By Paula Dream (AKA Kale Haygood)

Hello, guys! Hope you have a sweet tooth this publication, because after trying these recipes you are sure to want more (just like me and my boys). If it’s good you’ll always want seconds.

Back when (way back when!) I was just a little girl, my mother would always ask what kind of birthday cake I wanted. My reply was always, “No cake. I want a lemon ice box pie.”

She made the best. I’ve tried to replicate her recipe, which I am passing on to you. Hope I got it right. Hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I enjoy making them. Stay cool and please remember our advertisers.

MY MOM’S LEMON ICE BOX PIE

Filling:
1 box vanilla wafer cookies
3 egg yolks (save whites for topping)
2 (8 ounces) cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
10 ounces evaporated milk
10 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 cup fresh lemon juice

Topping:
3 egg whites
5 teaspoon sugar

Coat bottom and sides of 8-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Line bottom and sides, in single layer with vanilla wafers. Combine remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat ingredients until smooth with an electric mixer. Pour Spread mixture evenly over vanilla wafer. In another mixing bowl, combine egg whites and sugar and beat with electric mixer until stiff, or until you make peaks. Do not over-beat. Spread evenly over pie filling making some peaks. Place pie in a 400-degree oven and bake just until peaks are slightly browned. Refrigerate for four hours before serving.

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 cup 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 in to a sprayed nine-inch pie late. Using the backside of a tablespoon, firmly press crust on bottom and up sides of pie plate. Freeze for 10 minutes. Place cream cheese in microwaveable mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds to softened. 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.

BROWN BUTTER SUGAR COOKIE PEACH COBBLER

Fruit base:
5 cups frozen sliced peaches, thawed
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons butter, softened in 1/2 inch cubes

Cookie topping:
1/2 cups butter
1 pouch sugar cookie mix
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1 tablespoon course sparkling sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 13″x9″ pan with cooking spray. Scatter peaches evenly in pan. Sprinkle sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and lemon juice evenly over top of peaches. Stir to combine. Top evenly with butter cubes. In a quart saucepan heat 1/2 cup butter over medium heat for eight to 10 minutes, stirring often until light golden brown. Pour in to large bowl. Stir in cookie mix, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and egg with wooden spoon until dough forms. Spoon dough in tablespoons evenly over peach mixture. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until edges are golden brown. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

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.