Patriotic Trifle

I was looking through my camera and I realized that I forgot to post my 4th of July recipe! Food blogger fail. Especially for me because I get really excited about making themed food. And parties. And outfits. I blame my love for all things themed on my four years of sorority life <3

I made this patriotic trifle to bring to a family friend's barbeque. I had to whip something up really quickly because I was soaking up the sun all day and did not feel like being cooped up in the kitchen. I threw together this trifle in about 30 minutes so it was perfect!

This dessert is easily adaptable. I used angel food cake, strawberry puree, vanilla pudding, and blueberries and strawberries for the layers. You can use any flavor of cake, fruit puree/alcohol (to moisten the cake), pudding, and fruit/candy topping that you'd like. The possibilities are endless! My mom makes a boozy version with chocolate cake, Bailey's, chocolate pudding, and Heath Bar pieces. Everyone goes absolutely crazy for it. The important thing to remember is the order of the layers:

1. Cake
2. Fruit puree/alcohol
3. Pudding
4. Cool whip
5. Toppings (fruit/candy)
6. Repeat!

I cannot wait to experiment with more flavor combinations!  I will definitely be making plenty of other versions because: it's so easy to put together; it tastes great; and it's very pretty if the layers are carefully assembled. This is perfect for a party because it's cheap and makes a ton of servings!

So happy belated 4th of July! I'm within a week so it's still acceptable to celebrate, right?

Patriotic Trifle

• 2 angel food cakes
• 2 boxes instant vanilla pudding (I used sugar free)
• 1 quart whole milk
• 1 large container Cool Whip (I used fat free)
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp water
• 2 16 oz containers strawberries, sliced
• 2 pints blueberries
• 1 banana, sliced

1. Prepare the instant pudding according to the directions on the back of the package (I used 1 quart of whole milk for two packages of pudding mix). Chill in the refrigerator for about a half hour.
2. Puree 1 cup of strawberries with the sugar and water. Set aside.
3. Tear up one angel food cake into bite-sized pieces. Place in an even layer at the bottom of a large, clear serving bowl.
4. Pour half of the strawberry puree over the cake layer. 
5. Spread half of the pudding evenly over the cake. Make sure the pudding goes all the way to the sides of bowl so the separation of layers can be seen from the outside of the bowl.
6. Spread half of the Cool Whip over the pudding layer in the same manner.
7. Reserve enough strawberries and blueberries for the flag decoration. Combine the rest of the blueberries and strawberries. Make an even layer of fruit. 
8. Repeat steps 3 through 6.
9. Create an American flag out of the remaining fruit, as shown in the pictures below.

look at those layers!

Happy 4th of July, America!

yeah, that's a themed dessert and a matching outfit :)

diggin' in!

Baked Grapefruit

This is barely a recipe. But it is really delicious and easy so I figured I'd share it!

Also I'm currently "participating" in a horrifically boring and useless online technology graduate class. So I figured why not use my time wisely to get in a quick blog post? I'm also pinning and watching "Say Yes to the Dress - Bridesmaids".  I'm a master multitasker.

I used to eat grapefruit with my grandfather, Curt, all the time. I would make him separate the sections perfectly and coat it in about a cup of granulated sugar and deliver it to my TV table in the living room. I was a total princess spoiled brat. He even had these special serrated spoons that were ONLY used for grapefruit consumption. And could possibly double as a tool for cutting out my tongue if I was rude.

Anway, this is a great way to eat grapefruit for people who don't think they like it because it's too bitter but also don't want to add the previously mentioned cup of sugar. The brown sugar and honey sweetens the grapefruit up and the heat makes the sweetness soak all the way through the fruit. I also love that baking the grapefruit makes it swell so it's really juicy! A helpful hint is to cut the grapefruit into sections before baking. This will allow the sugar and honey to really sink in. It will also ensure that you don't burn yourself while try to dig out the sections while it's piping hot. Why yes, I am speaking from experience.

Give this "recipe" a try for a quick, tasty, and healthy breakfast or snack!

Baked Grapefruit

• 1 grapefruit
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (I used Splenda)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• cinnamon (to taste)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut the grapefruit in half. Cut around the sections of the grapefruit (just inside the peel but leaving the peel itself in tact).
3. Sprinkle each half with 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of honey on each half. Sprinkle each half with the desired amount of cinnamon.
4. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until grapefruit sections are puffed up and/or beginning to caramelize. 
5. Dig in - carefully!

cinnamon chip muffin with raspberry jam and baked grapefruit. yum!

Fish Tacos with Mango, Peach, and Pineapple Salsa

 Hi everyone! I've been sort of out of touch for the last week because I have been finishing up my LAST FULL SEMESTER OF SCHOOL EVER! How exciting! So I've been really busy with finishing up work and trying to pack up some of my things. I'm basically living between my apartment at school and my mom's house for the summer, which is hectic because my stuff is everywhere. I hate moving. I feel like I have just been shuffling my things around for about a year now, without having a permanent place for anything. I'm about ready to shred all of my teaching binders because they are so heavy and huge and I just keep shoving them in awkward places like under my bed and random bins in my mom's basement.

Anywayyyyy, here is the final recipe from the Cinco de Mayo festivities earlier this month! This was my first attempt at making fish tacos, and I think they came out pretty great! I love fish tacos because they are a lighter option than the usual meaty and cheesy tacos. These are perfect to have on a hot day with a fruity adult beverage. I think the highlight was the salsa. I was just eating it with chips. And maybe a couple spoonfuls.

The only change that I might make to this recipe is to infuse a little heat by either seasoning the fish with some chili powder/cayenne pepper or by adding some diced jalapenos into the salsa. I just love hot food and the combination of sweet and heat is always a winner in my book. However, in a party setting, I think it might appeal to greater number of guests without the spice. 

Also, sorry about the lack of pictures of the ingredients and process. We had SO much going on and not enough time/space for adequate picture taking!

Fish Tacos with Peach, Mango, and Pineapple Salsa (6-8 tacos) adapted from Mother Thyme

• 3 6oz tilapia fillets
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6 round soft flour tortillas 

For the salsa

• 1 cup peaches, peeled and chopped (fresh, frozen and thawed, or canned are fine; I used canned)
• 1 cup of pineapple, peeled and chopped (fresh or canned are fine; again, I used canned)
• 1 mango, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup red pepper, diced
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon of cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Mexican cheese (optional)
• avocado (optional)

1.       Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place fillets on baking sheets and season both sides with salt, pepper and lightly pour lemon juice.

2.       Cook in a preheated oven for 14 minutes or until fish is cooked thru and flaky.

3.       While the fish is cooking, prepare the salsa. In a bowl combine all ingredients and stir until mixed thoroughly.  Chill for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to settle.

4.       Remove from oven and using two forks, gently shred the fish in to large pieces.

5.       Warm tortillas by placing in tinfoil in the oven for 10 minutes.  Remove tortillas from oven and place on platter.

6.       Assemble the tacos by placing the fish on the tortillas and topping with a generous helping of salsa as well as Mexican cheese and avocado if desired. 

the finished salsa

uncooked tilapia

cooked and ready to be made into tacos!

assembled fish taco!

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Chips

I've decided that, in honor of football season, I'm going to try to post an appetizer every Sunday. I absolutely love snack food and appetizers. There's something about bite-sized food that allows you to eat more than you would have thought humanly possible. I think I could snack all day and never get full.  Considering the fact that I live alone, this could be dangerous. I'll try my best not to sit down and eat a full bag of chips and dip... but I make no promises.

Like this dip. It's okay to eat it in massive quantities because it's made of fruit... right? This fresh twist on salsa is perfect for an end of summer barbecue!  It can be eaten as an appetizer, as a dessert, or as a fruit salad without the chips! The chips on their own are amazingly addictive (I think I ate half of a bag while chopping the fruit). You could make them from scratch if you wanted but I'm such a big fan of Stacy's that I decided not to bother.

As is typical of salsa, it's very easy to make but takes a lot of chopping. I chopped the fruit up pretty small so that each bite could contain a little of each fruit but big enough so that the fruits were still identifiable. This recipe is very easily adapted.  You can use whatever fruit and preserves that you have on hand.  I think the kiwis give it a nice color and the apples give it a great texture. My mom brought it to a party and substituted blueberries for the raspberries and said it was a hit! I made it for a party I was going to so I made a ton but feel free to cut the recipe down for a smaller gathering or a personal snack :)

Also, sorry for the pictures (or lack there of). There was a huge storm on the day of the party so the power was out.  Good thing I opted for a no bake appetizer. And thankfully I managed not to lose a finger during the chopping process even though I was using a knife... in the dark.... while sipping some Pinot Grigio.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips

• 6 kiwis, peeled and diced
• 2 Fiji apples, cored and diced
• 2 8 ounces containers of raspberries
• 1 pound strawberries
• 2 peaches, diced
• 4 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor (I used raspberry)
• POSSIBLE ADDITIONS: mango, blueberries, pineapple, coconut flakes
• Stacy's Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips

1.  Chop all fruit as directed.
2. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis,  apples, raspberries, strawberries, peaches and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.