It is strawberry season here in Florida! I couldn’t be happier. We aren’t huge dessert people, unless we are talking ice cream, but recently I find myself eating strawberry shortcake after dinner almost every single night. Strawberries, sugar, cool whip and cake. I’m loving it. Plus it’s kind of healthy right… I mean there are strawberries in there.
This baby clearly likes fruit because strawberries with a little sugar sprinkled on top is becoming an everyday snack. Along with green grapes. Wow are they yummy lately.
I have never been a fan of regular cake. Birthday parties growing up were always cheesecake or cookie cake for me. And although I love cheesecake, I had never made one myself, until a few months ago. I made a cheesecake for a friends birthday. She doesn’t like chocolate. I know, I don’t even know how we are friends. So I made something with absolutely no chocolate, a strawberry topped cheesecake. It was delicious, but man was it time consuming. I knew there had to be a better way to enjoy one of my favorite treats.
So a few weeks ago I attended a tea party which we were asked to bring a snack to share. There were tea sandwiches, scones, and at one point these strawberry cheesecake bites, but they disappeared almost as soon as I walked in the door.
I had fun whipping these up the night before. I employed my husband to help press the crumbs in the bottom of the cups while I filled with batter. With a cooking time of less than 20 minutes, these are great treats to whip up for any spring fling.
Since the recipe made 72, I didn’t even bring them all to the party. I stuck about 20 in the freezer (pre topping) and they have been great to pull out when we have a few people over for dinner.
Last year Dixie Crystals sponsored a brownie contest. I got to taste Nikki’s winning Red Wine Cream Cheese brownies at the conference and they were amazing! I may have had dreams about those brownies.
And, guess what this year Dixie Crystals is doing it again. Now with three prizes! I’m a little sad that I will be missing the conference this year, baby girl is due only a week or so after, because I know the submissions and winners are going to make some amazing brownies. Who doesn’t love brownies? Don’t answer that if you hate chocolate, just pass your brownie over to me and I will enjoy it.
If you have a brownie recipe that has what it takes to be named the Food and Wine Conference Signature Dessert, then you must go enter it HERE for your chance to win.
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- 1 sleeve of graham crackers
- 3 tablespoons Dixie Crystals sugar
- ⅓ cup butter, melted
- 4 (8oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup Dixie Crystals sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup raspberry jelly
- 1 quart strawberries, sliced
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line mini muffin tins with paper liners.
- In a food processor combine graham crackers, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and butter. Process until graham crackers turn into crumbs. Scoop 1 teaspoon of crumbs into each muffin cup and use spoon or fingers to press down to make crust.
- Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice on medium speed until well combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing until just combined.
- Spoon filling on top of crusts, leaving a little bit of room at the top. Bake 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven, let cook, and refrigerate overnight. Pop in the freezer for an hour or two before attempting to remove the paper liners.
- Microwave raspberry jelly for 30-45 seconds until warm and easy to drizzle. Top each cheesecake with a slice of strawberry and drizzle with raspberry jelly.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Welcome to supperforasteal – Helena Here, but friends call me Lane! 