Fresh Fruit Salad with Pomegranate Syrup

One of my top fruit salads, looks beautiful and tastes amazing!!   Found from a magazine over 5 years ago and love it still.

Makes 8 cups
Prep time: 20 min.
Cook 5 min.

1/3 cup pomegranate juice (often I find and sometimes I buy a frozen pomegrante/cranberry blend of
juice to make up)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon fresh grated orange zest
2 large navel oranges, sectioned
2 kiwis, peeled, halved and sliced
1 large banana, sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 Red Delicious apple, cored and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 large pear, cored and cute into 1/2 inch slices
1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored and cubed
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)


1) Combine pomegranate juice and sugar in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 5 min. Remove from heat and stir in orange zest.  Let cool to room temperature.

2) Combine oranges, kiwis, banana, apples, pear, pineapple, and pomegranate seeds in a bowl; pour syrup over fruit and toss to coat.

Per serving: 184 calorites, 0 fat, 1 g protein, 47 g carbs; 3 g fiber, 5 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol

Cherry Chocolate Torte

I'm not even a huge cherry chocolate fan but I was after making this cake!

Delicious whipcream/cream cheese mixture, and it is delicious!

from THE Essential Mormon Cookbook pg. 126

1 chocolate or German chocolate cake mix
1.5 pints whipping cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1.5 tsp. vanilla
1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling
1 (6 ounce) package sliced almonds, toasted
slivered almonds

 Bake cake in 2 greased round cake pans, following instructions on the box.  Cool completely. Remove from pans and place on waxed paper.  Freeze for easier frosting.  Whip cream and set aside in refrigerator.  Cream the cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla.  Carefully fold the cream cheese mixture and the whipped cream together.  Remove cakes from freezer.  Thaw slightly.  Slice cake rounds in half to make 4 layers.  Layer as follow:
1st layer: cream cheese mixture and half of the sliced almonds
2nd layer: cream cheese mixture and half of the cherry pie filling
3rd layer: cream cheese mixture and the remaining sliced almonds
for the top: use a large cake decorating tip to make a fancy ridge around top layer or make a one-inch border by spreading frosting.  Spoon remaining cherries on top.  Frost sides with rest of cream cheese mixture.  Decorate sides of cake with slivered almonds.

Makes 12 servings.
Need to eat up with in 24 hours due to the layering, fruit, and whipcream mixture!

Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

12 slices french bread cut into 1" cubes

16 oz cream cheese cut into cubes

1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

12 eggs

1/3 c. maple syrup

2 c. milk

Grease 9x13 pan, put half of the bread cubes in pan.  Scatter cream cheese cubes on bread, then sprinkle blueberries on top.  Scatter remaining bread cubes on top of berries.  In a large bowl whisk together eggs, syrup and milk. Pour over bread mixture.  Cover and chill overnight.  Preheat oven to 350 and bake covered for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake 30 more minutes.

Syrup:

1 c. sugar

2 T cornstarch

1 c. water

1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

1 T butter

In small saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch and water on medium high.  Cook stirring for 5 minutes.  Stir in berries and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add butter and stir until melter.  Serve with french toast.