Norman Rockwell

Norman Rockwell 

Feb. 3, 1894 - Nov. 8, 1978

illustrator and painter

Rockwell illustrated the covers for The Saturday Evening Post for 47 years.. 321 covers in all. The public loved his often humorous depiction of American life.  There are so many iconic pictures to chose from but have always liked his self-portrait pictured above. 

I just happen to own Rockwell's picture titled : Surprise. This picture shows a teacher getting a birthday surprise from her class. A teacher friend many years ago gave me this picture on my birthday. Today I thought it fitting to bake a birthday dessert in Rockwell's honor.

 Pistachio Cream Dessert

Cook's notes: I have added alternatives in the ingredient list to reduce calories in this dessert. Strawberries could be substituted for the raspberries in the sauce. 

Recipe adapted from Pillsbury Holiday Baking

Ingredients:

Crust

• 1-1/2 cup crushed vanilla wafer cookies (about 35 and use food processor to grind into fine crumbs
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts 
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 TB. melted butter

Filling

• 1 package 8 oz. softened cream cheese (or use fat free)
• 1 box (4 serving size) pistachio instant pudding and pie mix
• 1-1/4 cups 2% milk (or use skim milk)
• 1 container 8 oz. Cool Whip (or use fat free) you will have some left over

Sauce

• 1 package (10 oz.) frozen raspberries in syrup thawed
• 1 TB. sugar
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 2 TB. Grand Marnier or 2 TB orange juice
• 1 pint of raspberries

Directions:

Crust

• Crush vanilla wafer cookies in food processor and add cinnamon, butter and walnuts
• Pulse a few times to mix
• Pat into a springform pan or 8 inch square glass pan
• Bake 7 minutes @375 and let pan cool

Filling

• In a bowl on low mix cream cheese, pudding mix and milk
• Continue mixing then on medium speed till well blended
• Fold in 2-1/2 cups Cool Whip with rubber spatula
• Add filling mixture to cooled crust and refrigerate at least 4 hours  

Sauce

• Place colander over sauce pan and empty Raspberry packet syrup
• To this syrup whisk in 2 tsp. cornstarch and then add in rest of raspberries mixture
• Cook over low heat till mixture is thickened
• Add Grand Marnier or orange juice
• Fold in 1 pint of raspberries and refrigerate mixture till serving

To serve

Add 1 large tablespoon raspberry sauce over top of each piece when serving.

Optional to add a dollop of Cool Whip which recipe called for but I did not think necessary