Help! I need dessert ideas I can make ahead of time

C

cindy

Well-known member
for a BBQ next Sunday. There will be 48 people.

I already made Pizzels (pizzles?) (Pitzels?).

The caterer is bringing Brownies.

I would love to be able to get it all done Tuesday. So, any good ideas I can freeze til then, or not.Anyway, I know all of you have great ideas, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks!

 
These are tried and trued, and very versatile You can use store-bought cookies...

I have used chocolate wafers and gingersnaps, and they were very good. To lift it up to a new level, homemade cookie crusts would be excellent. Maybe the oreo cookie Ang posted above?
Lemon squares are always good and popular.
Don't forget shortbread...yum!

* Exported from MasterCook *

Mini-Cheesecakes

Recipe By :Sue/SanDiego
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cheesecakes Cookies
Desserts

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

12 vanilla wafers
2 packages cream cheese -- (8 oz.) softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

Line muffin tin with foil liners. Place one vanilla wafer in each liner. Mix cream cheese, vanilla and sugar on medium speed until well-blended. Add eggs. Mix well. Pour over wafers, filling 3/4 full. Bake 25 minutes at 325°F. Remove from pan when cool. Chill. Top with fruit preserves, nuts or chocolate.
You may substitute similar cookie of your choice.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 
With the brownies already coming, I'd have lots of ice cream handy...

or a bundt cake would freeze well, as would cupcakes or most cookies.

 
Thanks Cheezz, I'm hoping for some make-ahead cookie ideas,

I'd like to be able to make up trays ahead of time, and do as little as possible once everyone is there.

 
Yes, I have never made this recipe, but it states that you can

use this for ice cream sandwiches. I would freeze them individually and then pack them.

 
Quick, easy, freezable and you can make two different flavours: Jammy Triangles

JAMMY TRIANGLES

A Crisco Recipe

Crust

1 1/2 cups ( 375 ml) all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) quick oats
1/2 cup (125 ml) lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. (2 ml) baking soda
3/4 cup (175 ml) Golden Flavoured Crisco or butter or margarine
2 tbsp. (30 ml) water
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) raspberry or apricot jam

Drizzle (optional)

1 1/4 c .(300 ml) sifted icing sugar
1 tbsp. (15 ml) milk
1 tbsp. (15 ml) lemon juice

Crust

Preheat oven to 350°F. (190°C)
Combine flour, oats, brown sugar and baking soda in large bowl.
Cut in crisco until coarse crumbs form. Reserve 1 3/4 cups (425 ml) for the top. Set aside.
Drizzle water over remaining crumbs. Toss to mix.
Press firmly in ungreased 13” x 9” (3.5 L) cake pan. Spread jam evenly over the crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Pat gently.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden. Cool in pan.

Drizzle

Combine all ingredients stirring until smooth. Drizzle over crust. Cut into triangles or bars.

Hint: Cool thoroughly before cutting. Bars will cut more easily and keep their shape better.

Good for freezing.

 
Triple-Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY OATMEAL COOKIES

Makes about 30.

Chunks of fresh cranberries and dark, milk, and white chocolate chips dress up oatmeal cookies for the holidays.

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries

(I used dried cranberries. You could substitute dried cherries. )

2 ounces milk chocolate or white chocolate, chopped (for drizzling) (Not really necessary.)

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in large bowl until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture and oats and stir until blended. Stir in all chocolate chips and cranberries.

Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are light brown, about 16 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely.

Stir chopped milk chocolate in top of double boiler until melted and smooth. Using small spoon, drizzle melted chocolate over cookies in zigzag pattern. Let stand until milk chocolate sets, about 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

Bon Appétit
December 2004

Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.

These cookies freeze well.

 
No baking required and freezable. Nanaimo Bars

CAPPUCINO NANAIMO BARS - no custard powder needed!
Recipe by Canadian Living Magazine

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup minced walnuts (toasted-if you have time)

Filling:
2 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp instant coffee or espresso powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups icing sugar (aka powdered or confectioners)

Topping:

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped coarsely
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp instant espresso powder

Combine first 4 ingredients in heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, until butter is melted.

Remove from heat, stir in crumbs, coconut and nuts.

Pat evenly into greased 9" square baking dish. Bake 10-12 min at 350F, until just firm. Cool.

Filling: In small saucepan, heat milk and next 3 ingred. until butter is melted. Transfer to mixing bowl and cool. Beat in sugar, beat until thickened and smooth; spread evenly over cooled base. Chill until firm, about 45 min.

Topping: Melt together all ingred in double boiler over simmering water; stir until smooth. Spread evenly over filling.

Score topping (only) into bars with sharp knife.

Chill until topping is set and cut into bars.

Makes 24 - about 190 cal, 12 g fat, 2 g prot.

Can be kept in fridge 5 days, freezer 1 month.

BASIC NANAIMO BARS

use your imagination to flavour the filling....

Base:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
5 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Filling:
1/3 cup butter
3 Tbsp custard powder
1/4 cup milk
3 cups icing sugar

Topping:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 Tbsp butter

Base: melt butter in heavy saucepan. Stir in sugar and cocoa until smooth. Whisk egg w/vanilla and stir into butter mixture. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut and nuts. Press evenly over bottom of greased 9" square pan. Chilluntil set, at least 20 min.

Filling: Beat butter with wooden spoon until light. Beat in custard powder and milk. Gradually beat in sugar. Spread over chilled base and let set in fridge.

Topping: Melt together chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Spread in even layer over chilled filling. Score topping into bars.

Chill until set.

Store in fridge.

Makes 36, 164 cal, 10 g fat, 1.5 g prot

 
This is fantastic and ultra refreshing: Lemon Ice Cream Surprise:

(You can freeze this way in advance).
(I wanted a stronger lemon taste, so I added much more lemonade (about 4 oz/1/2 cup more). This, of course, made the ice cream a lot thinner than it was supposed to be, but it still came out great. Next time I may make a fresh lemon juice/sugar syrup (the listed amount of 6 oz/3/4 cup), instead of the lemonade, and see how it turns out OR I may add some finely grated lemon zest to the original amount of lemonade).

LEMON ICE CREAM SURPRISE

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup margarine, melted (I used unsalted butter)
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
1 (6.00 ounces) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix graham cracker crumbs and melted margarine (or butter).
2. Spread evenly in the bottom of your dish. (Poster uses an 8" square glass baking dish -
I used an 8" square metal pan).
3. Thoroughly mix together vanilla ice cream with lemonade concentrate.
4. Pour ice cream mixture onto prepared crust.
5. Freeze at least 4 hours before serving. (I recommend covering the pan and freezing overnight).

9 servings

posted by Mer - Recipezaar

 
Another great one: Key Lime Cheesecake Squares

(Although I used regular limes, this was slightly too tart for me, (key limes definitely would have been too tart for me), so next time I'll add an extra tablespoon or so of sugar. I didn't make the crust as written, since I didn't have vanilla wafers on hand, but made a simple graham cracker crust instead).

KEY LIME CHEESECAKE SQUARES

INGREDIENTS:

CRUST
1/2 cup crushed graham wafers or graham wafer crumbs
1/2 cup crushed vanilla wafers or vanilla wafer crumbs
1/4 cup ground blanched almonds
1/4 cup butter

FILLING
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
1/2 cup key lime juice, freshly squeezed (I used regular limes)
1 teaspoon tapioca starch or cornstarch (I used cornstarch)

DIRECTIONS:

CRUST
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
In a mixing bowl, combine graham wafer crumbs, vanilla wafer crumbs and ground almonds.
Cut in butter using a pastry blender or a fork until mixture is crumbly.
Prepare a 9 inch x 9 inch oven-proof casserole dish by spraying inside with a vegetable spray.
Press wafer mixture firmly in bottom of casserole dish.
Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 15 minutes.

FILLING
In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat softened cream cheese, sugar and egg until smooth.
Add lime juice, grated lime zest and tapioca starch and beat until smooth and creamy.
Spread mixture evenly over baked crust.
Return to oven and bake at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes or until set.
Cool on wire rack.
Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares to serve.
If desired, decorate top of cheesecake with pieces of lime or halved small fresh strawberries or quartered maraschino cherries (red and green).
You can also use regular lime juice or use bottled key lime juice.

Chef William (Uncle Bill) Anatooskin - Recipezaar

 
The homemade oreos were a BIG hit and can be made a week ahead. Even frozen. and easier than they

sound.

 
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