I’m dreaming of the time we can sit in our backyards enjoying the sunshine. In just a few short weeks we will be able to do so. I promise. Of course a few short weeks could be six, could be eight. Maybe a nice fresh fruit salad would taste like spring. Here’s one a reader sent in. N.M. said she’s had enough, made the fruit salad, sat in a sunny spot in her kitchen, closed her eyes and ate it. N.M. said
she pretended it was a bright spring day and felt herself relax. I can’t promise the same results for you, but a fruit salad is never a mistake. Have a great week.
Creamy Fruit Salad
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 (15.25 ounce) cans fruit cocktail in light syrup, drained and liquid
reserved
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 pint fresh strawberries, rinsed and sliced
1/2 honeydew melon, fruit removed with a melon baller
1/2 cantaloupe, fruit removed with a melon baller
Directions: In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Mix in about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the reserved fruit cocktail liquid. Fold in the fruit cocktail, bananas, strawberries, honeydew and cantaloupe. Serve immediately or chill until serving.
OR was it this one?
Tipsy Fruit Salad
3 cups watermelon chunks
3 cups pineapple chunks
2 cups sliced strawberries
1/4 cup silver tequila, or more to taste
1/4 cup agave nectar, or more to taste
3 limes, zested and juiced
Directions: Mix watermelon, pineapple, and strawberries in a serving bowl. Whisk tequila, agave nectar, lime zest, and lime juice together in a bowl; pour dressing over fruit. Toss to coat.
Banana Poke Cake
(18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix (such as Duncan Hines®) many box mixes
are now 15 oz.-companies cutting costs I suppose. Use as you would a
larger volume mix.
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups cold milk
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant banana pudding mix
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip®), thawed
1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs (such as Nilla Wafers)
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking dish. Whisk cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs together in a bowl until smooth; pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 23 to 28 minutes. Whisk cold milk and pudding mix together in a bowl until pudding is soft and thickened, about 2 minutes. Poke holes into the cake using the handle of a clean wooden spoon. Pour pudding over cake, spreading evenly. Spread whipped topping over pudding layer and sprinkle vanilla wafers over whipped topping.
Salmon Dip
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons chopped pimento peppers
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated onion
1 (7 ounce) can salmon, drained, bones and skin removed
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
Directions: In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, butter, pimentos, parsley and onion; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in the salmon and dill. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Serve with crackers of your choice or toasted baguette slices.
I really enjoy this time with you each week and would love to hear from you. Do you have any requests? Is there a recipe you have been looking for or remember from your younger years? Can I help you find it? Do you have any recipes that are special to you that you could share with us? Please contact me at susieqcooking @ainop.com or c/o Pioneer Times, P.O. Box 456, Houlton, Maine 04730.
