Creative Cooks

Cheesecake Fruit Salad
PREP TIME 15 min YIELD 8 cups

Ingredients
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant cheesecake pudding mix
2 containers (6 ounces each) vanilla or strawberry yogurt
1 tub (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 medium bananas, sliced
1 medium peach, peeled and chopped
1 pound fresh strawberries, chopped
1 pint fresh blueberries
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

Directions
In a large bowl, beat cheesecake pudding mix and yogurt on medium speed until incorporated. Reduce mixer speed to low; beat in whipped topping until fluffy. Fold in bananas, peach, strawberries and blueberries. Sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour. If desired, garnish with additional fruit and graham cracker crumbs.

Watermelon Pizza
Prep Time 10 minutes Servings 16

Ingredients
1 seedless watermelon

Cream Cheese Glaze
4 ounces cream cheese softened
½ cup Greek yogurt
¼ cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice

Fruit Toppings
2 cups sliced strawberries sliced strawberries, diced peaches, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, halved cherries, etc.

Garnish
Mint leaves or edible flowers optional

Instructions

In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese until nice and smooth.
Add the Greek yogurt and fresh squeezed orange juice and beat until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar and mix until completely smooth.
Cover and chill while preparing fruit.
Slice watermelon about 2 to 3 inches thick and then cut into wedges.
Spread a couple tablespoons of the cream cheese glaze on each slice being careful not to have it run off the edge.
Add an assortment of cut fruit to the top of the frosting.
Garnish with fresh mint leaves or edible flowers if desired. Serve immediately
Unused cream cheese glaze can be stored in refrigerator or served as a fruit dip.

Apple Fries with Caramel Cream Dip
Prep Time: 25 m Cook Time: 7 m Total Time: 32 m Servings: 8


Ingredients

3 Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apples peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges
½ cup flour
3 eggs beaten
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
8 ounces whipped cream cheese
½ cup caramel sauce plus more for garnish

Instructions

Toss the apple slices and flour together in a large bowl. Set up a dredging station by putting the beaten eggs in one shallow dish, and combining the crushed graham crackers and sugar in a second shallow dish. Dip each apple slice into the egg, and then into the graham cracker crumbs. Coat the slices on all sides and place the coated slices on a cookie sheet.
Pre-heat the air fryer to 380ºF. Spray or brush the bottom of the air fryer basket with oil.

Air-fry the apples in batches. Place one layer of apple slices in the air fryer basket and spray lightly with oil. Air-fry for 5 minutes. Turn the apples over and air fry for an additional 2 minutes.
While apples are cooking make caramel cream dip. Combine the whipped cream cheese and caramel sauce, mixing well. Transfer the Caramel Cream Dip into a serving bowl and drizzle additional caramel sauce over the top.
Serve the apple fries hot with the caramel cream dip on the side. Enjoy!

Deviled Strawberries

Ingredients:

1 pint strawberries
4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, melted
Sprinkles for garnish

Directions:

Remove and discard stems and hulls from strawberries. Halve the strawberries and arrange on a platter or plate.
Place cream cheese, cream and confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. (Alternatively, use a stand mixer.)
Add melted chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and beat until evenly incorporated.
Pour the mixture into a piping bag (or a plastic bag with one corner snipped off) and pipe a bit inside each strawberry half. Garnish with sprinkles, if desired. Refrigerate until chilled, about an hour (and up to 3 days), and enjoy!

Berry Fruit Salsa

Ingredients

1 cup (145g) blueberries
1 1/4 cups (181g) strawberries
1 cup (118g) diced apple
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tbsp chopped jalapeños, optional
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt, to taste
Tortilla chips, for serving

Instructions

Combine blueberries, strawberries, apples, cilantro, red onion, jalapenos and lime juice in a medium sized bowl and gently stir to combine. Add salt, to taste.
Salsa can be served immediately or you can let it sit for about 20 minutes. It’s best served the day it’s made. The apples will take on color over time as they sit. Serve with tortilla chips.

Banana Split with Spiced Strawberries
4 servings

Ingredients
¼ c unsweetened flaked coconut
1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated for 24 hours
2 tbsp agave syrup or honey
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 firm ripe bananas, peeled and halved lengthwise
½ sm pineapple, peeled, cored and diced
Spiced Strawberries (recipe follows)
¼ c cocoa nibs (optional)
¼ c roasted pistachios, chopped

Spiced Strawberries
1 qt strawberries, halved if small, quartered if large
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
Juice of ½ orange
1 tbsp honey
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped
2 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Spread the coconut on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, turning once, until lightly golden brown and crispy, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Ten minutes before you are ready to whip the coconut cream, put the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer to chill.
Remove the can of coconut milk from the refrigerator without shaking or tipping it. Remove the lid of the can and carefully, using a spoon, scoop the thick layer of coconut cream from the top and transfer it to the chilled mixing bowl. (Reserve the coconut water that has settled to the bottom of the can for another use.)
Whip the cream on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the agave syrup and vanilla and continue to whip until incorporated. Fold in half of the toasted coconut, cover, and chill until ready to serve.
To serve, put 2 banana halves and some pineapple on a plate. Top with a dollop of the coconut whipped cream, drizzle with the strawberries, and garnish with cocoa nibs, if using, pistachios, and the remaining toasted coconut.

Spiced Strawberries

In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, orange zest and juice, and honey and let sit for 5 minutes. Coarsely smash the berries (leaving some texture) and add the vanilla bean and seeds, cardamom pods, star anise, and cinnamon stick. Cover and let macerate in the refrigerator, mixing a few times, for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. Discard the vanilla bean pod and spices before serving.

No Cook Strawberry Jam

1 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Ball RealFruit Instant Pectin
2 pounds strawberries, hulled and quartered
2 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 ½ tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
Pinch of kosher salt

In a bowl, whisk the sugar with the pectin. In a food processor, pulse half of the strawberries until finely chopped, then transfer them to the sugar mixture. Repeat with the remaining strawberries. Add the lemon juice, ginger and salt and stir until the sugar is dissolved, 5 minutes.
Spoon the jam into clean glass jars or plastic containers, leaving ¾ inch of space at the top. Let the jam stand at room temperature until slightly thickened, 30 minutes. Refrigerate until the jam is chilled and set, 1 hour.