Make It From Scratch: Fast Mini Memorial Day Desserts!

I hope your enjoying a safe, dry and warm Memorial Day weekend!

We are NOT! It’s safe but it’s not warm or dry!

Saturday started beautifully with sunshine and an unusually warm humid 93 degree day. During our peak July summer time heat, we barely read 90 so this was VERY unusual!

We took full advantage of the day driving into the great city of Grand Forks for some fine Chinese dining (I say ‘fine’ because we only have one sit down restaurant which isn’t really great!), grocery shopping (you’ll be glad to know I saved 50% on our grocery bill w/coupons and in-store sales!), then back home for an afternoon of graduation parties!

First we saw it! Off in the distance, low dark gnarly looking clouds slowly, VERY slowly moving our way. The humidity is through the roof but it’s still gorgeous and 93.

Then we heard it! The low grumble of an angry storm!

Then we felt it! A SUDDEN drop in temperature along with some high winds. Just like that, the humidity disappeared and the rains came!

Along with lightening, thunder, intermittent satellite signals and sporadic power flickers. Graduation parties were over…ironically except for the die hard adult party goers!

Today I awoke to lots of standing water in the backyard and a high of 63 degrees but thankfully nothing else worse for the wear. Friends of ours to the east were drenched with thunder and lightening storms coupled with golf ball sized hail! HAIL! Thankfully we had no tornadoes in the area! (BTW, tornadoes are EXTREMELY uncommon in this part of the Midwest!) They’re talking more rain tonight but hopefully it will sweep around us.

I think the bad weather rained on my culinary mojo too!

We’re attending a BBQ later today and was asked to bring a side dish or dessert plus any alcoholic beverages we’d planned to drink. I had planned on taking a mini dessert of some sort. Something easy to eat while you walk around socializing or chasing kids. Suddenly, my mind went blank! I reached out to my new friends at the Momdot Forum for some inspiration and those ladies quickly came through.

I’m altering my original Cheaty Cheesecake recipe making mini version with a pie pastry instead of graham cracker crust. I also plan to make an American version of the Sopapilla. I’m shortcutting the process a bit by using store bought pie dough and puff pastry but it’s a holiday so forgive me! ;)

Sopapillas are really easy and I’m simply putting a twist on Pepperidge Farm’s recipe. Cut sheets of thawed puff pastry into 2” squares and bake according to package directions till golden. Toss warm pastries with a cinnamon-sugar mixture in a paper bag till thoroughly coated. Instead of honey. I’ll drizzle simple icing made with powdered sugar and milk and topped with a sliced strawberry!

Mini Cheaty Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients

pie dough
1 (8 ounce) brick of cream cheese softened
1 cup of whipped cream plus another cup reserved
1 package of instant pudding (either vanilla or lemon flavored)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp of lemon extract
fresh berries for topping

Directions

Make mini pie shells. Cut pie pastry into circle large enough to fit inside a muffin tin without any excess sticking out of the top. Score with a fork so it doesn’t bubble while it bakes. Bake at 350 till golden, about 15-20 minutes.

Prepare your filling while mini pie shells are cooking and cooling. Whisk sugar and pudding mix and blend well with softened cream cheese and lemon extract! Fold in 1 cup of whipped cream. Spoon into completely cooled mini pie shells. Top with whole or sliced berries and garnish with a sprig of mint.

*Click to view my original Cheaty Cheesecake Recipe pictured above.

Jenn is a southern girl raising her family with her husband in NW Minnesota. Living on one income doesn’t mean we have to live without! Find coupons, freebies, recipes, parenting strategies, homemaking tips, product reviews, and giveaways at her blog, Frugal Front Porch.