Favorite Dessert for a Favorite Friend

This week was another change at the County Extension Office where I worked for so many years. The Office Professional and my good friend Cherie retired after 28 years of handling the details for fairs, 4-H enrollments, agents schedules, newsletters, and many other events. She will be greatly missed, but I know she is looking forward to more 'coffee time' and I'm looking forward to more 'friend time' with her.
In honor of this change, we held a small gathering of friends for lunch and dessert - with coffee. This dessert is a favorite of mine, and I knew Cherie would like it as it contains two of her favorites - coconut cream and ice cream! It similar to a previous dessert I posted, but I think this one is even better! The previous recipe works well for a covered dish buffet, while this one is best served immediately.

Coconut Cream Dessert
2 1/2 cups crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 68 crackers or 2 sleeves of Ritz)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons margarine, melted (this is one recipe where margarine is really better, butter makes a very hard crust, difficult to cut and serve)
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
1/2 cup cold milk
2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant coconut bream pudding mix
1 carton (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/3 cup flaked coconut, toasted
In a bowl, combine the cracker crumbs and margarine (food processor works well - crush the crackers, then add the melted margarine to form the crust). Mix well. Press into an ungreased 13-in x 9-inch x 2-in dish. In a mixing bowl, combine the ice cream, milk and pudding mixes. Spread over the crust; top with whipped topping and coconut. Cover and freeze for up to 2 months (as if you could stay out of it that long!) Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving. Cut into 15-18 servings.
One serving of 15 is 390 calories, you could reduce calories by using skim milk, sugar-free pudding mixes, and fat-free whipped topping, and by cutting into smaller pieces!
I think it would be fun to try this in different flavors - chocolate with chocolate pudding topped with shaved chocolate curls, lemon with lemon pudding and crushed lemon drops on top, or other flavors of pudding mix accented on top with corresponding chopped dried fruit for flavor and visual accent.

It's creamy and yummy!

One of Cherie's retirement joys
will be Grandmothering!