As a child, Edwin's mom told him, "If you want to eat, you should cook it yourself." And that's exactly what he's been doing ever since.
A creamy frozen delight with strawberries, bananas, and pineapple!
Marriage of Summer Fruits with Cream Cheese
Here's a quick and easy frozen dessert that is perfect for the summertime. It combines fresh bananas, strawberries, and canned pineapples. I learned how to make this from my sister-in-law, who originally got the recipe from a friend of hers when she used to live in the Chicago area. This dessert has become a favorite in my sister-in-law's family; every time there's a family gathering, she makes it. I liked it so much when I tried it, I asked for the recipe.
When I returned home to California, I decided to give the recipe a try. I ran into difficulty during my first attempt because the cream cheese was lumpy. That's when I learned you have to let the cream cheese reach room temperature first. I also had to buy a food scale to weigh the ingredients. Although the original recipe did not call for garnishes, I added sliced strawberries and bananas to make it look more attractive.
Every time I make it, I intend to try variations to make it a little different each time. Try it out, and make it your own! I hope you enjoy it.
Preparation Time
Prep Time: 40 minutes Ready In: The next morning Serves: 16–20 people
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple
- 10 ounces frozen sliced strawberries
- 2 bananas
- 1/3 cup chopped nuts (any type)
- 18 ounces Cool Whip
Instructions
- Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator to allow it to reach room temperature (about 1 hour).
- Drain the liquid from the canned pineapple in a strainer.
- Fold all ingredients together, except the bananas and Cool Whip.
- Slice the bananas and add to the mixture. (Do not do this step too early in the process or the bananas will turn brown.)
- Fold the Cool Whip into the mixture.
- Pour the mixture into a 9" x 13" x 2" rectangular pan.
- Place the pan into the freezer overnight.
- Remove the pan from the freezer 1 hour before serving.
- Garnish with sliced fresh bananas and fresh or frozen sliced strawberries, if desired.
© 2019 Edwin Alcantara
