FROZEN CHOCOLATE CHERRY PIE

Everyone will love this fresh, creamy twist on a dessert classic.

4 cups chocolate low-fat frozen yogurt, softened
1 1/2 cups red maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
1 (6oz.) chocolate cookie pie crust
1/2 cup frozen reduced-calorie Cool Whip
2 tablespoons grated bittersweet chocolate
8 red maraschino cherries with stems

Combine frozen yogurt and cherries in a large bowl; fold gently to combine. Spoon yogurt mixture into pie crust. Cover and freeze 8 hours or until firm.
Cut into 8 wedges and top each wedge with 1 tablespoon Cool Whip. Garnish with grated chocolate and cherries with stems. Serve immediately.
Serves 8

STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SALAD

My mother's sister, Nan Vance Hamwey, made this shimmering strawberry salad every Christmas for us and I always felt like I could eat the whole thing. The contrast between the pretzel crust, the cream cheese/Cool Whip layer, and the strawberry/jello layer, topped off with sour cream and pecans none the less, makes it very special at any time on your own table.

1 cup crushed mini pretzels
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 stick butter, melted
cooking spray
1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (8oz.) Cool Whip, thawed
1 (6oz.) pkg. strawberry jello
2 cups boiling water
2 (10oz.) pkgs. frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
1 (16oz.) sour cream
1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted

Combine crushed pretzels, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into a 9X13 pan that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. (Mixture will be crumbly.) Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes then allow to cool completely.

Beat cream cheese, 5 tablespoons of sugar and vanilla at low speed of an electric mixer until sugar dissolves. Fold in Cool Whip; spread over pretzel layer.

Stir together jello and 2 cups boiling water until dissolved; add strawberries. Chill 1 hour or until just partially set. Spread over cream cheese layer, cover and chill for 8 hours or overnight.

Stir together sour cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar; spread over top of strawberry layer; sprinkle with the pecans. Store in refrigerator.
Serves 12 to 15

"Once in a young lifetime one should be allowed to have as much sweetness as one can possibly want and hold."~Judith Olney

FABULOUS FLAN

A new take on an old dish. Rich and sultry!

4 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup dark brown sugar

Beat eggs in mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add condensed milk, water and vanilla. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar into each of 6 custard cups. Pour the egg mixture carefully over the brown sugar. Arrange cups in a pan of water. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Unmold onto serving plates. Garnish each with a fresh strawberry.

"Flan is a very sweet, caramelly delicious dessert. Try it next time, unless you are diabetic."~Borrego

EASY COFFEE MOUSSE

Our world loves coffee. People find drinking a cup of coffee to be a private ritual, a peaceful little space of time that gives their day structure and significance. Even more, coffee is a social ceremony, something we do while we talk with friends. It provides us with moments of relaxation in the midst of our workday. With caffeine or without, coffee is more than a simple beverage. The very aroma of fresh ground coffee beans caries with it a whole bundle of feel-good sensations: warmth, comfort, friendship, relaxation, hospitality, intimacy.~ From 'Coffee Talk' by Ellyn Sanna

1 cup strong coffee
48 large marshmallows
1 pint heavy whipping cream, whipped
extra whipped cream and toasted slivered almonds or grated dark chocolate for garnish

In saucepan, simmer coffee and marshmallows, stirring constantly, until marshmallows melt. Watch it closely because this will not take long. Cool thoroughly and stir. Fold in whipped cream with a spatula. Pour into 5-cup ring mold or other suitable container. Chill. Unmold, fill center with additional whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted almonds or grated chocolate.
Serves: 8

MAMA'S RED VELVET CAKE

My good friend Summer Dawna requested this recipe and I am happy to share it with her and all of you...it is fabulous!

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 large pkg. vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 (2oz.) bottles red food coloring
2 tsp. cocoa
1 stick butter, softened and halved
1 (8oz.) pkg. cream cheese. softened
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Add cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, milk, food coloring and cocoa to 1/2 stick of the butter in bowl. mixing well. Pour into 3 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, remove and cool completely.
Combine remaining 1/2 stick butter and cream cheese in bowl, mixing well. Add confectioner's sugar and vanilla, mixing well. Spread between layers and over top of cake.

"Sin and red velvet go well together (remember Scarlett O’Hara’s scandalous party dress?) Like sin, Red Velvet cake is shocking at first, then intriguing, then irresistible. When you succumb to the temptation of it, it’s easy to you lose yourself in its delicious sweetness, mindless of the consequences. And when you wake from your frosting-coated fugue to find your platter empty and yourself filled with remorse (and cake), you swear oaths of abstinence, restraint, and moderation — until the next irresistible temptation comes along."-from 'Hugging the Coast.com'

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