Summer Treats

I was going through one of my big recipe binders the other day and found two forgotten recipes waiting patiently for me to rediscover them! They are perfect for summer because they have fresh fruit in them and most importantly, there is no cooking involved! The secret ingredient that makes this possible is a box of cinnamon graham crackers.

Strawberry Icebox Dessert

  • 1 8oz.package cream cheese, softened
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • 2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 18 sheets cinnamon graham crackers (enough for 3 layers)
  • 4 cups sliced fresh strawberries, divided
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
  1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add cream and vanilla, beat at high speed until stiff peaks form.
  2. In the bottom of an 11×7-inch baking dish, spread ½ cup cream mixture. Place one-third of graham crackers over cream mixture in an even layer, breaking as needed to fit. Spread one-third of remaining cream mixture over graham cracker layer. Top with one-third of strawberries. Starting with graham crackers, repeat procedure twice.
  3. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours. Top with mint if desired.

Peach Napoleans

  • 2 cups sliced fresh peaches
  • ¾ cup sugar, divided
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 large sprig fresh lemon balm or mint, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 cinnamon graham cracker sheets, halved to make 12 squares
  1. In a large bowl, toss together peaches, ½ cup sugar, lemon juice and lemon balm or mint. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  2. In a medium bowl, whip heavy cream and remaining 1/2 cup sugar at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 30 seconds. Stir in vanilla.
  3. Place 1 graham cracker square on a plate; top with a dollop of whipped cream and a few peach slices. Repeat layers twice, omitting peaches from final layer. Top with a sprig of lemon balm or mint. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 3 more Napoleons.

You could easily switch the fruit or even substitute other fruit like blueberries or raspberries. Don’t you love dishes that look fancy, taste delicious and are so easy to make? Me too!  So next time you go to the grocery store, pick up a box of cinnamon graham crackers and get ready for some yummy summer treats!

– Becky Lynn is a writer for EllisDownHome.com. She and her husband Bob enjoy spending time with their 8 grandchildren and traveling. Becky loves cranking up the music and heading to the kitchen to try out new recipes or cook for an upcoming party. She is passionate about continuing to be a life-long learner!

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