Fruity Yogurt Drink

Original Recipe from Kraft Food and Family.


2 cups vanilla low fat yogurt
2 cups frozen strawberries
5 cups cold water, divided
1 pkt (makes 2 quarts) lemonade flavor drink mix (like Crystal Light)

In blender, combine yogurt, strawberries, 1 cup cold water, and drink mix.  Blend on medium speed until smooth.

Pour into a large pitcher and add additional 4 cups cold water.  Stir to combine.  Serve over ice if desired.  Makes 8, 1 cup servings.


Tips and Hints:
*Even my pickiest kid loved this refreshing combination of strawberry lemonade and a smoothie.
*Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and stir well before serving.

Lemon Sugar Cookies

Originally from Cooking Pleasures Magazine

I made these for the first time this year and they are AWESOME.  Soft in the middle, a little crispy on the edge, and just the right combination of tart and sweet.

Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp grated lemon peel
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder

Glaze 
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 1/4 tsp grated lemon peel

Heat oven to 375.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, and brown sugar.  Whisk in eggs, vanilla, and 1 Tbsp lemon peel until well-blended.  Mix in flour and baking powder.  Stir until blended.  Dough will be soft and looks almost like cake batter rather than cookie dough.

Use 1/4 cup measure to scoop dough.  Place on baking sheets, leaving 3 inches between cookies.  Flatten gently into 3 inch rounds.

Bake 10-12 minutes until just golden brown around edges.  Cookies should still be pale in center and slightly soft.  Remove from oven and slide parchment paper onto wire racks.  Cool 5-10 minutes and remove from paper.  Cool completely on racks.

Combine all ingredients for glaze and stir until combined.  Brush glaze over cooled cookies.


Tips and Hints:
*I really thought I had done something wrong when I made these the first time.  The dough is very soft and moist and doesn't look like your usual cookie dough.  It does spread a little when you scoop it onto the pans-- just gently spread it with the back of your measuring cup.
*I never remember to buy fresh lemons to have grated lemon peel.  To give a little extra boost of lemon flavor, add about 1/2 tsp lemon extract to the cookies and 1/2-1 tsp lemon extract to the glaze.
*Definitely line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Because the dough is so soft, it sticks like mad.  But peels right off the parchment paper with no problems!

Lemon-Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Originally from Cooking Pleasures Magazine

Crust

1 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

3/4 cup butter, chilled, cut up

Filling

2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp flour

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp grated lemon peel

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs, room temperature

Topping

1 pint strawberries, sliced

3 Tbsp strawberry jelly, melted

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Line 13x9 inch baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil.  Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Place 1 1/2 cups flour, powdered sugar, and 1 1/2 tsp lemon peel in medium bowl; mix until combined.  Add butter and use pastry blender to combine until mixture is crumbly.  Press into bottom of pan.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until edges just begin to brown.

Meanwhile, place cream cheese, 2 Tbsp flour, condensed milk, lemon juice, 2 tsp lemon peel and vanilla in large bowl.  Mix until smooth.  Scrape sides of bowl and add eggs.  Mix until just blended.  Pour filling into crust.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until filling is set and edges are slightly puffed.  Center will look less done but will firm during cooling.  Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour.  Refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Arrange overlapping rows of sliced strawberries over top; lightly brush with melted jelly.  Cut into bars.  Serve cold.

Thoughts and Tips:

You can mix both the crust and the filling using a food processor if preferred. 

These were delicious, but really not very lemony.  I would add extra lemon juice to the filling (probably 1/4 cup) and definitely make sure that you use fresh lemon peel.  Otherwise, they end up being no different from any other cheesecake with strawberries.

Lemon Mousse Squares

48 vanilla wafer cookies, divided

3/4 cup boiling water

1 pkg (3 oz) lemon flavor gelatin

1 cup ice cubes

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp lemon zest

1 tub (8 oz) whipped topping, thawed, divided

Cover bottom of 8” square pan with 16 wafer cookies; line sides of pan with an additional 16 cookies.  In a small bowl, add boiling water to gelatin mix; stir 2 minutes until completely dissolved.  Stir in ice until melted.

Beat next 3 ingredients in large bowl with mixer until blended.  Gradually beat in gelatin.  Whisk in 2 cups of whipped topping.

Pour half the gelatin mixture into prepared pan; cover with last 16 cookies.  Top with remaining gelatin mixture. 

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.  Top with remaining whipped topping.

Thoughts and Tips:

If desired, warm 1/3 cup raspberry or strawberry preserves in microwave until melted (15-25 seconds in microwave).  Brush  over first layer of gelatin mixture before adding cookies.

If desired, garnish with fresh fruit before serving.

This has rapidly become one of my husband's favorite desserts.  I am generally not a fan of anything involving gelatin, but like the combination of cream cheese with it in this dessert.

Luscious Tropical Dream Cake

Originally from Kraft Food and Family Magazine

1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, drained (reserve juice)

1 pkg (2 layer size) yellow cake mix

1 pkg (3.4 oz) lemon flavor instant pudding

1 1/2 cups cold milk

2 cups thawed whipped topping

1/2 cup coconut, toasted

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare cake batter as directed on package, substituting 1 cup reserved pineapple juice for 1 cup of the water.  Pour into greased 15x10x1 inch pan.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely.

Beat pudding mix and milk with whisk 2 minutes.  Stir in pineapple.  Spread over cake; cover with whipped topping.  Top with coconut and nuts.  Keep refrigerated.

Thoughts and Tips

If you don't like lemon, you can make this with vanilla pudding instead. 

You may not be able to get a full cup of pineapple juice from the crushed pineapple.  If not, just add water to make a cup.

The cake comes out fairly thin, but it is a good proportion to the topping.

It is hard to spread the whipped topping over the pudding without mixing the pudding into it.  Don't worry if it looks a little funny--once you sprinkle the coconut and nuts you can't tell.

This cake is delicious!  The combination of flavors is excellent and it is not too rich.  It's like a little taste of the tropics.

Lemonade Stand Pie

(Originally from Kraft Food and Family Magazine)

1/3 cup lemonade flavor drink mix

1/2 cup cold water

2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened

1 tub (8 oz) whipped topping, thawed

1 graham pie crust (6 oz)

Place drink mix in a large bowl.  Add water; stir until mix is dissolved.  Add ice cream.  Beat with electric mixer on low speed until well blended.  Gently stir in whipped topping.  If mixture is too runny, freeze for about 10 minutes until thick enough to mound.

Spoon into crust.  Freeze at least 4 hours or overnight, until firm.

Allow pie to stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes prior to serving, until it can be easily cut.  Store leftovers in freezer.

8 servings

Thoughts and tips:

Make sure you use a presweetened lemonade powder (I used Countrytime) or this will be REALLY tart!

To soften the ice cream, place the carton in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before you are ready to add it to the other ingredients. 

An electric mixer is definitely helpful for this recipe to make sure everything is combined.

We all really really liked this-- the lemon was refreshing and not too overpowering.