Try this quick N.C. strawberry dessert

WRAL’s weekly Local Dish cooking segment is on hold while we observe social-distancing guidelines, but Brian Shrader caught up with cooking partner Lisa Prince on Zoom this week.Lisa wanted to share this simple dessert recipe you can try this weekend. It features fresh North Carolina strawberries, which have arrived a little earlier than usual this year, according to N.C. State University. The season is at its peak right now and should continue into late May or early June. Strawberry stands and pick-your-own farms still are allowed to operate in North Carolina, as long as social-distancing guidelines remain in place.After strawberry season ends, you can make this parfait with any North Carolina berries or fruits, Lisa said.Strawberry Parfait Servings: 6Prep Time: 15 minutesTotal Time: 20 minutes

Crush Grahams in a resealable bag.In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.Remove the whipped cream from the mixing bowl and set aside.In the same mixing bowl, replace the whisk attachment with the paddle attachment. Mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped cream evenly, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl completely.Slice strawberries 1/8” thick.Fill 6 small cups or serving dishes with 2 Tbsp. crushed Grahams. Cover with 3 Tbsp. cream cheese filling. Top with 5-6 sliced strawberries.Notes: For this dessert, you can crush any cookies you have on hand for the crust. The amount of or any sugar in the cream cheese mixture can be optional. Use brow or white sugar or even Splenda. If you do not have heavy cream, substitute any kind of whipping cream, or do not use it and the filling will be thicker. ]]>