Summer Fruit Pizza

If I was going to a 4th of July potluck, I'd definitely bring this fruit pizza. If you haven't decided what to make for your Independence Day celebration, make this! One of the simplest but most crowd pleasing summer desserts ever. A quick story about this fruit pizza. Once my RAs and I made one. The 7 of us devoured it in one sitting. The next night we really wanted leftover fruit pizza. Of course there weren't leftovers because we ate all of it! So... we made it again the very next night. Kids love it. Grown ups love it. You could even only use red and blue fruit to make it more festive. However, if I was making it this week I'd definitely add fresh peaches. Strawberries, peaches, and blueberries. Yum! The recipe below is the easy version using refrigerated packaged sugar cookie dough. We like easy for parties right?! But I've done this three ways. 1. The refrigerated packaged sugar cookies dough roll. 2. Dry sugar cookie mix, adding in my own eggs and oil. 3. Homemade sugar cookie dough. You get to decide!

Ingredients: 

• 1 roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• 1 package 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups assorted fruit, sliced if necessary - I used blueberries, kiwi, and strawberries. For a festive 4th of July option use strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and/or bananas. For a fruit that's fresh and delicious right now version use strawberries, peaches, and blueberries. 

Directions: 

Heat oven to 350. Spray a pizza stone or round pizza pan with cooking spray. Press the refrigerated dough into the pan or stone, creating a round edge. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely. 

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until fluffy. Spread cream cheese over cooled cookie crust. Arrange fruit in a pretty design on top of cream cheese mixture. Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes. Slice in wedges or squares. 

Peach Cobbler Trifle

Hey! Remember me? It's been exactly a month since I posted. Yikes! I told you May was insane. It got the best of me! I'll update you soon on important things (LIKE TURNING 30!), but I couldn't bare it being OVER a month since I posted. Someone a month exactly seemed a little less depressing that OVER A MONTH! I go to a conference in Idaho next week, but after that Meal Plan Monday will also return! I'm liking the feeling of my fingers on these keys creating words and paragraphs to type in this little blog box... So beware, I will be up and running and shooting posts your way soon!

What better way to kick things back off than with a lovely summer dessert recipe?! Confession... I made this dessert almost an entire year ago! I forgot to post it and found the pictures in late fall. You know how I am about seasonal foods... Peach Cobbler Trifle is a summer dessert! I prepped the post and patiently waited for summer to arrive again so I could share it with you. My pictures aren't the greatest. I brought it to a baby shower, indoor lighting, night time, etc. BUT... IT'S SO GOOD! Everyone raved about it. I'll definitely be making it ASAP... as soon as I can get my hands on some fresh ripe peaches.

Ingredients: 

• 2 small packages of sugar free french vanilla instant pudding
• 1 cup reduced fat sour cream 
• 1 1/2 cup skim milk
• zest of one orange
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 Sara Lee style frozen loaf pound cakes thawed (like this one)
• 4 cups diced fresh peaches 
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Crumble Mixture:

• 1 cup crushed graham crackers
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup quick oats
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• dash of ground glove
• 6 tablespoons melted butter

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350. Stir the crumble mixture ingredients (graham cracker crumbs, sugar, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and melted butter) together and spread on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool. 

Cut the cake in to small cubes, set aside. Whip heavy cream into a whipped cream until it peaks, set aside. Whip milk, pudding, powdered sugar, and zest until it begins to thicken. Fold in sour cream. Once mixture is smooth and combined fold in whipped cream. 

Clean, peel, and dice peaches. Mix with with the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of sugar to prevent browning and produce a little juice. 

In a trifle dish or large bowl start layering! Layer pound cake, pudding mixture, crumble mixture, and peaches. Continue to layer and repeat until the disk is full. Top with peach mixture. Chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Perfect summer dessert!