I'm Back with Strawberry Shortcake Cake

I swear I haven't fallen off the face of the planet I just took a break.  For awhile I wasn't feeling very good but now I'm feeling so much better.  Once they figured out some of my health issues I felt like a brand new girl!  Which is a good thing.

I wanted to share some of the amazing, wonderful things going on in my life.  First off I went to Anaheim, California for a library conference.  It was such an amazing experience.  My friend Jessica and her mom Joy got to meet me there.  We had a great time getting to go to Disney Land and California Adventure.  At my conference I got to meet so many wonderful authors like Jodi Picoult and her daughter Samantha Van Leer.  Chris Colfer from Glee was there.  I love him.  I just got so inspired by all the programs I went to and the other librarians I talked to.

Jessica and I with the Goofy Statue at Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel

Me with Stich (He was very mischievous)

I also became a new mommy to Sadie Deville.  I forgot what it is like to have a kitten.  She is so loving and playful.  My hands and arms are all scratched up but its worth it.  My other babies are slowly starting to like her.  Her and Sage are bonding.  I found them today in the laundry basket together.  Of course they were on top of my clean clothes, but that's what I get for leaving them out.

Sadie says Hi

Today I got a promotion at work.  I am now the Hobart Township Manager.  I am really going to miss working with Carol on a day to day basis but life changes and you have to change with it.  She is off to Central and they are lucky to get her.  I am very happy to stay at Hobart.

A Vision in Red

On to the food.  This Strawberry Shortcake Cake is so good.  It would be great to take to a summer party, just don't leave it outside.  It does better keeping it in a cooler environment.  Everyone who eats this will be really impressed and will think you slaved away over it in reality it's super simple.



Strawberry Shortcake Cake
as found on The Country Cook

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1 box white cake mix prepared according to the directions on the box in a 9x13 pan, cooled
1 (8 oz.) package reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip
1 (13.5 oz.) container strawberry glaze
3 cups fresh strawberries cut into bite size pieces

In a mixing bowl mix together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.  Mix in Cool Whip.  Spread over the cooled cake.  In another bowl mix together the strawberries and glaze.  Spread it over the Cool Whip mixture.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Twinkie Dessert

I'm always looking for easy dessert ideas and who doesn't like a Twinkie every now and then. I saw this on The Country Cook and knew I wanted to try it. I had my opportunity to make this for a party a week ago and it turned out yummy. I think next time it could used more Twinkies. I think the pudding and fruit over powers the Twinkie. Maybe Twinkie, fruit, Twinkie, pudding, and then Cool Whip. Doesn't it look pretty with the cherries and nuts on top.




Twinkie Dessert
from The Country Cook

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1 box Twinkies
4 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 box (3 oz) Instant Vanilla pudding
2 cups cold milk
1 tub Cool Whip
Maraschino cherries and chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Slice about 7 Twinkies in half. Place cream side up in a 9X13 pan. Layer sliced bananas on top of Twinkies. Spread the crushed pineapples on top of the bananas. In a bowl mix together the pudding with the milk. Let sit for 3-5 minutes. You want to thicken but still be pourable. Pour over pineapple. Now this would be where I would put more Twinkies, then do the pudding. Spread Cool Whip over pudding. On a paper towel drain several maraschino cherries. Place them in intervals over dessert and sprinkle with nuts. Cover and let sit in fridge for an hour before serving.

New York Style Cheesecake Mousse

The library recognition dinner was this past Friday and whoever wanted to bring a dessert could. Of course I jumped at the chance to make dessert. After talking it over with my co-workers they thought I should make cheesecake. But I wanted to try something new and when I saw this recipe in the January 2012 Taste of Home magazine I knew I needed to try it. I'm sure the library people are glad they are my guinea pigs. These babies turned out fantastic. I wanted to find clear plastic shot glasses to serve it in but I couldn't find any. I thought it would be really pretty but since I couldn't find what I wanted I used cupcake liners. I quadrupled the recipe since I was taking it to a rather large party. But I shouldn't have quadrupled the crust part because I have a ton of that left. I should have been able to make 48 but I was only able to make 38. The recipe below is for 12 servings.


New York Style Cheesecake Mousse
from the January 2012 Taste of Home magazine

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1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
4 tsp. sugar
2 T butter, melted
Sliced fresh or thawed frozen strawberries, optional

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, vanilla, and lemon peel until fluffy. Fold in the whipped cream. Divide among 12 dessert dishes or cupcake liners. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Meanwhile, combine cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a bowl until combined. Press to a 1/4 in. thickness on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely. To make these look pretty I put the mousse in a pastry bag with a star tip and piped it into the cupcake liners. Then I sprinkled them with the graham cracker crust and placed half a sliced strawberry on top.

Strawberries and Cream Trifles

Isn't that pretty? It was so yummy and guilt free. I found this delectable treat on Dashing Dish. She really has some great healthy recipes. I made this for work today and instead of making it in a trifle bowl I decided to do individual servings. I don't have a trifle bowl but one day I would like to get one. I thought the individual servings were cute and made knowing how many points I was eating a snap. I made 15 small cups but I think I could have easily been able to make 20-24. I made angel food cake from a box and used my mini bundt cake pan. That made 24 mini angel food cakes. I did evenly distribute the cake between the 15 cups but I'm sure I could have used one cake per cup. I had left over pudding and whipped cream so I think I could have gotten 24 cups.

I think I will be making these quite often.


Strawberries and Cream Trifles
from Dashing Dish

15 servings, 3 WW points per serving
24 servings, 2 WW points per serving

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1 package sugar free fat free vanilla pudding
2 cups skim milk
1 Angel food cake, cut into 1" cubes or (1 box of Angel Food cake mix)
1 (16 oz) package fresh or frozen strawberries, sliced lengthwise
1 (16 oz) container light or fat free cool whip

Prepare pudding with milk according to package directions. To the pudding mixture, add half of the cool whip. (Set the rest of the cool whip aside to garnish on top of each trifle). Make layers in clear glass cups (or in a trifle dish/big glass bowl if you prefer) starting with the angel food cake, pudding/cool whip mix, and strawberries. Repeat until the cups (or trifle dish/bowl) are full. Garnish with the left over whipped topping, a few strawberries. Cover and chill in the fridge at least 4 hours before serving.

Strawberry Whipped Cream Cupcakes

A co-worker of mine said that these were a little slice of heaven. Score. You can't beat a compliment like that. A month or so ago when I made those Strawberries and Cream Mini Pies I had some filling left over. I used that left over filling to stuff some chocolate cupcakes and topped them with a cool whip cream cheese mixture. They were fabulous. I knew I wanted to try the filling in yellow cupcakes with whipped cream icing.

These were fabulous too. Like a strawberry shortcake.


Strawberry Whipped Cream Cupcakes
a Lacey creation

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24 yellow cupcakes, (I used a yellow cake boxed mix)
1 cup mashed strawberries
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
16 oz heavy cream
2 cups powder sugar

In a small saucepan combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add the strawberries and water. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Cook for three minutes or until it thickens. I didn't time it but it didn't take long for the mixture to thicken. Remove from heat and let cool.

While that's cooling make the whipped cream. I used my kitchen aide to make my icings. I placed my mixing bowl in the fridge to get cold. Pour the heavy cream into the bowl and use the paddle attachment to beat the cream. Set on medium and let it beat for 5 minutes. Add in the powder sugar and let beat until it starts to thicken. If it doesn't add more powder sugar a little at a time.