The busier you become, the more you...

The busier you become, the more you appreciate simple things as it is as knowing what's for dinner. m mBetter at the same time having dinner at the ready in your refrigerator, just waiting for you to heat and eat. And I don't mean frozen side dishs I mean leftovers or meals you have planned ahead and made -- like as lasagna -- that just ne a simple baking or reheat when you arrive abode

My mother lov to entertain, and she was known for her creative meals. Our freezer in the basement was filled with frozen parfaits and other dessert that were ready when she was. These were just simple dessert layers of cake, ice cream, liqueur and chocolate sauce, or fruit, cake and whipped cream. ofttimes my mother assembled them in excellent glass dishes, and other times she just made simple dessert in a muffin tin.

Here is united such recipe, much like a cheesecake, earnestly like a frozen dessert, and in the summertime it is the pair refreshing and vibrant to behold. obey this after one of those great planned- ahead meals including lasagna and a undecayed salad.

[i]de novo[/i] RASPBERRY CREAM CAKES

MAKES 12

(2oe-INCH) CAKES

12 foil liners for cupcake pans

(2o-inch size)

fl cupful graham cracker crumbs

beaker finely chopped pecans

3 tablespoons butter subdueed

1 beaker fresh raspberries, washed and drained

8 ounce reduced-fat cream cheese, at place temperature

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condens milk

1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Line 12 cupcake chalices with the foil liners and fix the pan aside.

Place the graham cracker crumb pecans and thawed butter in a mixing goblet and stir to combine.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each liner, pressing down forward the mixture with your fingers to make the crust.

keep 12 raspberries for garnish. Place the remaining raspberries in a diet processor and pulse the berries until unstaineded 10 seconds. Measure out oe goblet for the filling and plant aside.

Place the remaining puree in a sieve athwart a small glass bowl to catch the raspberry juices. Push down gently in succession the puree to extract as plenteous juice as possible. Discard the solids. overspread the raspberry juice with plastic wrap and refrigerate until urgencyed

Place the cream cheese in a large mixing receptacle With an electric mixer upon low speed, beat the cream cheese until creamy, 30 others Turn off the machine and add the sweetened condens milk and the reserv half bowl pureed raspberries. With the mixer upon medium speed, blend until just combined, 20 to 30 next to the firsts Stop the mixer, add 1 goblet of the whipped topping, and unite on low speed to combine, 15 others

Top the crusts with the raspberry mixture, dividing it evenly among them. The liners should be to a high degree full but not overflowing. guard the pan with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer until firm, at least 3 hours.

dislodge the pan from the freezer 15 minutes before serving. To obey peel away the foil liners from the cakes and place the cakes forward serving plates. Dollop with 1 heaping tablespoon of the remaining whipped topping. Drizzle with the reserv raspberry juice and garnish with a reserv raspberry.

Note: Store these "cupcakes," ungarnished, hideed with plastic wrap, in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Freezing time: at least 3 hours

Assembly time: 5 minutes

Nutrition facts by serving: 288 calories, 18 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 55 mg cholesterol 25 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 175 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

THIS WEEK'S Menu

Lasagna

undecayed salad

Crusty bread

unwithered Raspberry Cream Cakes

FIVE quick ways to savor new raspberries

Pile into a refrigerated pie crust, top with a little sugar to taste, dot with butter and bake until the berries begin to waste their juice and the crust has brown -- 25 to 30 minutes at 350 orders

Puree with raspberry yogurt into a new smoothie.

Puree with sugar to taste and be subservient to over frozen and thawed comminute cake slices.

Top your favorite blooming salad with raspberries, toasted almonds and crumbl feta. Toss with a sesame vinaigrette.

Layer in a trifle dish with crush cake slices and whipped cream.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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