Lemon Lush is perfect for summer picnics

Anna Mae Stevens of Middleport, Pa., was looking for a recipe she misplaced for something she called Lemon Lush. It was a no-bake dessert made with lemon pudding and whipped topping in a graham-cracker crust.

Her recipe is made with a flour crust, but a graham-cracker crust certainly could be substituted if that was your preference. I added a teaspoon of lemon zest to the pudding mixture just to give it some extra zing. This is an easy make-ahead dessert that would be ideal to serve at just about any summer gathering.

Lemon Lush

Crust:

1 cup flour

¼ pound margarine, melted

½ cup finely chopped nuts

1 tablespoon sugar

Filling:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

2 (8-ounce) containers Cool Whip, thawed (divided use)

2 (3.4-ounce) boxes instant lemon pudding

3 cups milk

2 tablespoons chopped nuts for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. To make the crust, mix flour, margarine, nuts and sugar to form a dough. Press into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake until lightly brown, about 15 minutes. Cool.