Strawberry Graham Dessert Recipe

By traciesparks

My mother passed the recipe for this luscious dessert on me...and my family has enjoyed it for years. These days, I often make this special treat for my granddaughter. It's a fun way to dress up Jell-O, and kids love it. -Audrey Huckell, Wabigoon, Ontario

I have made this several times, most of the time doubling it to make a 9 X 13 pan for our family get-togethers. Easy to make. I did add a little sugar & increased 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs. I chilled crust in fridge instead of baking crust. Very tasty. One of my guests said she could eat the whole pan by herself & wanted some to take home for "breakfast."

Ingredients

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 16 squares)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen sweetened sliced strawberries, thawed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 4 ounces PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese (softened or cubed), softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Dash salt
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
• Fresh strawberries and mint, optional

Details

Servings 9
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 25mins

Preparation

Step 1

In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and butter; set aside 1 tablespoon for topping. Press the remaining crumb mixture into a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake at 325° for 10-14 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water; stir in strawberries and lemon juice. Refrigerate until partially set, about 1-1/2 hours.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. Spread half over cooled crust. Cover and refrigerate remaining cream mixture.

Pour gelatin mixture over filling; refrigerate until firm. Top with remaining cream mixture. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Refrigerate overnight. Garnish with fresh berries and mint if desired. Yield: 9 servings.


Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 piece) equals 262 calories, 13 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 39 mg cholesterol, 164 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.

Strawberry Graham Dessert published in Taste of Home April/May 2002, p25