bread loaves and store them in the freezer for use.

CHICKEN TACO SALAD WITH HOMEMADE CHIPOTLE SAUCE

CHICKEN TACO SALAD WITH HOMEMADE CHIPOTLE SAUCE

Taco salads are easy to make.  Use tortilla bakers to make low fat shells rather than fried shells.  If you don’t have bakers, you can simply load your salad onto tortilla chips.

This salad serves six as a side salad or two as a main dish salad.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked shredded chicken or chicken breast cut up into small cubes
3/4 cup homemade taco sauce
1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
6 small tortillas or two large tortillas
1 14-ounce can of cooked black beans, well drained
1/2 cup diced red onions
3 medium tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
12 pitted black olives
1 cup homemade salsa

1 cup sour creamChipotle Sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.

To assemble the salad

Bake the tortillas in tortilla bakers, the shape of bowls, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Let them cool.

Lay a bed of lettuce in the bottom of each tortilla bowl.  Starting with the chicken, layer chicken, beans, red onions, and tomatoes on the lettuce.  Top with a dollop of sour cream.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Slice the olives and scatter them on the salad.  Top with chipotle sauce.

Simple Tossed Spinach Salad with Lime Dressing

Ingredients

1/2 cup plain yogurt or mayonnaise
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup honey
1 dash salt
1/2 tablespoon prepared mustard

spinach leaves

Directions

1. Mix the dressing ingredients together. Whisk until smooth.
3. Arrange the spinach greens on a plate. Serve with dressing poured over the leaves, or on the side.

CITRUS SPINACH SALAD

Ah, a spinach salad with orange and grapefruit sections, sprinkled with nuts and coconut, and drizzled with a citrus vinaigrette-type dressing.

This salad can also be made with lettuce instead of spinach.

For the salad

spinach washed and patted dry
sections of oranges and/or grapefruit
chopped walnuts or pecans
shredded or flaked coconut

For the dressing

juice from 1/2 large lemon
1 teaspoon zest
juice from one orange
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
dash of allspice
2 tablespoons honey or sweetened to taste

For the dressing, whisk the ingredients together and chill.

MY FAMOUS CHICKEN POT PIES

This is old-fashioned comfort food, individual chicken pot pies.  Even your kids will like these little pies.

You can use your favorite recipe for the crust or purchase ready-made pie dough at the grocery store.

Ingredients

pie dough for a double-crust pie

1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup 1/4-inch diced carrots
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup diced celery
1 1/2 cups, 1/2-inch diced potatoes
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked chicken cubed
salt and pepper to taste

1 egg for a wash
1 tablespoon water

Directions

1. Sauté the onions and carrots in the butter.  When the onions are crisp tender, about one minute, add the celery, potatoes, water, and broth.  Cook for another five minutes.  Make a slurry with the flour and stir that in.  Let simmer for five minutes or until the gravy thickens.  The vegetables should be firm and nearly cooked.  Add the cooked chicken.  Salt and pepper to taste.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. While the filling is cooking, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick.  Cut out 12 circles six inches in diameter.  Place a circle of dough in each of six mini-pie pans.  Form the bottom crust.
4. Add the filling to each pan, top with a crust and seal the edges with a fork.  Cut three slits in the top of each to vent the steam. (Or if you choose, you can make a lattice crust.)
5. Whisk an egg with one tablespoon of water and brush the crusts to give them a golden sheen after baking.
6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the crusts are golden and flakey.

SOUTHWEST BEEF AND DUMPLINGS SOUP

This is a hearty and complete meal.  The soup is made with ground beef, tomatoes, corn, garlic, and chili powder.  The dumplings are made with corn meal.  Corn, beef, and chili—that’s a southwestern dish.

For the soup

1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups canned or frozen corn, drained
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 15-ounce cans of beef broth
1/2 tablespoon basil
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Crumble the ground beef and stir in the onion and garlic.  Brown over medium heat and then drain the fat.
2. Add the corn, tomatoes, and beef broth.  Add the spices: basil, chili powder, thyme, rosemary, and salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.

For the dumplings

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup corn meal
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1 large egg
2/3 cup milk
1 cup drained corn
1/2 cup grated cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, corn meal, baking powder, and salt together.
2. In another, bowl whisk the egg and milk together. Add the cheese, corn, and parsley to the egg mixture.
3. Make a well in the dry ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until moistened.
4. Drop the dough by tablespoons into simmering soup. Cover the soup with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes without lifting lid. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into a dumpling.  It will come out clean if done.

Rosie's BASE RECIPE FOR CREAM SOUP

You can use this recipe to make cream soup from most vegetables.  Consider this for asparagus, broccoli,  fresh pea soup, carrot soup, celery soup, and more.  Since tastes and veggies vary, be ready to tinker with amounts until you have it just right.  You can make hot or cold soup with this recipe.

1 sweet onion, diced (can also use granulated or powdered onion if you prefer)
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups vegetables of choice, diced
salt to taste
2/3 cup cream

1. Sauté the onion dices in the butter until they are tender and translucent but not browned.
2. Add the flour and stir and cook until a soft paste has formed but not browned.
3. While still cooking, pour in 1/2 cup of the broth while stirring with a whisk.  Gradually add the rest of the broth, stirring to make the mixture smooth and not lumpy as if you were making gravy.  Continue cooking until the mixture is bubbly and has thickened.
4. Add the vegetables and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are soft enough to mash easily.
5. Pour two to three cups of the liquid into your blender.  Puree the mixture until it is smooth.  Continue in batches until the entire soup is puréed.
6. Pour the soup through a strainer into a clean pan.  Press any pieces through the sieve with the back of a spoon.
7. Salt the soup to taste.  Add the cream.  If the soup needs further thinning, add water.  Reheat and serve.

DEVILED CRAB CANAPÉS

DEVILED CRAB CANAPÉS

Ingredients

2/3 cup cooked crab meat or canned crab meat
about 1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon finely minced onion
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons minced parsley
4 hardboiled egg yolks
salt and pepper

canape bread slices, toasted if you choose

For garnish: thin slices of red bell pepper, green olives, thin slices of cucumber, or parsley.

Directions

Mix the crab with the cream using just enough cream to moisten the crab.  Add the onion, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and parsley to the crab and mix.  Mash the egg yolks and add them.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Spread the mixture on canapé bread slices.  Top with the garnish of your choice.

SHRIMP WITH LEMON CHIVE BUTTER CANAPÉS

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced chives

canapé bread slices, toasted if you choose

cooked salad shrimp

For garnish: thin slices of red bell pepper, green olives, thin slices of cucumber, or parsley.

Directions

With your electric mixer, beat the butter, sour cream, lemon juice, and chives together.  Spread the mixture on canapé bread slices.  Top with shrimp and the garnish of your choice.

Easy Caramel Apple Dip

4.8 from 4 reviews

CARAMEL APPLE DIP

This dip is so simple to make, whips up in minutes and tastes absolutely incredible! The perfect fall treat or dessert appetizer!

INGREDIENTS

• 16 individually-wrapped caramels, unwrapped
• ¼ cup water
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt caramels with water, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.
3. Lastly, fold in caramel mixture into the cream cheese mixture.
4. Serve immediately with apple slices.

HOW TO MAKE PINK LEMONADE PIES AND THEIR COUSINS

I made seven pink lemonade pies this morning. Actually, they weren’t all pink lemonade—some were strawberry guava.

That’s a nice thing about this recipe—you can use whatever fruit juice concentrate you desire—cherry cranberry, peach mango, cranberry pear . . . In your grocer’s freezer case there is an amazing array of frozen fruit juice concentrates. They’re all game for this dessert.

We’ve been making pink lemonade pies and their cousins for years now. We’ve tweaked the recipe along the way but basically, it’s the same. We use a different pan now, a new silicone springform pan that’s easier to sue and makes for nicer, neater, better-looking slices.

Originally, we thought of this as a summer pie but it’s great year around. Try a cranberry apple in the fall, a cherry version at Valentines, and the green Leprechaun Pie version for Saint Patrick’s Day.

These pies are absolutely scrumptious. They are frozen, almost ice cream pies, and don’t require baking (unless you choose to bake the crust for eight to ten minutes) so they are perfect for summer. Since everyone loves them, they’re great for guests or a family occasion. They can be made ahead. Get the pan! Start making scrumptious desserts.

PINK LEMONADE PIE RECIPE

This recipe is made in three parts: a graham cracker crust, a lemonade (or other juice concentrate), and cream cheese filling, and a whipped cream topping.

For the Crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter

1. Mix the crumbs, sugar, and butter in a nine inch pie pan or spring form pan. Mix until the crumbs have absorbed the butter and the mixture is uniform.
2. Press the crumbs across the bottom of the pan and up the sides. We’ve found using a drinking glass to press the crumbs up the sides works well.
3. Bake for eight to ten minutes at 350 degrees. (If it’s a hot July day, you can choose not to bake the crust. A baked crust holds together better because the heat melts the sugar to help hold the crumbs together.)

For the Filling

1 8-ounce packet of cream cheese, softened
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup pink lemonade concentrate (not mixed with water)
2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
Red Food coloring or equal

1. Using the whip attachment and your stand-type mixer or with a handheld electric mixer, mix the cream cheese until softened. Pour in the sweetened condensed milk very slowly while mixing to avoid clumps, scraping the bowl as you go.
2. Slowly add the lemonade concentrate and lemon juice and continue beating. Color with red food coloring as desired.
3. Pour the mixture into the pie shell or springform pan and place it in the freezer while you mix the topping.

For the Topping

1/3 cup shredded coconut
red food coloring
1 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place the coconut in a small plastic zip top bag. Add a drop of food coloring and seal the bag, trapping air inside. Shake until the coconut turns pink.
2. Whip the cream until stiff, adding the sugar and vanilla in the process.
3. Wait until the pie filling is slightly stiff on top, and gently spoon the cream over the pie filling. Garnish with the pink coconut.
4. Freeze the pie until firm. Slice the pie with a warm, wet knife for smooth cuts.

ABOUT THE FOOD COLORING

Regardless of the juice concentrate you use, you’ll want to intensify the color with the addition of food color. We recommend Americolor Professional Food Color Gels. They’re bright, intense—nine times more concentrated than liquids—and easy to apply. They come in 40 colors. The pink pie in the picture was tinted with three drops of Red Red—a great strawberry color.

CHOOSE FROM 40 PROFESSIONAL COLORS FOR UNDER $2 EACH

HOW TO MAKE THE COUSINS

You make the cousins just as you do the original but substituting another juice. Taste your filling before adding the two tablespoons lemon juice but you will probably want to use them to balance the fruit flavor against the cream cheese.

LEPRECHAUN PIE

The mixture of lime and cream cheese in this pie is delightful, almost like a key lime pie. We serve this in our store every year around Saint Patrick’s Day.

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter

1. Mix the crumbs, sugar, and butter in a nine inch pie pan or spring form pan. Mix until the crumbs have absorbed the butter and the mixture is uniform.
2. Press the crumbs across the bottom of the pan and up the sides. We’ve found using a drinking glass to press the crumbs up the sides works well.
3. Bake for eight to ten minutes at 350 degrees. (If it’s a hot July day, you can choose not to bake the crust. A baked crust holds together better because the heat melts the sugar to help hold the crumbs together.)

For the Filling

1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup limeade concentrate (not mixed with water)
2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
green food coloring as desired

1. Using the whip attachment and your stand-type mixer or with a handheld electric mixer, mix the cream cheese until softened. Pour in the sweetened condensed milk very slowly while mixing to avoid clumps, scraping the bowl as you go.
2. Add the limeade concentrate and lemon juice and continue beating. Color with food coloring as desired.
3. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and place it in the freezer while you mix the topping.

For the Topping

1/3 cup shredded coconut
Leaf Green food coloring, or equal
1 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place the coconut in a small plastic zip top bag. Add a drop of food coloring and seal the bag, trapping air inside. Shake until the coconut turns green.
2. Whip the cream until stiff, adding the sugar and vanilla in the process.
3. Wait until the pie filling is slightly stiff on top, and gently spoon the cream over the pie filling.
4. Freeze the pie until firm.

 

N0-Bake Scrumptious Pie

This is an absolutely scrumptious dessert and very easy to make. Except for ten minutes in the oven with the crumb crust, it’s a no-bake pie.

This pie can be made in a deep dish pie pan or a nine-inch springform pan. With a fragile crumb crust, we prefer a springform pan and we used our Red Silicone  Glass Based Springform Pan…..(place your order now…message me)

Crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (one packet)
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1. Mix the crumbs, sugar, and butter in a nine-inch pie pan or springform pan. Mix until the crumbs have absorbed the butter and the mixture is uniform.
2. Press the crumbs across the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
3. Bake for ten minutes at 350 degrees.

Filling

1 8-ounce packet of cream cheese, softened
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup limeade concentrate (not mixed with water)
green food coloring as desired

1. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft. Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth, light, and fluffy.
2. Add the limeade concentrate and continue beating until smooth. Add the food coloring.
3. Poor into the pie shell and place in the freezer. Garnish with whipped cream. Serve when nearly frozen.