logo

The Global Domain Name (url) Families.com is currently available for acquisition. Please contact by phone at 805-627-1955 or Email for Details

Fruitastic Desserts

Whenever I feel particularly overwhelmed by life’s curveballs I console myself by remembering that I am the mother of a young child who would happily choose fresh fruit over chocolate any day. (Hey, whatever helps you get through the day, right?) As a result, I tend to seek out dessert recipes, which feature fruit as a natural sweetener, versus ones that are dripping with chocolate, caramel or other artificial flavors.

The following sweet treats are among my daughter’s favorites:

EASY BANANA PUDDING

Ingredients:

1 bag Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies

5 to 6 ripe bananas, sliced

2 cups milk

1 (5-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12-ounce) container Cool Whip

Directions:

Line the bottom of a 9 by 13 by 2-inch dish with cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well.

In another bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, blend the cream cheese and condensed milk together until smooth. Fold half the Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended.

Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and top with remaining Cool Whip.

Decorate the top with the extra crushed cookies.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

HOMEMADE CHERRY GRANOLA BARS

Ingredients:

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup butter, softened

3 egg whites

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring

3 cups low fat granola

1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup dried cherries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together honey, butter, egg whites, cinnamon, and almond flavoring. Stir in granola, almonds and cherries.

Spoon granola mixture into 9-inch, well-greased square pan. Using a piece of wax paper, firmly press granola mixture in pan.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Remove pan from oven and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Related Articles:

Rainbow Fruit Tart

Peach Cream Tart

Amazing Apple Crisp Recipes

This entry was posted in Desserts and tagged , , , by Michele Cheplic. Bookmark the permalink.

About Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. She spent the next ten years as a television anchor and reporter at various stations throughout the country (from the CBS affiliate in Honolulu to the NBC affiliate in Green Bay). She has won numerous honors including an Emmy Award and multiple Edward R. Murrow awards honoring outstanding achievements in broadcast journalism. In addition, she has received awards from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association for her reports on air travel and the Wisconsin Education Association Council for her stories on education. Michele has since left television to concentrate on being a mom and freelance writer.