Fourth of July Desserts, Treats

The Fourth of July is a special time of the year when families and friends gather to celebrate our nation's birth and the freedom's we enjoy at Americans. But because it's in the summer, heat (whether dry or humid) is always a concern. Although some usually grab a cold beer or some other alcoholic beverage, there are other things to eat that can keep one cool without causing further dehydration as alcohol can, and they're extra kid-friendly.

Try these Fourth of July dessert and treat recipes at your get-together this year.

Seafoam Salad:

This can be made with any flavor of gelatin. The most popular is strawberry, but orange and even lime work very well. In fact, the original of this was with lime because that's the color of seafoam.

Ingredients:

1 cup of crushed pineapple (leave the juice in)

1 small package of gelatin dessert mix

1/3 cup of sugar

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese

1 can of Milnot or Carnation evaporated milk.

Cook the pineapple, gelatin and sugar together and after it starts to bubble, cook for 5 minutes more on medium more. Add cream cheese while the cooked ingredients are hot so the cream cheese melts (you may want to let the cream cheese sit out at room temperature before doing this). Whip the evaporated milk (chilled) in a chilled metal mixing bowl until the milk fills the bowl. Add the cream cheese mixture to the whipped milk by folding it in.

Frozen Banana Split

Ingredients:

½ lb. graham crackers

4 bananas

1 cup chocolate chips

½ cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/3 cup evaporated milk

1 ½ tsp. vanilla

½ gallon of ice cream

1 cup whipping cream

Pecans

Make chocolate sauce by melting chocolate chips and butter in pan. Add powdered sugar and evaporated milk; cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add vanilla; cool. Cover bottom of 9x13-inch pan with graham cracker crumbs; place sliced bananas over crumbs. Cut ice cream in 6 crosswise pieces; place these over bananas and cover this with chocolate sauce. Top with whipped cream; sprinkle pecans over top. Freeze. Serves 15 to 18 people.

Strawberry Pizza

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 sticks butter, softened

½ cup powdered sugar

8 oz. soft cream cheese

1 can Eagle brand condensed milk

½ cup lemon juice

2 lbs. frozen strawberries (or fresh)

5 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch

Whipped cream

Nuts

Crust: Mix flour, butter and powdered sugar. Press onto a pizza pan (non-perforated). Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool. Filling: Combine cream cheese, milk and lemon juice. Spread on cooled crust. Topping: Mix strawberries and cornstarch. Cook until thick and clear. Cool. Spread on top of filling. Top with whipped cream and nuts. This can be cut into squares is need-be, but it looks great cut into pizza slices.