When Mother Nature comes alive again in spring, she shows her palest colors first: blossom pink, pale yellow, golden apricot and creamy white. So why not celebrate with delicious desserts in hues that capture the spirit of spring?

Hosting a dessert party is a great way to entertain. You can make everything ahead of time – before guests arrive. And they’ll enjoy the casual ambience of a beautiful buffet laden with all their sweet favorites.

Spread your table with a creamy white or pastel tablecloth. Arrange your desserts on glass cake stands, pale pastel platters, or vintage Depression glass serving plates. Fill large and small vases with spring flowers and blossoming branches. Or simply fill a rustic basket with pots of blooming daffodils or tulips for an easy centerpiece. Use a punch bowl or a pitcher to serve a chilled fruity drink. Then sit back and enjoy your own spring time dessert party.

Lemon Icebox Pie

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Chill Time: 3 hours

Makes one 9-inch pie

11/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 40 wafers)

1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

13/4 cups water, divided

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

1 (3-ounce) package or 6 tablespoons presweetened lemonade-flavor drink crystals

1. Combine crumbs and margarine; press firmly on bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Chill.

2. Meanwhile, in small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup water; let stand 1 minute. Over low heat, stir until gelatin dissolves; set aside.

3. In medium mixing bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, remaining 11/2 cups water and lemonade crystals; mix well. Stir in gelatin mixture. Pour into prepared crust.

4. Chill at least 3 hours or until set. Garnish as desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

Mini Cheesecakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 20 minutes

Chill Time: 2 hours

Makes about 2 dozen

11/2 cups graham cracker or chocolate wafer crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine crumbs, sugar and margarine; press equal portions onto bottoms of 24 lightly greased* or paper-lined muffin cups.

2. In large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Spoon equal amounts of mixture (about 3 tablespoons) into prepared cups.

3. Bake 20 minutes or until cakes spring back when lightly touched. Cool. Chill. Garnish with fresh fruits, candies, whipped topping or chocolate curls as desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

If greased muffin cups are used, cool baked cheesecakes. Freeze 15 minutes, remove from pans. Proceed as above.

Chocolate Topping: In small saucepan, over low heat, melt 2 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate with 1/4 cup whipping cream. Cook and stir until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat. Top cheesecake with chocolate glaze; chill.

Variation: Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes: Add 1 (6-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup), melted, to batter; mix well. Proceed as above. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Coconut custard pie

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 48 minutes (total)

Makes one 9-inch pie

1 cup flaked coconut, divided

1 (9-inch) unbaked pastry shell

3 eggs

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

11/4 cups hot water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toast 1/2 cup coconut 5 minutes or until lightly brown; set aside.

2. Bake pastry shell 8 minutes; cool slightly. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat eggs. Add sweetened condensed milk, water, vanilla, salt and nutmeg; mix well. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup coconut. Pour into pastry shell. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.

3. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake 25 to 30 minutes longer or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool. Chill if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

Custard Pie: Omit coconut. Proceed as above.

Orange pineapple punch

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Makes about 4 quarts

1 (46-ounce) can pineapple juice, chilled

11/2 cups light rum, optional

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

1 (6-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

2 (32-ounce) bottles ginger ale

Orange Sherbet

Orange slices

Mint leaves

1. In large punch bowl, combine all ingredients except ginger ale and sherbet.

2. Just before serving, gradually add ginger ale; stir. Top with scoops of sherbet, orange slices and mint.

Coconut macaroons

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Bake Time: 17 minutes

Makes about 4 dozen

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 to 11/2 teaspoons almond extract

2 (7-ounce) packages flaked coconut (51/3 cups)

1. Preheat oven 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with foil; grease and flour foil. Set aside.

2. In large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and almond extract. Stir in coconut. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto foil-lined sheets; with spoon, slightly flatten each mound.

3. Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until golden. Remove from baking sheets; cool on wire rack. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Variations:

Macaroon Chocolate Drops: Prepare and bake as above. Press solid milk chocolate candy star in center of each macaroon immediately after baking.

Chocolate: Omit almond extract. Add 4 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted. Proceed as above.

Chocolate Chip: Omit almond extract. Add 1 cup mini-chocolate chips. Proceed as above.

Cherry Nut: Omit almond extract. Add 1 cup chopped nuts and 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry syrup. Press maraschino cherry half into center of each macaroon before baking.

Rum Raisin: Omit almond extract. Add 1 cup raisins and 1 teaspoon rum flavoring. Proceed as above.

Almond Brickle: Add 1/2 cup almond brickle chips. Proceed as above. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Cool 3 minutes; remove from baking sheets.

Maple Walnut: Omit almond extract. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts and 1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring. Proceed as above.

Folic acid facts

Comfort foods made from grains not only touch the soul, they also provide a healthy benefit. Grain foods offer a good source of the B vitamin folic acid, which studies show helps prevent debilitating birth defects of the brain and spine, known as neural tube defects (NTDs). Yet, a 2002 March of Dimes study indicated nearly 70 percent of American women of childbearing age fail to take folic acid on a daily basis.

Along with the benefits to mothers-to-be, studies show folic acid offers a variety of health benefits to adults as well.

Studies suggest folic acid may decrease the risk of heart attacks or stroke by reducing high levels of homocysteine, an amino acid associated with coronary disease.

There is research indicating that folic acid may help decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s, Down syndrome and several cancers, including colorectal cancer-the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States.