dessert for the office

My husband's birthday is Sunday and since it's so close to the 4th, I usually like to try and take something sweet to him at work for everyone to share and celebrate. For the last few years I've baked and decorated a cake, but this year, i just don't think I want to mess with baking the cake, freezing it, making the frosting, frosting it, getting a design transferred on, decorating it and then transporting it an hour to get to him - especially with a very curious toddler in tow.

So, I'm trying to come up with something that's kinda festive and a crowd pleaser.

I make a really good fruit coffee cake, and I'm thinking about maybe making one of those with cherries (or strawberries) and taking that - does that sound appropriate for birthday/July 4th? **I might even stop and get some vanilla ice cream to serve with it.

Here's a popular one for this time of year:

Individual Fruit Cheesecakes


* 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 4 eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 36 vanilla wafers
* 1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling
* 1 (21-ounce) can blueberry pie filling
* 1 (21-ounce) can peach pie filling or another favorite


Line 36 muffin cups with paper liners.
Beat cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl until soft and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir in vanilla extract. Place a vanilla wafer in each paper lined muffin cup; spoon cream cheese mixture over wafers, filling lined muffin cups almost full. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Leave in muffin pans and chill 8 hours. To serve, top each with about 1 tablespoon of pie filling or use another favorite topping.

Makes about 36 mini fruit cheesecakes.

These are nice with just about any fruit pie filling and you can make cheery, strawberry and blueberry for the holiday! Plus the oven is only on for 15 minutes! And you can enjoy the leftovers at home!

that would be a good one, but I don't think I have the time to get it done. We're leaving tonight and going to be gone all weekend and I want to take it to the office on Monday, as a surprise. So that means I can't really start too far in advance.

But, since they look so good, I might have to find another occasion to make them.

Easy Brownie Shortcake Dessert (this can be doctored up to be pretty good)
Kraft - All time Favorite Summer Recipes

Servings 8 Page 17



Ingredients

1 package brownie mix
16 ounces sour cream, divided
½ oil
¼ cup water
2 eggs
4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups assorted fruit, such as raspberries, chopped kiwi fruit, and sliced strawberries, peaches and nectarines



Directions

1. Mix brownie mix, ½ cup of the sour cream, oil, water and eggs until well blended. Spoon into greased and floured 9-inch round cake pan. Bake at 350 F. For 45 minutes. Cool completely. Split brownie to form 2 layers.

2. Mix remaining sour cream, sugar and vanilla.

3. Spread bottom layer of brownie with ½ of the sour cream mixture. Top with remaining brownie layer, remaining sour cream mixture and fruit. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into wedges.


Notes

Lemon Bars with Raspberries
BHG – Big Book of Healthy Family Dinners

Servings 18 Page 275




Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
¾ cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup margarine or butter
1 egg
1 egg white
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel (set aside)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ cups fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons red currant jelly, melted




Directions

1. Spray and 8x8x2 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. In a small mixing bowl combine the ¾ cup flour and 3 tablespoons sugar. Cut in the margarine or butter until crumbly. Pat the mixture onto bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in a 350 F. Oven for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, for filling, in a small mixing bowl combine the egg and egg white. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until frothy. Add the 2/3 cup sugar, the 2 tablespoons flour, the lemon juice, water, and baking powder. Beat on medium speed about 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in lemon peel.

3. Pour over hot baked layer in pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes more or until edges are light brown and center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into 9 squares; cut each square diagonally to make a triangle. Top triangles with raspberries. Drizzle with the jelly.



Calories 96 Fat 3g Sodium 42mg Carbs 17g Fiber 1g Sugars g

Notes