Easy Dessert

Banana cream pie is one of my top 5 favorite desserts, maybe top 3. It was pretty much the only late night craving I had throughout my pregnancy with my son. Maybe it is because it reminds me of the banana shakes my dad used to make me as a kid. That was kind of our thing. Friday nights watching M*A*S*H and drinking banana shakes. That. Was. The. Life!

This dip has everything I love about banana cream pie but in one very addicting easy to make dip. It is perfect for parties or just a random dessert. If you have been following me for a while now you may know I have a thing for dessert dips. I’ve posted recipes for Cannoli Dip, Sweat Cream Dip with Strawberries, Sweet Cherry Chip Dip, Funfetti Cake Batter Cookie Dip, and Toffee Apple Dip.

Dessert dips are so quick and easy to make. So many people are intimidated by overly complex desserts but when all you have to do is mix a bunch of ingredients in a bowl, these really are foolproof.

INGREDIENTS
3.4 oz box instant banana cream pudding
2 c milk
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c powdered sugar
2 c Cool Whip, divided
Nilla wafers or graham crackers for serving

STEPS

In a medium bowl, beat together the pudding powder and milk until well combined and set aside.
In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer and beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
Fold the pudding mixture and 1 1/2 cups of the Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture and stir until it is creamy.
Transfer the finished mixture to a serving dish and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of Cool Whip.
Place in the refrigerator and allow to set for 30 minutes or more.
Sprinkle with a few crushed wafers or graham cracker crumbs.
Serve with a side of Nilla Wafers or graham crackers.

If you like this recipe, then I highly recommend you check out these other awesome dessert dip recipes!

Cannoli Dip

Cherry Chip Dip

Toffee Apple Dip

If you think a cold glass of lemonade is refreshing on a hot summer day, wait until you try this frozen treat, Lemon Italian Ice! There is no comparison. This is better, hands down. Your kiddos will think so too.

My son and I make this during the summer and it is the most refreshing thing I have probably ever had. The lemon mixture with fresh zest is just the perfect amount of tart and sweet and it is crazy how light and fluffy it is! Absolute heaven!

I absolutely love how easy this recipe is to make. So easy that my 11-year-old does most of the work. I pretty much just zest the lemons and he does the rest. Plus, it is basically 4 ingredients. Fresh lemons, sugar, salt, and water. So simple and relatively healthy compared to other frozen treats.

So as the weather warms up and you are looking for creative ways to cool off, give this a try. It is sure to do the trick!

Notes:

The trick to making this is to work quickly when you are processing the frozen cubes and keep the fluffy ice from melting. We had a container ready to go in the freezer and as soon as I emptied each batch from the blender to the container, it went back into the freezer. This really kept it light and fluffy and it never froze together.
To get 1 1/2 cups of fresh lemon juice, you will probably need between 8–10 lemons.
This makes a pretty decent sized batch so you can easily get 6–8 servings out of it.

INGREDIENTS
grated zest from 2 lemons
1 1/2 c fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 c sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 c water

GARNISHES (optional)
fresh raspberries
fresh mint leaves

STEPS

In a medium saucepan, combine the lemon zest, juice, sugar, salt, and water.
Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar is dissolved.
Allow the mixture to cool for about 30 minutes.
Pour the liquid into ice cube trays and freeze overnight.
Put 6–8 ice cubes at a time into a food processor or blender and pulse until all the cubes are broken up and you have a fluffy mixture.
Immediately transfer the “fluffy ice” to serving dishes OR a freezer safe container to be enjoyed later.
Repeat this process with the remaining cubes.
Garnish your Italian ice with some fresh raspberries and mint sprigs.
Store the leftover Italian ice in the freezer in a tightly covered container.
To serve later, remove the Italian ice from the freezer and allow it to sit for 5–10 minutes to help soften it up for scooping.