Help: Mother's Day Desert

[Chels]

You would think being from Texas I would have the answer to this but I am out of ideas. For Mother's Day we are going to step out of the norm and have chicken enchiladas, rice, bean & Mexican salad. I am in charge of desert. My mom (and family for that matter) is a desert freak. I need something really great. Any ideas? thanks!

[GayeC]

There is a very good, and not too hard, lemon pie recipe in a recent issue of Bon Appetit (April, I think). It does not require meringue or anything tricky, and has a very good lemon flavor. I don't know if you have to travel to your Mom's house, but this pie would travel pretty well. I'll post it if you are interested. (That particular issue of Bon Appetit has several good-looking dessert recipes.) Gaye

[Beth]

If you've already had too many Texas Sheet cakes, try the Lemon Swirl Cheesecake with the lemon curd. You might also look at the Easter dessert threads and look for some other suggestions. Not knowing if you are transporting or not, favor chocolate or non-chocolate, etc., it's hard to know which direction to go.

[chefbec]

This isn't really Mexican, but we had the Strawberries & Cream cake from the April issue on Sunday (CL supper club) and it was awesome. He even made it a day in advance. Moist, delicious and beautiful. He did say that it baked in less time, so if you make it, check it early.

[foodiedelite]

How about flan? If you need a recipe let me know. It requires a little preparation, but mild flavor goes well with spicy cuisine.

Also, I have a recipe for a lemon sheet cake, too easy to prepare and one gal always describes it as "better than sex." Well, I don't know about that?? We used to fix these for our fishing trips and then tote them along.

[chefbec]

Better than sex, huh? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif Could you please post that when you get a chance? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[Jewel]

I've got a recipe sitting in my drawer that is teasing me every single time I walk by it. It's winking at me... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif saying 'Come on, Honey, I'm waiting patiently for you...' and no matter how BADLY I want to make this for Mothers Day I don't think it's gonna happen. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif For the first time in 8 years I'm actually going to have my mother in my home on Mother's Day, but I'm an evil, bad daughter because....(gasp) I can't find fresh peaches anywhere! I have a lowcal/lowfat recipe for Peach UpsideDown Cake with a gorgeous photo that looks better than a PlayGirl centerfold. Frozen won't work in this cake and there's no way I'd cheat and use Nectarines. All of you Seattle people, tell me where to find fresh peaches before the weekend, please?? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[heidibowman]

For my Cinco de Mayo party I served the Tres Leches cake from the April '01 issue. Very yummy!

BUT...if you have picky people, I'd suggest serving the pieces to the people on individual plates...don't leave it in the pan buffet-style. The milk tends to leech out of the cake and it's not exactly all that appetizing looking.

But it sure as heck does taste GOOD!

[S]

I haven't tried this, but I've heard it is excellent and how can anything with margarita in the name be anything but awsome....

MARGARITA CHEESECAKE
Made with reduced-fat cream cheese and light sour cream, this cheesecake is irresistible - just like its namesake cocktail.
CRUST
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

FILLING
3 8-ounce "bricks" Neufchâtel cheese (reduced-fat cream cheese),
room temperature
1 1/4 cups light sour cream
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons triple sec or other orange liqueur
2 1/2 tablespoons tequila
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 large eggs

TOPPING
3/4 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar

Very thin lime slices, cut in half
Very thin lime peel strips
FOR CRUST: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with vegetable oil spray. Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter in medium bowl until blended. Press crumbs over bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Refrigerate crust.

FOR FILLING: Using electric mixer, beat cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in sour cream, then sugar, triple sec, tequila and lime juice. Beat in eggs.
Pour filling into crust. Bake until outside 2 inches are set and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven; turn off oven.

FOR TOPPING: Whisk sour cream, lime juice and sugar in small bowl to blend. Spread evenly over cheesecake. Return cheesecake to hot oven. Let stand 45 minutes or less (Cheesecake will look very soft, but will set up when chilled.) Refrigerate cake until well chilled, up to 1 day.
Run knife around pan sides. Remove pan sides. Place cake on platter. Arrange lime half-slices and peel around top edge of cheesecake.