Recipes for Yummy Cherry Desserts: Cherry and Cream Parfait, Cherry Fantasy, Cherry Cream Dessert

Cherries not only make pretty desserts they make tasty ones. Try these delicious desserts to please your family and friends. Cherry and Cream Parfaits are very easy to make and they are pretty enough to serve guests. And the little ones will love having their own individual dessert along with the adults. Cherry Fantasy is a delicious cherry dessert atop a brown sugar nut crust. Yummy! The Cherry Cream Dessert is a gelatin dessert with cream cheese and sour cream. It is a perfect summertime dessert!

CHERRY & CREAM PARFAITS

1 cup whipping cream
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
dash of salt
1 cup sour cream
1 can (21-oz) cherry pie filling

In a mixing bowl, whip the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, vanilla and salt continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in the sour cream. Take six cherries from the pie filling and set aside. Spoon half of the pie filling into the bottoms of six parfait glasses; top with half the whipped cream mixture. Repeat the layers. Add one of the reserved cherries to the top of each parfait. Add a mint sprig to each of the parfaits, if desired.

Note for Diabetics: This recipe can be made for diabetics by making the following substitutions: Splenda Granula instead of sugar and lite cherry pie filling made with Splenda instead of regular pie filling.

CHERRY FANTASY CRUST:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts

In a medium mixing bowl, blend the above ingredients by mixing the brown sugar and flour together. Add the butter and cut in as though making pastry dough. Add the chopped nuts and press the mixture onto the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Allow crust to cool. Crumble and spread evenly in the pan.

FILLING:

2 cups whipping cream
1 pkg (8-oz) cream cheese, softened
2 cans cherry pie filling
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla*

Whip the cream and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until well blended. Fold in the whipped cream and the cherry pie filling. Pour filling over the crust. Refrigerate overnight before cutting to serve.

*To change the flavor slightly, use 1/2 tsp vanilla flavoring and 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring.

CHERRY CREAM DESSERT

2 pkgs (3-oz) black cherry flavored gelatin*
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg (8-oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar*
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 can cherry pie filling*

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water and pour into a 9 x 13-inch dish or pan; refrigerate until slightly firm.

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla, sugar, and chopped pecans; stir in pineapple. Spread mixture over set gelatin. Chill. Top with pie filling before serving.

*You can easily turn this into a diabetic or low-sugar dessert by using sugar-free gelatin,Splenda granular instead of sugar, and no-sugar added Splenda sweetened pie filling!

Enjoy.

For more of Linda's dessert recipes visit her blog at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com/. For her diabetic dessert recipes visit her at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com/

How to Make Pies That Are Delicious Yet Quick and Easy! Oatmeal, Peanut Butter, Strawberry Parfait

Pies do not have to scare beginning or busy cooks off. Yes, it is possible to make pies quickly and easily. The recipes in this article are out to prove to you just how easy it can be to make a delicious pie. So head to the kitchen, whip up a pie in no time and surprise your family and friends with a delicious dessert. The Oatmeal Pie goes together quickly and only bakes 30 minutes. And you will be surprised just how delicious it is! The Peanut Butter & Cream Cheese Pie goes together quickly and needs to chill in the freezer for only 15 minutes before being ready to serve. Likewise, the Strawberry Ice Cream Parfait Pie is quick, easy, and oh so yummy.

OATMEAL PIE

Buy a ready made piecrust and this pie is so easy.

3 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 tsps melted butter
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats
2/3 cup flaked coconut
9-inch unbaked pie shell

Beat eggs until lemon colored. Gradually add both sugars, beating well. Blend in the milk, butter, salt, and vanilla. Stir in the oats and coconut. Pour mixture into the pie shell. Bake until set around the edges, approximately 30 minutes. The center will be soft. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.

PEANUT BUTTER & CREAM CHEESE PIE

1 pkg (8-oz) cream cheese, cut-up
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 carton (4-oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 chocolate crumb pie shell
coarsely chopped peanuts, optional
chocolate shavings for garnish, optional

In a large mixer bowl, combine cream cheese and peanut butter; beat with an electric mixer till combined. Add the powdered sugar and milk to the cream cheese mixture; beat until combined. Fold in the whipped topping. Spoon the filling into the pie shell. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts and/or shaved chocolate, if desired. Cover and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes before serving.

STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM PARFAIT PIE
1 baked pastry crust or graham cracker crust
1 pkg (4-serving size) strawberry gelatin
1 1/4 cup boiling water
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1 cup strawberries, halved or sliced
Whipped cream for garnish
Whole strawberries for garnish, if desired.

Mix the gelatin and boiling water. Spoon in the ice cream, stirring until melted. Place in the refrigerator until thickened but not set (15 to 20 minutes). Remove from the refrigerator and stir in the strawberries. Pour mixture into the pastry shell or graham cracker crust. Before serving pipe a decorative border of whipped cream around the outer edge of the pie. Top whipped cream with whole strawberries, if desired.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's dessert recipes visit her blog at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com/.

For her diabetic dessert recipes visit her at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com/.