Peach Trifle Recipe

This past weekend Seth and I made our annual trip to the river with his dad's side of the family. It is such a fun tradition always filled with time on the water, games and great food. Seth's grandmother, Mimi, is well-known amongst our friends for her delicious salsa. It really is the world's greatest! This weekend she made a Peach Trifle. And to no surprise, it was incredible. So incredible that the first day I got back (today) I had to stop on the side of the road for fresh peaches to make this yummy dessert!

I plan on taking this dish to work tomorrow so excuse my lackluster presentation. Normally I would strive to have it look something like this photo below but my trifle dish doesn't transport very well. And frankly, I've come to realize my extra work on presentation rarely alters the taste!

You can use strawberries too. Don't wait to try this out for yourself! It is so easy and peaches are perfect right now.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cold milk
• 2 packages (1 ounce each) instant sugar-free white chocolate pudding mix
• 1 prepared angel food cake (cut into cubes)
• 3 cups sliced fresh strawberries (or can double up on peaches)
• 2 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
• 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed

Directions:
Mix pudding and milk until thick.  Spread half of angel food cake cubes in a dish. Top with half of peaches (and strawberries) and spread with half pudding mix. Layer all three again. Top with whipped topping. Enjoy!

My first year at the river 5 years ago!

 All 7 grandkids skiing together... the 10th year!

Memorial Day Cookout

I love holidays, all of them. Any excuse to decorate really! So for Memorial Day we did a small little cookout and I got to try out some new recipes. They were delicious so I thought I'd share!

 Out table spread, just waiting for the burgers off the grill and the fried pickles...

Which were delicious and so easy. I used a slight variation of this Fried Dill Pickles recipe. Definitely best when they are fresh from the fryer! The sauce really tops them off!

 

This was AMAZING - Paula Deen's Strawberry Shortcake recipe. After stuffing our faces, this was the perfect dessert. It is very light and has fruit in it so it's healthy, right?

I will definitely be making both of these again! Hope everyone enjoyed Memorial Day! Thanks to those that serve our country!

DIY Fondue Night

Seth & I talked about going to Melting Pot for some yummy fondue for Valentine's Day. However, after realizing it was a Prix Fixe menu for $100 a couple we opted for a DIY Fondue night with family and friends! Not only was it delicious and fun, it was super affordable! In all we spent around $75 and fed 12 people with tons leftover! It almost felt like an upscale tailgate, our favorite! Here is a little sample of our menu.

Veggie Tray, of course!

Sirloin steak, chicken, potatoes and mushrooms to be fried with 4 different sauces. For the cheese - peppers, broccoli, apples, chips, pretzels and bread.

The best for last, dessert! Chocolate fondue with fresh strawberries, pineapple, pound cake, rice krispy treats, graham crackers, marshmallows, and pretzels!

I wish I would've taken pictures of everyone enjoying this delicious food but got so caught up in the food myself! Below are the links to the recipes I used for the night, with my own personal alterations of course! Cutting and preparing everything was the most time intensive since everyone was cooking their own food!

Meat Fondue

Cheese Fondue

Chocolate Fondue

Enjoy!

***I must give credit where it is due - I borrowed all the fondue pots from my aunt who has everything and she made the delicious sauces and pound cake (which I am still enjoying). And Seth's mom did all of the cleaning afterwards, so sweet! How lucky am I?

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

All signs this week have been pointing to chocolate this week for some reason. Seth and I started talking about chocolate covered strawberries one night and I couldn't stop thinking of them. So I figured we'd have a little Valentine's Day treat a few weeks early. Now I know it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how to make chocolate covered strawberries but thought I would feature it anyway. All you need is strawberries and chocolate (I used candy melt).

First wash and dry your strawberries. Heat your chocolate in a bowl for 2 minutes, then stirring and repeating until melted. While holding the stem, dip each side in the chocolate, forming a sweetheart shape near the top. Set to dry on wax paper.

Now if that doesn't make your mouth water I don't know what will! This was on of my favorites, a tuxedo strawberry. You can also drizzle it with alternating colors. I did this using a piping bag but you can also use a ziplock bag with the tip cut out!

YUMMM! I made about 20 strawberries for $6. Around Valentine's Day you could pay up to $40 for a dozen. Plus it's something fun to do together, or maybe even fondue! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Dip Recipe

Of all the delicious foods at Berk's shower, there was a pumpkin dip that was a hit with everyone. And, I love me some pumpkin! It was served with apples and gingersnaps. It had a sweetness to it that almost made it a dessert! So festive for this time of year! Cheryl, the PC representative, game me the recipe and it is so easy!


1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 (15oz) can of pumpkin
1 tbsp cinnamon

Blend cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Gradually mix in the pumpkin. Stir in cinnamon. Chill until serving. Serve with apples or gingersnaps. I've had something similar with Cinnamon Stacy's chips! Yummm! So easy and makes a TON! Enjoy!