Lemon Cheesecake Soirées

 Hello friends!! I am soooo excited to share this new recipe with you today!!! I've been anxious for summer, fresh fruit and lemonade stands and this dessert has just the right amount of sunshine to brighten your day and bring a little summer to YOU! 

This treat originally came about because two awesome ladies - Jen at Four Marrs and One Venus and Julie at White Lights on Wednesday are hosting a fun “Get Your Chef On” cooking contest!
{Think Iron Chef for bloggers!}

The secret ingredient: LEMONS!

Yikes! When life gives me lemons, I only know how to make lemonade {or get the tequila and salt!} So this contest was a real challenge for me! BUT I am so excited, because after some experimentation and thought, I now have a new favorite summery LEMON dessert!!

I call these lovelies “Lemon Cheesecake Soirées” because they are made with lemon, my favorite flavor: cheesecake, and soirées, because it means party!

SOOO, let’s get this lemon party started!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-2 lemons {More if you're putting them in the little lemon cups shown above!}
• A 1 oz. package of cheesecake Jell-o pudding
• Nilla Wafers
• Cool Whip

{Yeah, really. That’s it!}

STEP – BY – STEP

1. Make the pudding according to the package directions.

2. Squeeze one lemon into the thickened pudding.




3. After you squeeze out the lemon juice from your lemon, cut out the inner pulp so you have an empty lemon shell, like so:




4. Place one nilla wafer at the bottom of your lemon shell.




5. Spoon the lemon cheesecake pudding right to the tippy top of the shell!! Then place in the refrigerator to, you know, CHILL-ax. ;o) {Can make about 12-16 of these lemon treats in the lemon shells or 8-12 servings if placed in a pan.}



6. Now, this baby is ready to eat after about 5 minutes in the refrigerator. HOWEVER, I’ll let you in on a little secret… Let this dessert set in the refrigerator for about 2-3 hours - or more. This lets the nilla wafer inside soften to the perfect soft crust-like texture and blends oh so deliciously with the lemon cheesecake flavor! {And the flavor from the lemon rind gets a chance to sink in even more!} If you want the wafer crunchy – 5 minutes to an hour and ta-da! If you want a softer wafer, let the dessert sit in the refrigerator longer. But either way, you can’t lose! This treat is a winner!!!

Putting this treat in the lemon shell really adds a special touch, but if you want to make this for a group or party {or Mother's Day! Hint hint}:
line the bottom of a 2 Qrt. baking pan with a single layer of nilla wafers, pour the the pudding mixture evenly on top of the wafers and frost with cool whip!

I know I’ll be making this treat at many friendly gatherings in the future!
My 11 year old son even said, “Mom, these are so good you should open up a dessert shop next to Sprinkles Cupcakes!” Well now, either he loves me THAT much – or they’re THAT good! I’ll let you be the judge! ;o) 

And I hope next time life hands you lemons...

 you turn them into Lemon Cheesecake Soirées! ;o)

Check out the rest of the "Get Your Chef On" recipes here!




These lemons are joining other soirées at Tip Junkie; Delightful Order; Tidy Mom and Tatertots and Jello