COOL WHIP Everyday Desserts

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Woo Hoo - spring is here!  I'm loving the warmer temperatures we are having here in Virginia!
Pretty weather puts me in the mood to make dessert. 
Who am I kidding??  I like making dessert no matter what the temperature is - HA!

I'm not into making elaborate recipes with ingredients lists that are hard to find.
I like making everyday desserts that I know most everyone will enjoy. 

COOL WHIP Whipped Topping is a staple in many of my desserts. 
COOL WHIP is convenient, easy to find and makes everyday desserts more special.

I remember coming home from school when I was young and my mom would have pudding with
COOL WHIP for our snack.  Not the instant pudding kind either!  Pudding cooked on the stove!
A spoonful of COOL WHIP made it even better!
My brothers and I may or may not have just dived into the COOL WHIP with a spoon too :)

She would also make us Jell-O Poke cake with a yummy COOL WHIP frosting, which inspired these cupcakes I made a few months ago.  You can find the recipe HERE.

Anyway, I love this frosting so much I thought I would share another recipe with a very similar COOL WHIP frosting. This would be nice refreshing dessert on a warm spring day.  Enjoy!

Mandarin Orange Cake

   Cake:

1 box yellow cake mix

1 can (11oz.) mandarin oranges, diced but not drained

4 eggs

1/2 cup canola oil

Frosting:

1 small box vanilla instant pudding

1 small container (13 oz.) COOL WHIP

1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Mix all of the cake ingredients together in a large bowl with an electric mixer.

Pour into your greased pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool cake completely before frosting.

For the frosting - In a large bowl mix the pudding and pineapple together with a spoon.  Fold in the COOL WHIP until well blended.  It may take a while.  You can do it :)

Frost the cooled cake.  Keep frosted cake refrigerated.

Note - This cake is even better made a day or two before you are going to serve it.

I would love to hear how COOL WHIP makes your everyday desserts even better.

Feel free to email me any recipes you would like to share!

Happy Spring!!

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Strawberry Pineapple Pretzel Dessert

You will find this dish at pretty much every country church potluck or family reunion here in Virginia. 
It's been around forever!
Some people call it Strawberry Pretzel salad, but I have no idea why because it is definitely more of a dessert than a salad.  It's kind of like a no-bake cheesecake with jell-o, if that makes sense.

No matter what you call it - this sweet and salty combination is nothing but fantastic!
Give it a try :)

Strawberry Pineapple Pretzel Dessert

Crust:
2 cups crushed pretzels (I used pretzel snaps - the little waffle type squares)
3/4 cup butter, melted
3 T sugar

Filling:
8 ounce creme cheese, softened
8 ounce container of whipped topping
3/4 cup sugar

Topping:
2 (3 ounce) packages of strawberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
24 ounce container of frozen sliced strawberries (I let mine thaw in the fridge)
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple
whipped topping or whipped cream to garnish if you like

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place your pretzels in a ziplock freezer bag and crush them with a tent mallet - that's what I did anyway.
Don't pulverize them -  you want there to be some larger pieces too.
In a medium bowl, mix the crushed pretzels, sugar and butter.  Press them into a 9 x 13 inch pan and bake for 10 minutes.  No longer than that.  Let the crust completely cool before you add the next layer.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar.  Fold in the whipped topping.
Spread over the cooled crust. Make sure you spread the mixture to the edges of the pan. 
Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours before adding the top layer.

In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, allowing it to cool slightly.
Add the strawberries (I drained some of the juice off first) and the pineapple to the gelatin.
Spoon over the cream cheese layer.  Refrigerate for several hours for the gelatin to set.
I made mine the night before and let the gelatin set overnight and it was perfect.

Cut into slices and serve with whipped cream if desired.
Enjoy!

Linking to:
Serenity Now
Fireflies and Jellybeans
Tatertots and Jello
30 Handmade Days
Positively Splendid
New Nostalgia
Chef in Training

Hello Monday

Hello newest yummy obsession.

Where have you been all my life?

Hello Pink Batman cupcakes.

I made these for the daughter of a co-worker this weekend.

She likes pink too. 

Hello new Starbucks Venti cup.

I was so sad when my old cup broke, but I found you and life is good again.

Hello thrift store find of the week.

A PINK metal bubblegum machine!!!

We were made for each other :)

Hello mama's pansies.

My mom has the greenest thumb ever.

I did not inherit that trait :(

Hello to another warm week here in Virginia.

Love it!

Happy Monday Friends :)

Linking Up to Hello Monday with Lisa Leonard.



Cookie Dough Hummus

When I spent the weekend with my girlfriends at the vineyard last month, we decided that we should each bring a snack to have with us while we were drinking wine and catching up.  I decided to bring a sweet treat of course, but since Bekka and I are on a mission to get fit, I wanted my snack to be some what healthy.

Don't let the chickpeas in this recipe fool you.....this dip really tastes like cookie dough! 
I paired it with Nature's Promise organic honey graham sticks for dipping, but I think it
would also be good with apple slices. 

My friend Lindsay has been bugging me for the recipe, so this post is for her :)

Happy dipping Lindsay!

Cookie Dough Hummus

1  15.5 oz. can Chickpeas (drained)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup nut butter (I used almond butter)

3 T milk (I used soy)

2/3 cup brown sugar

3 T oats

1/3 cup chocolate chips

Add all ingredients (except chocolate chips) to a food processor.

Blend until very smooth.  Pour into a bowl and fold in the chocolate chips.

Serve with graham cracker sticks.

Original recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie

Hello Monday

Hello yellow daffodils popping up in my yard.

I am so happy to see you!

Hello fabulous colors of fabric.

Aqua + Red = Love

Hello favorite new tea.

Hello to my new adorable necklace from Simple Starfish.

Love it!

Today's Creative Blog was hosting a giveaway and I won!

Simple Starfish has beautiful hand stamped jewelry - you should check it out.

Hello new pillows from Ikea. 

Hello Bruschetta Salad from Vito's.

You were delish!

Hello vintage Pyrex bowl.

I'm so happy I spotted you in the thrift store this weekend.

You make me happy :)

Hello to my nephew Peyton.

You look so handsome all decked out in your baseball uniform.

Hello to the first full week of March.

Hope you have a great one my sweet friends :)

Linking up to Hello Monday with Lisa Leonard.