Patriotic Pastries

Recipe: Easy Cheese Danish

Source: The Orange Strainer

Time: 45 minutes total

Ease: 2

Taste: 8

Leftover Value: 6

Down the Drain or Keep in the Strainer:  Keep it in the Strainer!

I love pastries.  Especially ones that involve cheese and/or fruit.  The instant fruit is added into the equation the pastry becomes healthy and good for you.  Good enough that it's okay to eat three or four pieces.

I promise.

This recipe is so easy and involves so little ingredients, you'll feel like there should be more to it.

All you need is:
-1 cup powdered sugar
-A box of pie crusts
-8oz cream cheese
-Strawberries
-Blueberries

Preheat the oven to 450.

Lay out the pie crust on a clean surface.

Cut it in half and then into quarters.

Then cut a line straight through the middle.

With each piece fold down the corners and crimp the edges with your fingers.

The curved pieces are the hardest, they won't conform.  They're rebels without a cause.

Lay out the pastry pieces on a pan.  Put in the oven for nine minutes.

While the pastry pieces are in oven cut up your strawberries.  I cut mine into eighths.  But if you want honkin' huge strawberry pieces, go bigger.

Put cream cheese in the mixer and soften it up a little.

This would look better if I was making a larger batch.  One 8oz block of cream cheese isn't much for my super duper Kitchen Aid mixer.

Add 1 cup of powdered sugar.  Don't run out like me and have to drive over to your mother's to borrow some.

Mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until they are smooth and creamy.
(This cream cheese mixture comes from my good friend Anita's Cherry Cheesecake recipe.  It is to die for.  I could eat a whole pie in one sitting.  Delicious).

After your pastry pieces have finished cooking, allow them to cool for about 5 minutes.  Then, spread the cream cheese mixture on top.

Do not top with fruit until every pastry has a thick coating of cream cheese spread.  

I like to be fair to all pastry pieces.

Top with the cut up strawberries and blueberries.

Sigh at the beauty and ease of making this delicious treat.  Then tell all your friends and family how difficult it was while they sing your praises.