JULY: Patriotic Pies

1. Ten Minute No-bake Strawberry Cheese Pie (Good for Diabetics)
Ina G.

1 low-fat graham cracker crumb crust (store bought)
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
4 oz. light cream cheese
1/4 cup splenda granular
2 TBs. low-sugar strawberry jam. melted
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 1/2 cups strawberry slices, (8oz fresh berries)
2 TBs low-sugar strawberry jam

Place the cottage cheese in a food processor or blender and puree until entirely smooth. Pour into a medium bowl and beat in cream cheese, splenda, and jam with an electric mixer. Stir in sour cream and spoon mixture into crust. Arrange strawberry slices on top of pie in decorative manner to cover top of pie. Melt 2 tablespoons of jam (microwave 20-30 seconds on high) and strain by pouring it through mesh strainer. Brush strained jam over berries. Refrigerate for 1-20 hours before serving. 8 servings

2. Lemon Raspberry Pie
Kathryn C.

½ cup boiling water

1 cup cold water

½ 3 oz. package lemon gelatin

½ 3oz. package raspberry gelatin

8 oz. lite cream cheese, softened

½ 12 oz. can raspberry lemonade concentrate, thawed

8 oz. Cool Whip

1 ½ cups fresh raspberries

2 graham cracker pie crusts

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water until completely dissolved. Add Cold water. Whip cream cheese until fluffy. Add raspberry lemonade concentrate. Mix well. Add gelatin water. Mix well. Fold in 1 cup raspberries and the Cool Whip. Pour into crusts and chill for about 3 hours or until set. Garnish with remaining raspberries. Makes two pies, 16 servings.

3. Pretzel Sparklers
Janne T.

Ingredients:

• 8 squares (1 ounce each) white baking chocolate
• 1 package (10 ounces) pretzel rods
• Colored candy stars or sprinkles
• 
  

Directions:

Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; heat until melted. Dip each pretzel rod about halfway into chocolate; sprinkle with stars. Place on waxed paper to dry. Yield: about 2 dozen.

4. Information to Come

5. Berry Berry Cool Pie
Janne T.

Ingredients

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 1/2-2 cups fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc.)
• 1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
• 1 (6 ounce) keebler ready crust pie crusts

Directions

1. In large bowl mix together sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice until well combined.
2. Mix in berries.
3. Fold in whipped topping.
4. Spoon into pie crust.
5. Freeze for 5 hours or until set.
6. Let Stand 30 minutes before serving.
7. Garnish as desired and freeze leftovers

6. See #8 for recipe (frosting recipe found on back of powdered sugar bags)

7. More information to come

8. Easy Grandma's White Bread
Trish S.

4 cups water (warm)
1 cup sugar
4 TB Yeast
1 cup Oil
1 TB Salt
10 cups Flour (approx.)

Mix water, half of sugar, and yeast. Let sit abotu 3 minutes until yeast softens or floats. (My kids call it fireworks) Add the rest of the ingredients. Add 9 cups of flour at first and slowly add until it is not too sticky. If using a mixer, add flour until it pulls off the sides and does not stick. Knead for 6 minutes. Let raise for 15 minutes. Form loafs on GREASED surface. Let rise until 1/2 inch abover pans (it will continue to rise when baking) Bake @ 325 for 25-30 minutes. I also raise my oven rack one level from the middle. Makes 5 medium loaves or 4 large loaves.

*Also makes great rolls or cinnamon rolls, but only let it rise about 5 minutes before forming into rolls

9. George Washington's Cherry Tree Trifle
(I cannot tell a lie, this dessert has no fat in it!)
Emily B.

1 angel food cake, such as a 10 oz bar cake. This kind of cake is fat free.

1 or 2 small light cherry-flavored yogurts

Cherry sauce:
--1 quart of fresh eating cherries, pitted. You could probably use pie cherries too.
--1/8 cup of sugar, or equivalent Splenda sweetener (more to taste if using pie cherries instead of eating cherries)
--juice of 1/2 a small lime or lemon (omit if using pie cherries)

Almond "cream":
--3/4 of a 12 oz container of fat free/low sugar vanilla yogurt, such as Yoplait Light Fat Free Creamy Vanilla
--3/4 of an 8 oz container of light Cool Whip "Free," thawed
--2 or 3 drops of almond extract, or to taste

Red and blue fruit or other decorations to put on top, if desired.

Make the cherry sauce, by placing cherries, sugar, and lime or lemon juice in a covered microwave-safe dish. Microwave for 5 minutes. Chill.

Make the almond "cream" by combining the vanilla yogurt, thawed Cool Whip, and almond extract. Taste and add more almond extract if you like.

In an 8x8 pan, pour the cherry yogurt and spread it around. Divide the cake into about 10 pieces, 3/4 inch thick. Place one layer of 5 slices angel food cake on the cherry yogurt. Pour the cherry sauce over the cake.

Place one more layer of angel food cake on top. Cover with the almond "cream."

Chill until serving time, up to one day ahead. Decorate as desired. It might last longer than that, but we ate it up before I could find out!