Fourth of July Bang-Up Dessert

1 can fruit pie filling
1 small box cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Generously grease sides and bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan. Pour pie filling into pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over fruit filling. Drizzle butter over top. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve hot. Serve topped with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

Patriotic Trifle recipe

1 1/2 cups cold fat free milk
1 ( 4 ounce) box Jell-O Vanilla/Chocolate/Coconut/Banana
Cream Instant Pudding (fat/sugar free)
1 (8 ounce) container whipped topping, thawed
1 (13 ounce) angel food cake, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pint strawberries, cleaned and sliced (2 cups)
1 cup blueberries, cleaned

Pour milk into bowl and add pudding. Beat with whisk 1 minute. Gently stir in 3 cups of the whipped topping.

Place half of the cake cubes in a large serving bowl; top with half of the fruit. Spread pudding mixture over fruit. Cover with remaining cake cubes and fruit. Garnish with whipped topping. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Store leftover in refrigerator.

NOTE: I use banana cream pudding. You can use fat/sugar free pudding and whipped topping to cut calories or the regular stuff. I also put an extra layer. Put it together in a clear trifle bowl….it looks beautiful.

Red, White and Blue Cheesecake Trifle

1 1/2 cups cold whole milk
1 (4 serving size) package cheesecake flavor instant pudding mix
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 frozen loaf pound cake, thawed
2 cups sliced strawberries or pitted cherries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup sliced bananas
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

In medium bowl, combine milk and pudding mix and beat with egg beater for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Fold in the thawed whipped topping. Cut the thawed pound cake into 1/2-inch cubes.

In large glass bowl, layer 1/2 of the cake cubes, 1/2 of the fruit, and 1/2 of the pudding mixture. Repeat layers. Chill at least 2 hours before serving. Sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Serves 12

Red, White and Blueberry Banana Parfaits

2 ripe bananas
1 cup blueberries
1 cup sliced strawberries
Whipped cream

Peel and slice bananas thinly in a single layer on a sheet of aluminum foil; cover and put in the freezer just until frozen.

Arrange the banana slices between a layer of blueberries and strawberries in a tulip sundae bowl.

Serve with a large dollop of whipped cream.

Yankee Doodle Dandy Squares

Serves 15.

3 (3 ounce) boxes blue Jell-O
1 1/2 cups crushed pretzels or graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 (3 ounce) box red Jell-O
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Make jiggler Jell-O by combining two packages blue Jell-O with 1 1/4 cups boiling water. Stir to dissolve Jell-O. Pour Jell-O into lightly oiled 9 x 13-inch pan. Cover and refrigerate until firmly set.

Combine graham cracker crumbs or crushed pretzels with melted butter and 2 tablespoons sugar; mix well. Press into the bottom of a second 9 x 13-inch pan. Set aside.

Completely dissolve red Jell-O in 1/2 cup boiling water. Stir in 1/2 cup ice water and undrained crushed pineapple. Allow Jell-O to thicken, but not set.

In a separate bowl, completely dissolve remaining package blue Jell-O in 1/2 cup boiling water; place unthawed blue berries in measuring cup and fill with water to the 1 1/2 cup fill line. Stir blueberries and cold water into dissolved blue Jello. Allow Jello to thicken, but not set.

Add sugar to softened cream cheese and beat until smooth. Partially whip cream, add approximately 1/3 cup cream to cream cheese and beat well. Continue to whip cream until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese. Spread approximately 1/3 whipped cream mixture carefully over crust. Spoon thickened blue Jell-O over whipped cream and gently spread. Spoon 1/3 whipped cream mixture over blue Jell-O and gently spread. Spoon thicken red Jello over whipped cream and gently spread. Spoon remaining 1/3 whipped cream over top of red Jello and gently spread.

Cut star shapes from jiggler Jell-O and garnish top of dessert. Refrigerate 3-4 hours or until well set.

NOTE: It is helpful to spoon 15 small spoonsful of Jell-O or whipped cream mixture over each layer before attempting to spread.