CHERRY DESSERT

My friend Fran was hosting this month's gathering for Mexican Train. Fran doesn't cook as much as she used to and she knows I like to bake. Recently when we met at her house, she asked me if I would be willing to furnish the dessert. Of course, I said, "You bet!" Remembering that, I offered to make the dessert for this gathering.

I have so many cookbooks! They have definitely become a "weakness of mine"....not being able to resist buying them.....usually at estate sales. I don't know why I should....I have plenty of my own and ones I kept that belonged to my mother.

Because I have so many cookbooks, I have trying to search them out for good sounding recipes .... sometimes I have a picture, but usually not.

This recipe called Cherry Dessert is another one from my Coldwater's Cookin'! cookbook. The recipe was submitted by Mrs. Janis Allen. I basically followed her recipe except that I added another can of cherry pie filling....one can is just not enought for a 9 x 13 - inch pan. I also reduced calories as much as I could by using fat free cream cheese, skill milk, and no-sugar-added pie fillings. I think it would taste good using blueberry pie filling, also.

It was a big hit at the gathering and my husband was especially glad that the group was small enough that I had some leftovers to bring back home for him.

CHERRY DESSERT

Angel food cake
2       pkgs. Dream Whip
1        cup skim milk
2       teaspoons vanilla
1        8 - oz pkg fat free cream cheese
1        cup sifted powdered sugar
2       cans (20-oz each) No-Sugar-Added cherry pie filling

Break angel food cake into pieces in mixing bowl.  

Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth....scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Remove to another bowl.

Beat the 2 pkgs Dream Whip, milk, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. (Combine on slow til mixed and then increase speed to high for 3-4 minutes.)

Add the cream cheese mixture to the whipped Dream Whip.

Fold in the cake pieces.

Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 - inch pan and spread out smoothly. (The Pyrex dish I used is a 2 - quart size and slightly smaller than 9 x 13. It just means the finished dessert will be thicker.)

Spoon almost 2 cans of pie filling on top.  (The original recipe only called for 1 can, but 1 can just isn't enough to give a good cover to the dish.  I used all but about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the second can and was very pleased with the finished top.)

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Store leftovers in the frig. 

(I made the dessert the night before I planned to serve it.  I wanted to make sure it was set and would come out cleanly.....

and it did.)