By Paula Dream (AKA Kale Haygood)

Well, it looks as though Spring has sprung. The azaleas are busy blooming and, of course, my black car is bright yellow, the white one is yellow, and the yellow one is brighter yellow.

Spring has also got my sweet tooth going crazy so it is only fitting that I share the simplest of the simple sweet treat recipes in this issue. My philosophy is: If its got cream cheese in it, it has to low calories. Right?

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I enjoy making and eating them. Time to go run my traps!

NO BAKE PEACH PIE
6 packages crunchy granola bars (11 single bars)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese
3 containers (6 ounces) peach yogurt
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1-1/2 cups sliced peaches, fresh or frozen

Place granola bars to blender or food processor and blend until crumbs are fine. Remove to a bowl, reserving one tablespoon for topping. Stir melted butter into crumb bowl and mix until well combined. Press mixture into a sprayed nine-inch pie plate. Using the backside of a tablespoon, firmly press crust on the bottom and up sides of pie plate. Freeze for 10 minutes. Place cream cheese in the microwaveable mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds to soften. Add yogurt and sugar to mixing bowl and beat one minute until smooth and creamy. Fold in peaches, saving a few for topping. Spread filling evenly over piecrust. Top with peaches and crumbs. Refrigerate for two hours before serving.

MORE THAN EASY CARROT CAKE
1 box vanilla instant pudding
1-1/2 cups milk
1 box yellow cake mix
2 cups carrots, grated
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (or more, to taste)
Pinch of ground cloves and nutmeg
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of 13″x 9″ baking dish. In a large bowl, beat pudding mix and milk with whisk for two minutes. Stir in cake mix, carrots, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Spread evenly in baking dish. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Cool completely. In a large bowl beat cream cheese and butter with the mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally until smooth and creamy. Beat in vanilla and powdered sugar until well combined. Spread frosting evenly over cooled cake.

RASPBERRY-LEMON CREAM CHEESE COBBLER
6 cups frozen raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 package (8 ounces) cold cream cheese, cut in 1/2″ cubes
1 box lemon cake mix
3/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoon powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, toss raspberries in sugar and spread evenly in a sprayed 13″ x 9″ baking dish. Top evenly with cubed cream cheese, then sprinkle evenly with dry cake mix. Pour melted butter over top, covering as much of the cake mix as possible. Bake 50 to 60 minutes until cake is light brown and bubbling on edges. Cool 10 minutes, and then dust top with powdered sugar.

Paula Dream, AKA Kale Haygood, owns Beyond Service, a Montrose-based, home-cooking catering company. For more information, call 713-805-4106 or email barrykale@yahoo.com.