It’s a Tasty Tuesday and tomorrow is the 4th of July! And oh my stars do we have a tasty treat for today! I’m calling it Luscious Berries Delight because it is so luscious, and it has berries of all kinds, and I used whatever I could to make this dessert on the “light” side!

This week I took the photos myself, and got lots of help from my family on the direction I wanted to take this recipe, as well as the taste trials! So many thanks to my dear sweet family for their support! And now, lets begin!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 large box (1.5 oz) sugar-free vanilla instant pudding (or could use regular)
• 3 cups skim milk (or could use whole or 2%)
• 1 bar “light” cream cheese (or could use regular) softened.
• 1 qt strawberries
• 1 small container raspberries
• 1 small container blackberries
• 1 small container blueberries
• 3 bananas

Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the stick of butter in a 9 x 13 pan and put in oven until the butter melts.

Gently tilt the pan so the butter can spread to all the sides and corners of the pan.

In a medium bowl, place the graham cracker crumbs and add the 2 Tbsp sugar. Stir.

Spoon the graham cracker mixture into the pan with the melted butter. Using a fork, toss the mixture until it all is coated with the butter. Using the fork, press the dampened crumbs into place in the pan.

Press the crumbs down to form a crust on the base of the pan. Bake for 8 minutes at 350°. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Pour the pudding mix into a medium size bowl, add the milk, and mix with a hand mixer until it is just beginning to thicken.

Add in the cream cheese.

Mix until smooth.

Slice the bananas.

Place the bananas on the cooled crust.

Pour the cream cheese/pudding mixture over the bananas.

Smooth with a rubber spatula.

Add on a layer of Cool Whip.

Now you are ready for the decorating! You can just go random, you can try and make sure a good mix of the berries is dispersed somewhat evenly, or you can try and create a design. I gave it a shot this time. I tried to create something like you might see in a patterned quilt.

Truth, I had a lot of fun doing this!

I found these cute stars napkins and I thought they would be perfect for this occasion!

Shall we serve it up?

It’s a smooth and creamy piece of paradise! You need a spatula rather than a pie server, to help keep the dessert supported from the pan to the plate.

Pardon me, while I drool on the keyboard! Honestly the crust on this is so good!

This one’s for you, my friend!

Oh my!

Guys, this is serious. I am alone with this dessert! You’ve got to help me!

Honestly I had so much fun making this dessert! And I love using all the alternatives possible to make it lower in calories! My husband just kept saying how good it was. He got the first piece (I fumbled it a bit pulling it out of the pan). As soon as he finished, he asked if he could help with another piece! That is how I knew he loved it!

This dessert is so special because you have this creamy base that becomes the glue for all these different lovely berries. And in this tasty dessert, the combination is exquisite.

Our country is full of all kinds of different lovely people, much like the berries in this dessert, And yet, when we come together, work together, laugh together, weep together and celebrate together, then we know we have something truly special. For our differences are not a threat but a treasure to be highly valued. For together we are stronger because of those differences. And that is an exquisitely beautiful thing indeed. I am so honored to be your sister in this great land of ours! And for my dear friends from the other great nations around this world, I am so grateful for our friendships! Isn’t life such a blessing? I am so glad we get to do this life together!

Take care my friend! I’ll be thinking of you tomorrow! Have a wonderful 4th of July!

I’ll be back Friday for another Fashion Friday!

Love Always,

Amy

Oh beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain. For purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.   ~Katharine Lee Bates

I love you, America.