Red, White and Blue

This was a ridiculously simple recipe to make. I feel kinda silly even calling it a "recipe" because it really is that easy. I guess you could call it "semi-homemade" but I hate that phrase, so I won't :-) I made this along with 3 other things for 4th of July BBQ at my mom's this weekend.

I was busy all day Saturday and most of the day on Sunday getting things ready for my mom's birthday (Monday the 5th) and for our holiday BBQ so this needed to be simple. I was going to make a brownie/fruit pizza with a sweetened cream cheese topping but I thought I'd bake it into a rectangular pan and decorate it as a flag, because I'm cheesy like that. ha!

Obviously there are 50 stars and 13 stripes on an American flag so this is NOT up to regulations but it was fun. I got Mr. H rinsing, hulling, slicing and drying the berries while I was mixing up the cream cheese mixture. Thanks Babe! It's important to ensure that your berries are dry when you place them on the frosting or they'll bleed into the white background. We just placed them cut side down on a paper towel to absorb the excess liquid and that worked well.

This brownie dessert was good. It's not a gourmet recipe by any means but sometimes good and simple is just what you need. If you don't want to make a flag on top then use your favorite fruit and scatter it about. The chocolate, cream cheese and the fruit was a nice combination. It was sweet and creamy and tart and would be good any time of year to show your American pride. Speaking of... Janet's son just came home from Afghanistan. Welcome home Brandon!

Berry Brownie Flag from Monica H

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• 1 box brownie mix (plus water, eggs and oil called for on package)
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Bake one pouch of brownies in a 9x13-inch pan according to box directions. Or use your favorite brownie recipe. Allow to cool completely and set aside.

In small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar together with electric mixer on medium speed til creamy and smooth. Add heavy cream and vanilla and mix til fluffy and well incorporated.

Spread mixture evenly over cooled brownie base. Fill in the top left corner with blueberries. Arrange the strawberries in rows over cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chilled. Cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator.