Strawberry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt

Frozen yogurt is so deceptive. You're sitting there eating it,  thinking to yourself, "yogurt is so healthy! Look at me eating this health food!" and... you're completely right!

(Except not really... sigh.)
 

But we're not going to talk about that today. There will be no bubble bursting going on here; I'm already dealing with the bittersweet excitement of the first day of school, and I don't need to think about silly things like calories.

My boys are starting 2nd grade and Pre-K today, and while I am looking forward to my school day break and getting back to a routine, I can't help but feel a twinge of sadness at summer's end and the boys' insistence on growing up. We marked the occasion yesterday by making some frozen yogurt and then eating it, because that's what normal people do with frozen treats.

I used frozen strawberries because it takes one 16-ounce bag (easy!) once they thaw in the microwave they're so soft I was able to mix all the ingredients with a hand mixer instead of a blender or a food processor. I like things that are easy.

Just mix all the ingredients together and freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions.

This is our ice cream maker, 'cause we're awesome and retro like that:

Notice that it came with a record? Jealous? Of course you are, and nobody could blame you! Five minutes before it's done freezing, throw in your mix-ins...

... and then move it to the freezer to set up for a few hours.

I love how the lemon and greek yogurt add a little tangy flavor that works with the cheesecake vibe -- I'm not usually a big fan of ice cream or frozen yogurt, but I liked this enough to sneak a couple extra spoonfuls sensibly admire it from afar.

What a nice way to end the summer!

Strawberry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt (tweaked from this recipe)
16 ounces frozen no-sugar-added strawberries
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (I used light)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used non-fat)
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. graham cracker crust, crumbled

Thaw strawberries. Finely chop or mash 5-10 of them and set aside. Mix remaining strawberries, cream cheese, yogurt, cream, lemon juice, sugar, and salt with a hand mixer, making sure to break apart softened strawberries. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Five minutes before it's finished, pour in the reserved chopped strawberries and graham cracker crust. When cycle is complete, move frozen yogurt to the freezer to set up.