Strawberry Cheesecake Parfait

This recipe is well suited to the weekend cook as it’s to the novice.

Strawberry Cheesecake Parfait Recipe

Strawberry Cheesecake Parfait

16 oz. strawberries, coarsely chopped into ½ inch pieces

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. orange juice

1 tsp. orange zest

4 oz. Neufchatel cheese

6 oz. nonfat vanilla yogurt

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

1 large graham cracker (1 rectangle or 2 squares), crushed into crumbs

Combine strawberries, sugar, orange juice and zest in a bowl and allow to sit at room temperature 20 to 45 minutes.

Beat Neufchatel, yogurt and confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and silken.

Build the parfait in clear glasses;  Start with a layer of strawberries, top with the creamy cheese mixture, sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs and repeat, ending with a spoonful of cream cheese mixture topped with a strawberry.  Refrigerate until serving.            2 serving

(Recipe for Strawberry Cheesecake Parfait was in Newsday, Thursday, May 9, 2013)