Fruit Pizza

I just love fruit and fresh fruit is always a tell tale sign to me that spring and good things are just around the corner! I keep thinking if I load my fridge with fresh veggies and fruits that it will bring out the warm weather! So far, it hasn't worked.

Nothing like a refreshing dessert. Fruit pizza has a sweet tender dough. A sugar cookie dough, topped with a smoothe cream cheese tart frosting and the brightness of any fruit you so desire to top. You can bake this on a pizza round or in a 9x13 pan. I also prefer to have my dough a bit on the thicker side, 'cuz you know; that's how I roll but please feel free to make it anyway your little heart desires.

This dessert was made for our March Birthday celebration and it is always a crowd pleaser. Ann Trujillo made this dessert! Gotta love it!

The recipe is from Allrecipes. And also adapted from two peas and their pod

FRUIT PIZZA

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
Zest of 1 lemon
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Frosting:
1 package cream cheese, softened (8 oz.)
2 T sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T. fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon

Fruit:Strawberries
Blueberries
Peaches
Kiwi

CRUST
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a pizza pan with cooking spray or a 9x13 pan. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 2/3 cup sugar until smooth.
3. Mix in egg, vanilla, and lemon zest.
4. Combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt;
5. Stir into the creamed mixture until just blended.
6. Press dough into pizza pan.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool.
8. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugars, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
9. Spread on the cooled pizza crust.
10. Arrange fruit on top of the pizza. Chill until serving time.

How to choose the perfect lime

A lime is definitey one of the power houses to bring out the flavor of food! It can really brighten up your dish! Limes are in their peak season from May thru August! It is the perfect time to make many dishes and drinks. Limeades being amongst my favorite! Limes are an excellent source of vitamin C, Vitamin C is one of the main antioxidants found in food and the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body.

So here is the quick and easy way on how I choose a lime. Please choose a lime that has no brown spots and is a rich dark green in color. You will want to look at the lime and make sure that the majority of the lime is glossy and smooth and not pitted. There will be some pit marks and texture near the ends but on the majority you want your lime to be smooth and a rich color.

Choose limes that are firm and heavy for their size, free of decay and mold. They should have a glossy skin that is deep green in color; although limes turn more yellow as they ripen, they are at the height of their lively, tart flavor when they are green in color. While brown spots on the skin of limes may not affect their color, limes that are mostly brownish in color should be avoided since this may be an indication that they have "scald" which may cause them to have an undesirable moldy taste.

Storing of limes - Choose limes that are firm and heavy for their size, free of decay and mold. They should have a glossy skin that is deep green in color; although limes turn more yellow as they ripen, they are at the height of their lively, tart flavor when they are green in color. While brown spots on the skin of limes may not affect their color, limes that are mostly brownish in color should be avoided since this may be an indication that they have "scald" which may cause them to have an undesirable moldy taste.

USING
Before cutting the lemon or lime in half horizontally through the center, wash the skin so that any dirt or bacteria residing on the surface will not be transferred to the fruit's interior. While you could remove any visible seeds before juicing the halves, you could also wait until after the process is complete, since there are bound to be some seeds that reside deeper and are not visible from the surface. The juice can then be extracted in a variety of ways. You can either use a juicer, reamer or do it the old fashioned way, squeezing by hand.

Caramel Apples

The recipe makes a glossy caramel coating that sticks to the apples without pulling out your fillings.

1 1/2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
6 tbsp. water
Popsicle sticks
8 to 10 apples (Granny Apples)

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the brown sugar and water. Stir until it has a smooth consistency. Gently bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 3 minutes, until the pan's sides get steamy and the mixture is thin but somewhat sticky. Remove from heat. Pierce the center of each apple with a Popsicle stick, then swirl in the caramel syrup until coated. Place apples on a greased cookie sheet to harden. Refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hours. Serves 8 to 10.

Variations:: Once your apples are dipped into the caramel gently roll each apple in toppings and drizzle with the melted chocolates.
Chopped peanuts
melted white chocolate
melted dark chocolate
sprinkles
mini chocolate chips
coconut flakes
miniature marshmellows
crushed oreos
crushed pretzels