with chocolate filling and chocolate dipped options ** NO BAKE **
These are one of my favorite pick-up desserts to serve company, especially if you're having a dessert buffet table.
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
16 (about 1 lb.) whole stemmed strawberries
8 graham cracker squares, finely crushed (about 2/3 cup)
In mixer bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and lemon peel until smooth and creamy; set aside. Using paring knife or small melon baller, partially hollow out top of strawberries to a depth of 3/4 inch. Gently fill each with 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture. Roll tops into graham cracker crumbs. Arrange on serving platter. Makes 16 servings.
For CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE variation, melt 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels as package directs; stir into one 8-ounce package cream cheese (softened). Add 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Proceed as recipe directs, rolling filled strawberries into finely crushed graham crackers or chocolate wafer cookies.
** Tip: To prepare recipe ahead of time, fill strawberries with cream cheese mixture; cover and refrigerate up to 6 hours. Roll in graham cracker crumbs just before serving.
CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY VARIATION:
Melt 1 (12 oz) bag chocolate chips with 1 TB vegetable oil in saucepan until melted and smooth. BEFORE FILLING, dip each strawberry into chocolate about ¾ ways up; let excess drip off and put on cookie sheet (lined with wax paper) ~ refrigerate for several hours. After chocolate is set, cut off the tops of berries, hollow out and fill as above. OMIT crushed graham crackers