Berrylicious Banana Cheesecake Trifle!

 

A trifle is the perfect dessert for summer and for serving company, because they are usually cool and creamy and will serve a crowd!   This trifle is all of those things and it's just full of wonderful flavors!  It's got fresh berries, bananas, pound cake (or angel food cake) and a delicious cheesecake filling then topped with whipped cream!!!  Could it get any better than that!   

Actually, it could, because there is also virtually no baking involved, if you buy your pound cake or angel food cake!   This is also a hit with all ages!!!  

Here is what you will need:

1 prebaked pound cake (or you can use an angel food cake if you want something lighter)

1  (8 oz. pkg.) cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 (3.4 oz.) instant cheesecake pudding mix

1  1/2 cups cold milk

1  (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (8 oz.) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided

1  tsp. vanilla flavoring

1 (21 oz.) can blueberry pie filling

1  (21 oz.) strawberry pie filling

2 bananas sliced

1 pint strawberries, sliced 

1 pint blueberries 

First, you will need to make the cheesecake filling.  Place the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light fluffy.  Add the instant pudding mix and the 1 1/2 cups cold milk and beat until smooth.   Add the can of sweetened condensed milk and beat with the mixer.  The mixture will be starting to thicken.  Add the tsp. of vanilla flavoring and fold in 1 cup of the whipped topping.  When it's all combined well, set in the fridge to thicken while you get the other ingredients prepared.

You will need a large trifle dish for this or even a smaller punch bowl will work.   Cut the pound cake in about 1 inch cubes.  If you want a lighter dessert, you can use an angel food cake.  You can purchase either in the your deli section of your supermarket or I used the frozen Sarah Lee pound cake after I thawed it. 

Place half of the cake cubes in the bottom of the dish.  Pour the blueberry pie filling over the first cake layer.  Sprinkle with a layer of fresh blueberries, saving half of them for the top!

Place the banana slices over the blueberries, then spread half of the cream cheese filling over banana layer!   Continue with the layers, by layering the rest of the cake cubes,  the can of strawberry filling, top with half of the strawberry slices and then the rest of the cheesecake filling!

Spread the rest of the whipped topping evenly over the top and then arrange the rest of the blueberries and strawberries over the top! 

 

You can arrange the berries randomly or in a pattern like this!  This is best if you refrigerate it for a few hours before serving so it has time to set up and the flavors to blend.  

This is a great recipe for cookouts or holiday gatherings!  When I served it, it was a hit with everyone!  Enjoy!

White Chocolate Covered Strawberry Trifle!

I love trifles, because even if you are not an expert baker, you can turn out a pretty dessert that gets oohs and ahs.  Baking and I have an on and off relationship...sometimes I bake a cake and it behaves beautifully, but sometimes I bake one and nothing goes right.   Does anybody else have that happen?  Usually, when things go crazy with a cake, it's when I am supposed to be taking it someplace or having company for dinner or whatever.   When it goes wrong like that, I cut it up and make a trifle out of it. Nobody knows the difference and sometimes it's actually better than the cake would have been.  This dessert was intended to be a trifle, but I did think about a cake in the beginning.

Here is what you will need for this trifle:

Strawberry cake mix,  eggs, strawberries, whipped cream, cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, oil, white chocolate pudding mix.  Also semi sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips for dipping strawberries.

Mix the ingredients for the strawberry cake and bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 30-33 minutes.  A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean when done.  Set aside to cool completely.  The recipe calls for water, but a tip from my mother is to always replace the water with Sprite (or any clear carbonated beverage).  It makes the cake mix lighter and more flavorful.  Also, don't mix with an electric mix or over beat it.  Use a wire whisk and mix just until it is mixed thoroughly.  This makes the cake moister.

Beat softened cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk together.  Add vanilla flavoring, pudding mix and a cup of milk and beat until incorporated.  Fold in half of the whipped cream. 

Cut the cake in about 1" squares and slice 2 cups of strawberries.  Layer 1/2 the cake cubes, 1/2 the pudding mixture, and 1/2 of the sliced strawberries, then repeat.  Finish the top with the rest of the whipped cream.  Cover and chill for about 3- 4 hours.  While it chills make the chocolate covered strawberries.

Rinse and drain the biggest, best strawberries.  Lay them on paper towels to dry.  You will need to change the paper towels to get all of the water off of them.   It's very important when dipping strawberries in chocolate that they not have any water at all on them.  If even a drop of water gets in your chocolate it will ruin it.  If you are using cold strawberries out of the refrigerator, let them sit out and come to room temperature before dipping.  If they are cold and condensation forms, the chocolate will not stick.

Place 6 oz. white chips and 6 oz. dark chips in two separate glass bowls with 1Tbs. of shortening in each.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds.  Stir and microwave 30 more seconds.  You can use real butter also, but the shortening makes the strawberries shinier and the consistency is better.

Dip the half of the strawberries in dark chocolate and half in white chocolate.  Drizzle the berries with the opposite color with a spoon.  Place these in the refrigerator to harden. 

I wait until I am read to serve the trifle to put the berries on top along with white chocolate shavings.  I took the left over white chocolate and poured it on nonstick foil, let it harden up and then used it to make my white chocolate shavings for the top.

Ingredients:

Cake layer:

1 box strawberry cake mix

3 eggs

3/4 cup water or Sprite

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped strawberries

Pudding layer:

White chocolate instant pudding mix

1 can sweetened condensed milk

8 oz. cream cheese

1tsp. vanilla flavoring

16 oz whipped cream (1/2 for pudding layer and 1/2 for top)

1 cup milk

2 cups sliced strawberries (between the layers)

Chocolate covered strawberries:

6 oz. white chocolate chips

6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips.

2 Tbs. shortening

You will need about 2 quarts of strawberries for this recipe. 

Banana Split Cake!

 

This is actually a very old recipe.  I am not sure how old it is, but I know that my mother used to make it when I was still at home and that has been a while.  I made this for my husband when we were just dating and he loved it.  He is the one who suggested I make this and put it on the blog.  I am sure he had his own selfish reasons for mentioning it, but it was a good suggestion.

This is a not actually a heavy dessert and there is no baking required so it's perfect for warmer weather.   I will caution that the recipe calls for two raw eggs and while raw eggs don't bother me if they are extremely fresh or pasteurized is even better, they do bother some people.  Also, this is my disclaimer, pregnant or nursing women should not ingest raw eggs.   I solved this dilemma by using egg substitute.  It is not only pasteurized, it's homogenized, fat free and cholesterol free and it works perfectly in this.

Here is what you will need:

2 cups graham crackers

1 stick butter

4 bananas

1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple drained

2 eggs or 2/3 cup egg substitute

2 cups confectioner's sugar

2 cups sliced strawberries

1 large frozen whipped topping

1 small jar maraschino cherries

2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans 

Bananas, graham cracker crumbs, butter, eggs or egg substitute, whipped cream, crushed pineapple, strawberries, confectioners sugar, walnuts, maraschino cherries.

Melt 1 stick butter and mix with 2 cups graham cracker crumbs.  Pat into the bottom of a 9"x13" baking pan.

Mix eggs or eggs substitute with confectioners sugar using an electric mixer.  Beat well and then pour over the graham cracker crust.

Drain the crushed pineapple well and layer it over the sugar/egg layer, next layer the sliced bananas and the sliced strawberries.  Next cover this with whipped topping.  Drain the maraschino cherries and place them on top either randomly or on what would be each serving.  Sprinkle walnuts on top.  Chill for about 2 hours before serving.

 

Banana Split Cake!

 

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Praline Pecans!

I love spinach salads.  I had the idea for this salad several years ago, before so many served spinach salads with fruit and nuts.  I am not sure why I thought of it, maybe I saw something similar in the food magazines I constantly read, but I don't remember ever seeing this anyplace when I first started making it.

Now it seems everyone has some sort of spinach salad with fruit, especially in the spring.  It's just perfect for Easter dinner and I also serve it for Thanksgiving and Christmas sometimes.  I add the dried cranberries to it for those holidays and it's wonderful.

Here is what you need for this: 

1 bag baby spinach

1 bunch green onions

1 cup Parmesan cheese

2 cups sliced strawberries

5-6 slices bacon

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 stick butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbs. half and half

1 1/2 cups pecans

1/4 cup honey mustard dressing

1/4 cup poppy seed dressing
1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)  I add them for holidays!!! 







Make the pralines first by melting 1/2 stick butter in a skillet with 1 cups brown sugar.  When melted add 1 tsp. vanilla and about a 1 Tbs half and half...2 if it seems too thick.

Cook this until it bubbles and stir constantly because it will stick.  It is also very hot so be careful.

Add pecans and stir to coat. Once coated spread on waxed paper or nonstick Reynold's Wrap.  These will need to sit and dry for about an hour. Once dry, break apart for your salad into smaller bites.

Next layer spinach, green onions sliced, Parmesan cheese, and sliced strawberries in a pretty salad bowl.

Cook the bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels, add bacon and then praline pecans to salad. Wait to dress the salad at the table or right before serving.  Use 1/4/ cup honey mustard and 1/4 cup poppy seed dressing.  The two flavors really complement each other and are perfect with the salad ingredients.  No need to even mix them.  Just add separately and then toss the salad.

This salad will make spinach lovers out of people who say they do not eat spinach!