Just Dessert...for the Fourth

Well, just because I didn't post a FABULOUS Fourth of July spread doesn't mean I didn't prepare one! Okay, "Fabulous" might be a stretch, but it was good and included some basic, classic dishes I like to prepare for any old-fashioned cookout. So I will be posting those all week long.

But let's be honest. Doesn't any true food lover look most forward to dessert?

So that's where we'll start, with this red, white, and blue dream come true!

I make trifles a lot for a quick, simple, easy-cleanup, low-cost dessert. Yet they always look so fancy! Prepare and serve in a clear trifle-dish or bowl to show off the layers.

For this one I used a store-bought angel food cake and then simply chunked it up. I got the cake cheaper ($2.30) because it was on the reduced bakery shelf, but it makes no difference in the end result. Whenever I DO see a reduced one, I buy it and stick in the freezer so I'm ready when I need a quick dessert.

A trifle consists of several layers -- cake, pudding, whipped topping, fruit, REPEAT.

For the pudding I prepare two boxes of instant pudding, but usually use about half the milk you're supposed to. That way it's a little thicker, and then I stir a little bit of the whipped topping into it. This time I stuck with a basic vanilla pudding. I used two 8oz. tubs of whipped topping (minus what I had already taken out for pudding) for the whipped topping portions.

For the fruit layer, in honor of the holiday, I used blueberries and sliced strawberries. But the real beauty of a trifle is that you can use many different combinations of the various ingredients to fit the occasion.

And there is nothing "scientific" about this dish so you can be light or heavy here and there, but you CAN'T mess up this dish. It will turn out yummy every time!

Enjoy!

Midge