Zesty Key Lime-Cilantro Fruit Salad

It occurs to me that my last five or so cooking posts have all contained sugar!  Mea culpa, mea culpa.  Today I shall give you one that's not only healthier than that, but perfectly cool for the blistering heat we've all been enduring.  Use other fruits (and amounts) if you prefer.  Some chopped jicama and sliced almonds would be a nice addition, as well.  And be sure to use the dressing on your favorite lettuce sometime; it will bring that bag of pre-washed greens to life!

Dressing:
1 Cup mayonnaise
1/2 Cup plain yogurt
1/2 Cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 Cup green salsa, mild or spicy
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
2 Tbsp. lime juice
rind of 2 limes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

4 Cups chopped melon (honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon)
2 Cups chopped fresh pineapple
2 Cups sliced strawberries
2 Cups red or green seedless grapes
1 Cup blueberries

1. Whirl all dressing ingredients in a blender; chill thoroughly (it will thicken).  Add additional hot sauce or cayenne pepper if you want it spicier.
2. Toss all fruit in a large bowl with the dressing, and serve on lettuce leaves.

Easy Tropical Sherbet

Summertime means cool and creamy, so today I'm giving you a super easy go-to dessert that will wow your company.  It only has three ingredients.  Yes, THREE!  And you don't need an ice cream maker, blender, mixer, or sauce pan.  Here's a picture:

This shows it topped with blueberries, but that's optional.  Another great thing about this "sorbet"-style dessert is that you can use any fruit juice you want-- mango, grape, cranberry, pomegranate, lemonade.  My favorite happens to be Dole's Pineapple-Orange-Banana blend.  

Here's what you need:

2 Cups any fruit juice (but trust me, that Dole blend is the best for this)

1 Cup sugar

2 Cups whipping cream (not whipped)

In a bowl, stir the juice and sugar until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the cream.  Pour into a 9x5-inch loaf pan, or a square 9-inch pan.  Freeze exactly 4 hours before you're ready to serve it.  This way it will be almost firm.  If you wait too long it will be too hard, so time it right. 

I haven't won any awards with this one, but I've definitely received rave reviews!  (Looks great in a goblet, by the way)