Well, I hope that everyone else is dry and enjoying the warmer spring weather! Here in Texas, we're getting nothing but rain. Not that I'm complaining, I mean... let's face it, we need it desperately still just as most of the rest of the country does.

Despite the weather, I'm still dead-set on getting my grill on this week (even with it raining me out of my own backyard.) Thank goodness for indoor grills though! It has been my best friend for a few days now since I had something planned nearly every day this week that was intended to be grilled. Thank you, mother nature.

To further brighten up the rather dreary weather here in Austin, and with my lovely mother heading into town for the weekend, I decided that we needed something sweet in our lives. Something fresh and familiar but maybe with a new twist.

Almost every year around spring and/or summer, my mom and I will get together and make these wonderful Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes. They always remind me of Strawberry Shortcake. So, that got me on the Strawberry Shortcake path. But, how do you put a twist on something that is so classic? Grilling, of course!

I kept all of the traditions of a shortcake and put them on a skewer; fresh strawberries and Sara Lee Poundcake to be sure. Once skewered, I tossed them onto my indoor grill to get that cake good and warm; just starting to caramelize and crisp the outer edges. Yum!

Since our cupcakes were always filled with a bit of cream cheese, I thought whipping the traditional Cool Whip Whipped Topping from shortcakes with cream cheese would make for an excellent lighter cheesecake dip for the kabobs! For me, Sara Lee and Cool Whip are trusted brands that offer a delicious and simple way to make any Mom feel special.

I love that Sara Lee frozen desserts are made with real, quality ingredients. With the easy addition of Cool Whip Whipped Topping quickly elevates any dessert.

For more Mother's Day inspiration on how to make your mother feel special, check out Sara Lee Desserts and Cool Whip!

Grilled Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs with Skinny Cheesecake Dip
TheSkinnyFork.com

The Skinny:
Servings: 6 • Size: 1 Kabob + 1/4 C. Dip • Calories: 243.7 • Fat: 14.5 g • Carb: 22.9 g • Fiber: 1.1 g • Protein: 4.3 g • Sugar: 13 g • Sodium: 204.8 mg

Ingredients:
Kabobs:
6 Large Strawberries, Quartered
8 Oz. Sara Lee Poundcake, Cubed into 1" Pieces
6 Skewers

Cheesecake Dip:
4 Oz. Neufchatel (1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese), Softened Slightly
3 Tbsp. Fat Free Milk
1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/4 Tsp Lemon Juice
1 C. Cool Whip Whipped Topping

Directions:
Get your skewers ready (if you're using wooden skewers, you'll want to let them sit in water for a few minutes to keep from splintering.)

Spear the strawberries and poundcake however you see fit.

I chose to alternate mine, but you could also put the strawberries on skewers together and poundcake on others together.

Preheat your grill (indoor or outdoor.)

While the grill is heating up, place the 4 Oz. cream cheese into a large bowl or the bottom of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment; beat until smooth and creamy.

Slowly add in the 3 Tbsp. milk, 1/2 Tsp. vanilla, and 1/4 Tsp. lemon juice.

Once well blended, add in the 1 C. of Cool Whip and continue to beat until everything is well incorporated.

As a side note: Any remaining Cool Whip can be kept in the fridge for two weeks after defrosting, so there's no worry of wasting it!

Set the dip in the fridge to remain cold.

You can find Sara Lee Desserts and Cool Whip Whipped Topping products in the frozen foods section at your local Walmart!

Once the grill is good and hot, place the skewers over the heat and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, flipping 3-4 times to get all sides.

When done, remove carefully from the grill.

Serve with chilled cheesecake dip and enjoy!