West Newsmagazine 4-5-17

42 I
April 5, 2017
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
@WESTNEWSMAG
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM
Sweet spring desserts
When the scent of fresh blooms begins
to fill the air, it’s a sure sign that spring
has sprung. It’s the perfect time of year to
gather loved ones for a leisurely meal, then
linger over dessert as you enjoy this season
of refreshment.
No dessert menu is complete without an
array of treats, and these creamy, homemade
Blueberry Key Lime Cheesecake
Bars are the perfect way to put a sweet
finishing touch on your celebrations. Or
go for a crowd pleaser with this Cherry
Cheesecake Lush Dessert and its smooth,
velvety texture and plump, juicy cherries.
The secret ingredient in each of these
desserts is GMO-free Lucky Leaf Fruit
Fillings, which contain no high-fructose
corn syrup.
Blueberry Key Lime Cheesecake Bars
Recipe courtesy of Inside BruCrew Life blog
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Servings: 24
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
30 vanilla cream-filled cookies
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 packages [8 ounces each] cream
cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup key lime juice
1 tablespoon key lime zest
1/4 cup flour
3 eggs
green gel food coloring [optional]
1 can [21 ounces] Lucky Leaf Blueberry
Pie Filling, divided
1 container [8 ounces] whipped topping,
thawed
key lime slices [optional]
Directions
1. Place baking sheet on bottom rack of
oven. Fill halfway with water. Heat oven to
325º F. Line 9-by-13-inch pan with foil and
spray with nonstick spray.
2. Using food processor, pulse cookies
until crumbly. Stir together crumbs and
butter. Press evenly into bottom of prepared
pan.
3. Beat cream cheese until creamy. Add
sugar and sour cream, and beat again until
smooth. Add key lime juice, zest and flour,
and beat until mixed thoroughly. Add eggs,
one at a time, and beat gently after each.
Add green food coloring to cheesecake
mixture, if desired.
4. Spread cheesecake batter evenly over
crust in pan. Add 1 cup of blueberry pie
filling over top of cheesecake. Use butter
knife to gently swirl pie filling into cheesecake.
Do not let knife go through to crust.
5. Place pan on oven rack above tray of
water. Bake 45-48 minutes. Remove immediately
and place on wire rack for 1 hour
then place in refrigerator until completely
chilled.
6. Cut into 24 squares and serve with
whipped topping, remaining pie filling and
key lime wedges.
• • •
Cherry Cheesecake Lush Dessert
Recipe courtesy of Lemon Tree Dwelling blog
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients
1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup butter, melted
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
16 ounces whipped topping, divided
2 small boxes [3.4 ounces] cheesecakeflavored
pudding
3 cups milk
1 can [21 ounces] Lucky Leaf Cherry
Pie Filling
1/2 cup chopped pecans
4. In separate mixing bowl, combine
cream cheese, powdered sugar
and 1-1/2 cups whipped topping.
Mix until smooth; spread evenly
over cooled crust.
5. Combine cheesecake pudding
mix, milk and 1-1/2 cups whipped
topping, and mix until smooth.
Spread evenly over cream cheese
layer in pan.
6. Top with pie filling, remaining
whipped topping and chopped
pecans.
• • •
And for the younger set ...
Baby Chick Cupcakes
Prep time: 30 minutes
Servings: 24
Ingredients
1 package [12 ounces] white chocolate
bark or coating wafers
1 cup [2 sticks] butter, softened
2 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla
Extract
1 box [16 ounces] confectioners’ sugar
1 jar [7 ounces] marshmallow creme
1 teaspoon Sunflower food color
from McCormick Color from Nature Food
Colors
3 tablespoons milk
48 unfrosted mini yellow cupcakes
sprinkles or Nature Food Colors
Directions
1. Make broken egg shell pieces by melting
the white chocolate as directed on
package. Spread on large foil-lined baking
sheet to 1/4-inch thickness. Refrigerate
about 10 minutes, or until firm. Break into
small, irregular pieces. Set aside.
2. Bake mini cupcakes, using your favorite
box mix
3. While the cupcakes bake and cool,
make the marshmallow crème frosting. In
large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer
on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in
confectioners’ sugar, beating until well
blended after each addition, frequently
scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Beat in
marshmallow creme until well blended. In
small bowl, stir food color into milk until
dissolved. Add colored milk to frosting;
beat until light and fluffy. Stir in additional
milk, as needed, to reach desired consistency.
4. Decorate cupcakes by spooning frosting
into large pastry bag fitted with large
round tip. Pipe two dollops of frosting on
top of each other on each cupcake to form
a baby chick. Use sprinkles to create eyes
and a beak, or tint remaining frosting with
food colors to pipe on eyes and a beak.
Place coating wafer pieces around
bottom of baby chick to resemble broken
egg shell.
– Family Features
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350º F.
2. In medium mixing bowl, combine
vanilla wafer crumbs, finely chopped
pecans and butter.
3. Press into 9-by-13-inch baking pan;
bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and
cool.