Patriotic Cookie Pizza

from the kitchen of Linda

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 cups fresh raspberries
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup apple jelly, melted

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray. Cut cookie dough into 1/4-inch slices; place in pan. With floured fingers, press evenly over bottom to form crust.

2. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool completely, about 25 minutes.

3. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and lemon peel until fluffy. Spread over baked crust. Arrange raspberries in large star shape in center. Arrange blueberries around raspberries. Drizzle or brush with melted jelly. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Store in refrigerator.

Layered Fruit Flag Salad

from the kitchen of Linda

Ingredients:

2 cans (8 oz each ) pineapple tidbits in juice
2 medium bananas, sliced
3 pints (6 cups) fresh strawberries
3 containers (6 oz each) Yoplait® Original 99% Fat Free lemon burst yogurt
2 cans (8 oz each ) pineapple tidbits in juice
2 medium bananas, sliced
3 pints (6 cups) fresh strawberries
3 containers (6 oz each) Yoplait® Original 99% Fat Free lemon burst yogurt
2 cans (8 oz each ) pineapple tidbits in juice
2 cans (8oz each) pineapple Tidbits
2 medium bananas, sliced
2 pints (6 cups) fresh strawberries
3 containers (6 oz each) Yoplait Orginal 99% fat free lemon burst yougurt
1 1/2 cups frozen (thawed) whipped topping
4 cups cubed (1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes) cantalope, well drained
1 1/2 pints (3 cups) fresh blueberries
2 cups miniture marshmallows

Directions:

Drain pineapple, reserving juice in small bowl. Pat pineapple dry with paper towels to remove any excess liquid. Toss banana slices in pineapple liquid; drain well, discarding liquid. Reserve 18 to 20 strawberries for flag stripes; cut remaining strawberries into quarters.
In medium bowl, mix yogurt, whipped topping and powdered sugar until well blended and smooth.
In ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, layer cantaloupe and quartered strawberries. Reserve 50 blueberries for flag stars. Layer remaining blueberries over strawberries. Top with bananas, pineapple and marshmallows. With pancake turner, press fruit lightly to even out top. Spread yogurt mixture evenly over fruit. If desired, at this point, salad can be covered and refrigerated up to 4 hours.
If serving salad immediately, add topping; if salad is refrigerated, add topping up to 1 hour before serving. Sprinkle reserved blueberries in corner to resemble stars of flag. Cut reserved strawberries into quarters. Arrange strawberries in rows to resemble stripes of flag.

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Fudge Cheesecake

from the kitchen of Linda

1 1/2 c vanilla wafer crumbs (about 45 wafers, crushed)
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 c Cocoa
1/3 c butter, melted
3 pkgs (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3/4 c sugar
3 eggs
1/3 c dairy sour cream
3 T flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 c dark chocolate chips or semi sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 c peanut butter chips, melted
fudge topping (opt)
sweetened whipped cream (opt)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine vanilla wafer crumbs, powdered sugar, cocoa and melted butter in medium bowl.  Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 9 inch springform pan.  Bake 8 minutes, cool.
Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth.  Add eggs, sour cream, flour, vanilla and salt, beat until well blended.
Place half of the batter in seperate bowl.  Stir melted chocolate into one bowl of cream cheese mixture and melted peanut butter chips into the other.  Spread chocolate mixture in prepared crust.  Gently spread peanut butter mixture over chocolate mixture.  Do not stir.
Bake 50=55 minutes or until center is almost set.  (For less cracking of cheesecake surface, bake in water bath.)  Remove from oven to wire rack.  With knife, loosen cake from side of pan.  Cool completely; remove side of pan.  Cover; refrigerate.  To serve, drizzle each slice with fudge topping and top with whipped cream, if desired.  Cover; refrigerate leftover cheesecake.

Rich Heath Bits Cheesecake

From the kitchen of Linda

Crust:

1 ¾ c vanilla wafer crumbs (about 55 wafers, crushed)
2 T sugar
¼ c melted butter

Combine wafers and sugar; stir in melted butter. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 9 inch springform pan. Refrigerate about 30 minutes.

3 pkgs (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 c sugar
3 eggs
1 container (8 oz) dairy sour cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 c (8 oz pkg) Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits, divided

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl on medium speed of mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat on low speed until blended.

Pour half of cheese mixture into crust. Reserve ¼ c toffee bits for topping; sprinkle remaining toffee bits over cheese mixture in pan. Spoon in remaining cheese mixture.

Bake 1 hour or until filling is set. Cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle reserved toffee bits over top; with knife, loosen cake from side of pan. Cover, refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Cover; refrigerate leftover cheesecake.

Brownies from Heaven

from the kitchen of Linda

1 c butter, softened
2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1/2 c baking cocoa
1 c chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.  Combine flour and cocoa; add to creamed mixture just until combined.  Stir in walnuts.  Spread into an ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan.  Bake at 350 for 23-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean,  Cool on a wire rack.

Frosting:
1/2 c butter, softened
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/3 c baking cocoa
1/4 c milk
1 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl, beat butter until fluffy.  Beat in powdered sugar, cocoa, milk and vanilla until smooth.  Spread over brownies.  Cut into bars.