Creamy Strawberry-Lemon Squares

I found this recipe in a magazine 5 years ago or so. It's become our traditional Easter dessert. I love the three layers with the pastel colors and the fresh, light, fruity flavors. Perfect for Spring! It uses the Strawberry Cool Whip (seasonal flavor) for the top layer. If you can't find any then just put a drop of red food coloring in regular Cool Whip to make the pink layer. (Just wouldn't be the same without it!) The recipe is for a 9x13 size pan but I often half it and make it in a square pan. This year I went even further and cheated on the crust. I just used a store bought graham cracker pie crust. The half recipe fit perfect! I might have to remember that little shortcut!

Creamy Strawberry-Lemon Squares

1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers (about 21 squares)
1/2 cup sugar, divided
6 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened (very important!)
3 cups cold milk, divided
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Strawberry Whipped Topping (seasonal flavor), thawed

MIX graham crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and butter until well blended. Press firmly onto bottom of 9x13 inch baking pan to form crust. Set aside. (I put mine in the freezer for 10 minutes and it makes it a little easier to spread the cream cheese layer on top.)

BEAT cream cheese, remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of milk in a medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Spread over crust.

POUR remaining 2 3/4 cups milk into large bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Pour over cream cheese layer in pan. Let stand 5 minutes or until thickened. Cover with whipped topping. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Cut into 24 squares to serve. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator.

The best pizza ever !

This pizza is the one I like the most! I discovered it several weeks ago and I make it twice a month! We really do like it! It's easy to do (just plan for 1/2 h to let the leeks cool) and so easy to eat! AND, it is not too calorie!! Hope the translation will be "understandable"...

Leek and ham pizza

4 leeks (white)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp miwed herbs (oregano, parsley, marjoram)
1 pizza pastry
5 ounces of cooked ham, cut in little bands (“julienne”)
3 Tbsp parmesan
2 ½ ounces of mozzarella, cut in small dices
½ lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven 500 ° F

1- Cut the leeks in four till 1 inch of the base. Good wash under cold water.
2- Put the leeks in boiled salted water. Add lemon juice and bake for 15 minutes.
3- Remove from water and drain. When they are cold enough to be manipulated, squeeze them to extract all the juice, and cut them.
4- Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil, add the leeks and the herbs and bake for 3 minutes.
5- Put the leeks on the pastry. Add the ham, furnish with the cheeses. Indeed pepper and add the rest of the olive oil.
6- Bake in oven for 10 to 12 minutes

**********************************************************************************

Pizza aux poireaux et au jambon

4 blancs de poireaux
3 c.s huile d’olive
1 c.s fines herbes mélangées (origan, persil, marjolaine)
1 abaisse de pizza
150g de jambon cuit, coupé en julienne
3 c.s parmesan
60g de mozzarella coupée en dés
Jus d’ ½ citron
Sel et poivre

Préchauffez le four à 260 °C.

1- Fendre les poireaux en quatre jusqu’à 2,5 cm de la base. Bien les laver sous l’eau froide
2- Mettre les poireaux dans de l’eau bouillante salée. Ajouter le jus de citron et faire cuire 15 minutes, à feu moyen.
3- Retirer les poireaux de l’eau, égoutter et réserver. Lorsqu’ils sont suffisamment refroidis pour être manipulés, les presser pour en exprimer tout le liquide, puis trancher.
4- Faites chauffer 2 c.s d’huile d’olive dans une poêle, à feu moyen. Ajouter les poireaux et les fines herbes ; faire cuire 3 minutes.
5- Disposer les poireaux sur la pâte à pizza. Ajouter le jambon ; garnir des fromages. Bien poivrer et arroser avec le reste de l’huile d’olive.
6- Faire cuire au four 10 à 12 minutes.