Summer Salsa Fresca

 

I don’t know about you, but I am constantly trying to find a jarred salsa that I like. So far, not so much. So, instead of continuing to try and find someone else’s salsa, I decided it was time to make my own.

 

 

I use salsa for all sorts of things. I LOVE chips and salsa. I can’t get enough of it, and always ruin my appetite at the restaurant eating too many chips and salsa (don’t worry, it just means more meals at home with leftovers).

 

 

I also use salsa in cottage cheese to get a protein packed snack in the afternoon. It’s perfect with chopped peppers as your vessels to keep it extra healthy. You can also add it to slow cooker recipes to add some kick and flavor.

 

 

When I’m making salsa, I’m looking for something that has smaller chunks and consistently sized bites. I also want something with a little heat that hits at different points when you eat it. The lime juice balances out the sweet from the tomato and the onion with the heat from the peppers.

 

 

All together, this just hits the mark on a warm summer day! Cold and refreshing, it’s great as an appetizer, as a snack, and as part of a main dish. This is a winner every time! And the best part is that it is quick to put together. You can have this done in a pinch and be ready for some wonderful food.

 

 

Summer Salsa Fresca

 

3 Roma Tomatoes

1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes

½ yellow onion, chopped

1 garlic clove

2 jalepenos, chopped

2 serrano peppers, chopped

1/3 c cilantro, chopped

1 tsp salt (more to taste)

1-2 limes, juiced

 

 

 

 

Place all the ingredients into the blender, saving the diced tomatoes and lime juice for last. Run the blender on low to create a fine chop. Only a couple of seconds. Check for dicing, salt and lime juice. Return the lid and pulse a couple more times. Pour the salsa into a container and set in the refrigerator for about an hour before serving.  

 

 

Saucy Instant Pot Beef and Noodles

 

You know those nights when you really want some classic, old school comfort food? I’m talkin’… things mom used to make on a busy weeknight that was husband-pleasin’ while also appealing to picky children? If you’ve ever had that kind of night, this is the recipe for you. 

 

 

I was looking for something I could make for the kiddos for dinner that was fast and tasty. I also wanted something that was familiar; a meal that was something we could identify as a regular meal to add to our rotation.

 

 

 

I’ve been making a real push to master my instant pot so that it really can make my cooking quicker, easier, and still super yummy and flavorful. This recipe was originally a slow cooker recipe that I decided to convert to a pressure cooker recipe so it would be fast.

 

 

 

It hit all the marks! The kiddos loved it, it was fast and easy, and it was the whole meal in a pot. It’s really flexible too. You can use whatever pasta you have in your pantry, and you can also mix up what meat you use. I used diced beef, but ground beef would work, as well as larger chunks of stew meat. You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken or diced turkey or chicken. So many possibilities. If you’re using turkey or chicken, I would recommend using chicken broth instead of beef broth. Otherwise, it works nicely as a kitchen catch-all making it even friendlier than ever.

 

 

Serve with some delicious green beans, broccoli, carrots, or asparagus. You can also add some fresh mushrooms to the sauce, making it even healthier and more hearty.

 

Saucy Beef and Noodles

 

1 lb beef stew meat (I like the diced beef, but larger cut stew meat will work too)

1 small onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1c beef broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp dried basil, dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

8 oz penne pasta (or your favorite pasta shape)

1 c shredded parmesan cheese

 

 

 

 

Turn the Instant Pot to “saute” and allow it to heat up. Pat the meat dry and season it with salt and pepper. Sear the meat in 2 or 3 batches, placing each batch in a bowl as it finishes searing. Once the meat is ready, saute the onion for a couple of minutes in the pot. Once it starts to get some color, add the garlic and cook for just a minute.

Once the onion and garlic are ready, turn off the instant pot and slowly add the beef broth, and scrape the bottom of the pot to clean it while pouring. Next, add the soup, heavy cream, basil and oregano, and mix with the broth. Add the meat and mix everything together. Add salt and pepper to taste at this point and adjust as needed.

 

Pour the pasta on top of the mix and gently push it into the sauce without mixing it together; DO NOT STIR. You want the pasta to stay near the top for the best cook. Put the lid on and secure it, and make sure the pressure valve is turned for pressure. For pressure cook time, you need to take the number of minutes the pasta package recommends for cooking, divide it in half and subtract 2 more minutes. For example, if the package says 10 minutes, you will cook for 3 minutes.

 

Set your cook time on high pressure, and once it’s done let it naturally release for 10 minutes before doing a quick release. Remove the lid and stir everything, making sure your pasta is cooked to your liking. Add the parmesan cheese, and your meal is ready to serve.

 

Slow Cooker Instructions:

In the cooker add the soup, broth, heavy cream, basil, and oregano and mix it together. Place the meat, onion, and garlic in the mix and give it a stir.  Put the lid on and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours; until the beef is tender.

About 30 minutes before serving, cook the pasta to package directions to el dente on the stovetop and drain. Add it to the slow cooker along with the cheese and allow it to cook for another 15 minutes to let the sauce infuse the pasta. Now it’s ready to serve. 

 

*Adapted from this recipe on Then and Now Recipes

Hot and Spicy Salsa Roja

Over the years of my experimenting in the kitchen, I have discovered a love for spicy things. Not “burn your mouth off” spicy, but the right balance of savory followed by a nice kick at the end. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but for many a little kick is just what you’re looking for in your food.

 

 

This recipe is a great way to add a little kick to your Mexican dish while the others at the table can enjoy their more mild experience. I also mix it with cottage cheese for a protein packed snack that comes with a little heat. 

 

 

 

The most important thing to remember about this recipe is where the heat is coming from. When I was first creating this recipe, I tried a bunch of different ones out there so I could figure out where the different types of heat came from and how they interacted with each other. The chili de arbole is the heat in this recipe. The jalapeno adds a nice bite, but the heat hits a little earlier than the arbole, and it mingles with the onion and tomato in a way that makes it more savory and less heat.

 

 

Knowing this will determine how many arboles you want to add. I tried one recipe with 20 arboles, and if you know anything about them, you know how much milk I had to drink to calm the fire! I tripled the tomatoes and the heat was still there! However, you might try 4 and crave more heat, and to that I say go for it! Make this work for you. If you want less heat, use only 1 or 2. I like 3, but my husband found it to be too hot. Figure out what is going to work for your crowd and have fun with it!

 

Hot and Spicy Salsa Roja

4 roma tomatoes, sliced in half

2-4 chile de arbole

½ c boiling water

1 close garlic

1 ½ tsp salt

½ c cilantro

½ medium onion, finely diced

1 jalapeno (or 2 serrano), finely diced

 

 

 

Warm a large saute pan on med-hi heat. Bring a small pan of water to a boil ans set aside. Heat up 1Tbs of oil in the saute pan and place the sliced tomatoes face down in the pan. Allow them to sear and cook for a few minutes.  Meanwhile, add the arboles to the pan as well and allow them to warm and soften, but not burn. Turn them often, and once soft, place in the pre-heated boiling water to soften. Flip the tomatoes and allow the skins to sear and soften a bit. Once they have good color and have softened, remove the pan from the heat and let them cool a minute. Meanwhile, prep your onion and jalapeno.

 

Once they’ve cooled for a minute, add the tomatoes to your blender. Also add you garlic, cilantro, your soaking chile de arbole, and ½ c of the hot water. Finally, add the salt and blend everything together, making sure the peppers have been blended, but not so much that the salsa reaches a puree.

 

Re-heat the saute pan with a little more oil. Add the onion and jalapeno and brown them for a minute. Then slowly add the salsa from the blender. Bring the mixture to a simmer and leave it for a few minutes, stirring every now and then. Check for salt and remove it from the burner to cool.

 

Once cooled, you can transfer it to an airtight container to chill it in the refrigerator.

Small Flags Quilt

 

During the pandemic lockdown, I distracted myself with all the UFOs I had accumulated over the years of quilting. One project I’d always wanted to do was create a full size American flag from red, white, and blue scraps. 

 

 

My husband was thrilled with that idea and the end product and when it was done, he promptly claimed it as his. It made my heart feel full. I had a ton of leftover strips of fabric when I was done with the first flag project and I felt like it would be a wonderful compliment to create a quilt that comprised of multiple small American flags.

 

 

I sewed together the red and white strips in a scrappy manor and I cut squares with the blues to fit the red and white strips. I tried to keep it in balance with what the true flag measurements are, but it might be a little off.

 

 

To finish the blocks, I put white sashing on the tops and bottoms of each flag making them square. I designed the layout similar to a weave layout, but in this case it’s the flags re-oriented with the blue part still in the correct spot. It was a little tricky to remember as I was putting it all together, but totally worth it. 

 

 

Once the blocks were sewn together, I looked at it and felt it was still missing something. I decided to border the whole thing with one of the whites used in the stripes. It creates a nice border without being to bold and overpowering. I want the focus to be the flags.

 

 

I had a nice red fabric that worked with the civil war style of the other fabrics and decided to use that for the backing and binding. Because there were so many flags, I decided to keep the quilting simple and did a basic meander. 

 

 

After it was all finished, I washed it with 2 color catchers and some of the red still bled into some of the whites. It was only specific ones though, so most of the quilt was unaffected. It adds to the antique look of the quilt, at least that’s what I’m telling myself.

 

 

I love this finish. I admit, I wish it were a little bigger, but it’s a wonderful wall hanging or rocking chair cover. It usually too hot to use quilts where we live during the summer, which is when I’m most likely to display this one, so it’s probably okay it’s just meant for décor. It feels good to have some patriotic quilts in our home that are very traditional and antiqued looking.

 

Cashew Chicken

I have always loved Chinese food, but from a cooking standpoint its always eluded me. I have struggled to find the authentic flavors and capture the magic of the food I’ve eaten in restaurants or in others homes with expertise.

Over the last few years, however, I have gained a lot of confidence in the kitchen. I have learned so many little tricks and become more familiar with authentic ingredients. I knew they had to be the ticket to great tasting Chinese food, and I tested that with this recipe.

Man, what a game changer! Knowing the ingredients that can make the flavors what I was looking for has allowed me to explore my favorites more easily. I highly encourage anyone interested in this style of cooking to allow themselves to experiment with these different ingredients.  They make the difference!

The other great thing about this recipe is that it’s quick! I’m talking lightning speed here! It’s really important to have all your ingredients ready and your sauce mixed so once you begin you can cruise through the process and have dinner ready in a flash.

Also, don’t feel like you need to have a wok to make this. Any large sauté pan will work. In some ways, it’s almost better to use an oversized sauté pan because of the way most of our stove tops are designed. It allows the heat to distribute more evenly in a wider space. Makes for great sears on meats and veggies, assuming you have that heat cranked up.

 

 

Finally, don’t feel limited to these veggies. Try different things; broccoli, snow peas, green beans, you name it. You can really make this meal unique to your tastes.

 

Cashew Chicken

2 chicken breasts, sliced thin

2 Tbs cornstarch

¼ tsp salt and white pepper (add more if desired)

1 Tbs Canola Oil

2/3 c cashew nuts, roasted and salted

2 carrots, sliced to matchsticks

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

¼ of a medium onion, thinly sliced 

Sauce:

1 Tbs lite soy sauce

2 Tbs mirin

1 Tbs water or rice wine

1 tsp rice vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch ginger root, minced

1 ½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp red pepper flakes, if desired

Prep all your ingredients as the cooking happens fast. Slice the chicken into thin slices and place in a bowl. Add the cornstarch and the salt and white pepper and mix together.

Prep all the veggies; the carrots, celery, and onion into a single bowl. They can be saved in one bowl as they will all go into the pan at the same time. Also prep the garlic and the ginger root for the sauce. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce together and set it aside.

Heat the saute pan or wok to a high heat. Add the oil and once it’s smoking add the chicken. Spread it out and let it sear for a minute. Then start mixing the chicken and brown it on all sides. Once the chicken seems browned all around, add the veggies and allow them to cook for a minute. Turn the heat down to a medium heat and add the sauce. Heat the sauce long enough to heat the sauce and allow it to thicken.

Once the sauce is thickened, serve immediately with rice. 

Lemonade with a Twist Quilt

 

During covid lockdown, one of my quarantine quilts needed a backing. I went to my LQS and found a beautiful white fabric with black and yellow flowers and butterflies. It was so beautiful I knew it was going to be perfect for my backing. After I finished that quilt, I still had some of the backing fabric left over. What to do? Make another quilt of course.

 

 

I started cutting the fabric into different sized squares; I didn’t want to waste even the smallest scrap. I also wanted to make sure there was color in each square as the fabric did have a lot of white on it.

 

 

As I planned out the use of these squares, I thought it would be really fun to do an irish chain pattern, but with the twist of using different sized squares. I also thought it would be fun to put this white and yellow fabric on a black background. It would make it so striking!

 

It was all coming together just how I imagined, until I ran out of squares. I was able to find an online shop that still had the fabric and ordered some more. I finished the top and was so happy with how it turned out. Now I just needed a backing.

 

Once again, I had leftover of the original fabric, so I decided that was going into the backing no matter what. I found a great pink and yellow floral fabric in my stash that is so bright it totally contrasts with the stark white and black front.

 

 

I was so happy with it all, I couldn’t wait to get it quilted and finished. I added my label and my black binding and there you have it! Another wonderful finished product. It a great size and weight to make it super useful at home, and so very striking. I’m not sure what season to associate it with, although it feels a bit summer-ish to me.

 

I discovered a hard truth about a quilt with this color scheme though when I tried to take pictures of it. It is super hard to photograph black and white. The colors dominate the frame and wash everything out! I have tried 3 different times now to get good photos of this quilt, but it’s not happening. The photos I have are going to have to be the ones that commemorate this quilt.

 

It such a beauty that it’s a shame the pictures aren’t showing it. But I promise, this was a fun finish.

 

Creamy Sausage Gnocchi Soup

 

What do you do when you have leftover mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving? You make gnocchi, of course! In all honesty, this did not used to be my thought on leftover mashed potatoes. In the past, I would use them for potato pancakes, or to top a shepherd’s pie. More often than not, I don’t even have leftovers so it’s not much of a thought.

 

 

This year, however, I did have lots of leftovers. I might have done that on purpose though, because I really wanted to practice making gnocchi. It cuts a step out of the process when you know you’re making gnocchi, and makes it feel like a quicker process. It also combines tasks, which is way more efficient. You don’t HAVE to use leftovers, you can make some fresh cooked potato. 

 

 

One of my favorite memories as a kid was when we were little and we’d go up north to go skiing. There was a little restaurant that served home style meals, including an amazing chicken and dumplings. I’ve tried making it a couple times with biscuit style dough for the dumplings, but they’re too heavy.

 

 

These gnocchi hit the spot! They are soft and pillowy and absorb the broth of the soup so wonderfully. I decided to use sausage instead of chicken because I love the salty-savoryness that it adds to the soup. It creates a warm and comforting meal. Perfect for that cold night, after a long day. 

 

 

 

Creamy Sausage Gnocchi Soup

 

For the Gnocchi:

2 c cold mashed potatoes

1 c flour

1 egg, beaten

¾ tsp salt

 

 

For the Soup:

1 Tbs EVOO

1 medium onion, diced

2 celery sticks, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 Tbs butter

¼ c flour

4 c chicken broth

3 sweet Italian sausage links, removed from the casings

2 c half and half

½ tsp thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

2 c gnocchi

1 c fresh spinach, roughly chopped

 

Start with your gnocchi. Place ½ the flour on your pasta board or the counter. Add the mashed potatoes on top of the flour, and the make a well in the middle. Pour your egg in the well and add the salt to the well also. Cover the top of the well with another 1/4 c of your flour. Using your scraper, begin to fold and knead your ingredients together. As you mix, add more flour as needed if the dough is too sticky to work with. The less flour the better; it prevents them from becoming too gummy.

 

Once the dough is well mixed, divide it into 4 pieces and roll each into 1-inch wide ropes. Cut them into 1-inch pieces and then roll each piece down the tines of a floured fork to create the ridges. Set them aside on a floured tray until you’re ready put them in the soup.

 

 

Add oil to a cast iron dutch oven. Once warmed, but not smoking, brown the sausage and then remove it from the pan and set aside. Add a little more oil if needed, and then add the onions, celery, and carrots. Allow to them to sauté and soften for a few minutes. Once onions become translucent, add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the butter and once melted, add the flour. Continue to heat and mix until the flour is all cooked through and the roux is a tan-brown color. Slowly add the chicken broth and blend with the roux so it won’t break it.

 

Once all the broth is added and blended together, bring to a simmer. Add the half and half to the soup slowly so as not to change the temperature of the broth too quickly. Bring it back to a simmer and add your chicken back to the pot. Add the thyme as well as salt and pepper to taste. Add your gnocchi and allow them to cook in the soup for about 5 minutes. Finally, add the spinach and let it wilt into the soup. Check for salt and pepper once more and it is ready to serve. 

 

 

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Creamy Cavatelli and Chicken Soup

 

I have been experimenting with all sorts of things, including pasta. I am trying to master my pasta dough making skills, and with that I end up with a lot of leftover pasta. Every time I have leftover pasta, I pull out my cavatelli maker and crank some out to save for a future meal.

 

 

I got my cavatelli maker years ago from my mother in law, and though I’d made it once with her, I hadn’t made it since. I was a little intimidated because the recipe in the book that it comes with is different then what I’m familiar with. So… I avoided it.

 

 

I finally realized it doesn’t matter what I make with it, it just matters that I try something. The first couple times, they came out all funny shapes and stuck together. But once I got my technique down and the sizing right, they were pretty awesome.

 

 

Normally they’d go well in red sauces, but their density also plays well in soups or other recipes that have gnocchi. Just like in this soup. It creates a great robust flavor and texture with the chicken and the veggies.  It creates a hardy meal in the cold weather that feels like a big hug. It also makes for a pretty quick meal to put together on a busy night. Serve with some focaccia bread or a crusty loaf. So good!

 

 

Creamy Cavatelli and Chicken Soup

 

 

1 Tbs EVOO

1 medium onion, diced

2 celery sticks, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 Tbs butter

¼ c flour

4 c chicken broth

3 chicken breasts (or 2 c shredded rotisserie chicken)

2 c half and half

½ tsp thyme

½ tsp mustard powder

Salt and pepper to taste

2 c cavatelli pasta (or another robust pasta like gemelli or gnocchi)

1 c fresh spinach, roughly chopped

 

Add oil to a cast iron dutch oven. Once warmed, but not smoking, add the onions, celery, and carrots. Allow to them to saute and soften for a few minutes. Once onions become translucent, add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the butter and once melted, add the flour. Continue to heat and mix until the flour is all cooked through and the roux is a tan-brown color. Slowly add the chicken broth and blend with the roux so it won’t break it.

 

Once all the broth is added and blended together, bring to a simmer. If you’re using shredded rotisserie, you can skip this step. Add the chicken pieces and let them cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on how thick your pieces are. Keep the liquid at a simmer so as not to overcook the chicken and make it tough. Once they’re cooked through, pull the chicken out and set it aside to cool a minute. Shred or chop the chicken so it’s ready to be added back to the soup.

 

Add the half and half to the soup slowly so as not to change the temperature of the broth too quickly. Bring it back to a simmer and add your chicken back to the pot. Add the thyme and the mustard powder as well as salt and pepper to taste. Add your noodles and allow them to cook in the soup for about 5 minutes. Finally, add the spinach and let it wilt into the soup. Check for salt and pepper once more and it is ready to serve.

Savory Pork Stew

We have had a brutal summer that won’t end. By the last week of October, we were still hitting high 90s, almost 100 degrees! All I could think about was all the yummy winter meals I was going to start making as soon as the temperatures budged even a little.

 

 

It finally happened and we cooled down and it finally felt like we could start eating “warm your tummy” type of meals. I have been wanting to fine tune my pork stew recipe since last spring, so it was the first one to pull out.

 

This meal will warm your soul. It’s hearty with the potatoes and the pork, has some healthy veggies in it to keep you feeling good, and a little kick that not only enhances the flavor but also warms the meal a little bit more. 

 

 

The nice thing about this meal is that it’s very versatile.  You can add more veggies like peas or corn or sweet potato, even butternut squash. You can also use a different protein like chicken. It would all work great with this recipe. Have some fun with it.

 

 

Now, I’m feeling like I have exactly 10 days before the weather warms up again and we will be back to grilling, so it’s back to the kitchen. If you find you’ve made too much, you can always refrigerate or freeze for later. Just reheat on the stove top, and add some chicken stock to help make the broth of the stew creamy again. It is just as delicious! Enjoy this great beauty.

 

 

Savory Pork Stew

 

2 – 2 ½ lbs pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into bite-size pieces

½ c flour

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

2-4 Tbs EVOO
1 large onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 medium carrots, thick sliced

2 celery stalks, thick sliced

½ c wine

4 c beef broth

1 tsp thyme leaves

½ tsp dried rosemary leaves

1 tsp Hatch green chili powder

2 bay leaves

3 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

 

In a bowl, mix together the meat, flour, salt, and pepper.  Make sure all pieces of meat have been well coated. Heat some EVOO in a large cast iron pot over med-hi heat. Sear the meat in 3 batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pot while searing. Add oil between each batch and bring it to heat before adding the next batch of meat. When each batch is seared, set it aside in a bowl.

 

Add a bit more oil and put in the celery, carrots, and onion. Once the onion is translucent and the carrots and celery have softened a bit, add the garlic. After just a minute, add the wine and allow it to burn off the alcohol while deglazing the pot. Let the wine reduce by about half (takes a few minutes), and then add the thyme, rosemary, and chili powder. Finally, add the beef broth and place the meat back into the pot.

 

Bring the stew to a boil and put the lid on. Leave it slightly tipped so the steam can escape a little allowing the sauce to thicken a bit while cooking. After about 45 minutes, add the potatoes and some salt and pepper to taste. Give the stew another 45 minutes to cook down and serve. Goes wonderfully with corn bread, focaccia, crusty French bread, or even just on its own.

Traditional Strawberry Trifle

 

I’m not going to lie… I watch way too much Master Chef. It’s totally a guilty pleasure, but with a purpose. I like to watch all the different techniques they use and technical skills they learn and then see if I can replicate what they’re doing.

 

 

Even when I was little, I enjoyed watching cooking shows. Julia Childs, Jacque Pepin, Lydia Bastianich, and so many more. I just enjoy watching how they do things and what tricks of the trade I can pick up.

 

This recipe was totally born from that interest. I had seen a competition where they made trifles. They looked DELICIOUS! My curiosity was peaked. I just had to figure out a good custard and jam. I already had a plan for the sponge.

 

You see, growing up we had a traditional birthday cake that we used for EVERY birthday. My mom always made the most amazing angel food cakes. As an adult, we have veered from that tradition, but I do still make angel food enough that I have full size pans as well as mini’s. It’s a post and recipe for another day. You can use the store-bought angel food cake as a sponge. It works well for this particular recipe.

 

 

This was a fun way to honor my grandmother, whom was English. She loved creams, and would love this recipe for sure. The one big difference is that I didn’t add the traditional sprinkles to the top. She would be looking for those.

 

 

Strawberry Trifle

 

 

Sponge:

Angel Food Cake (or other sponge)

*I used an 8-inch angel food cake for this recipe. If you like more sponge, you can use a larger angel food cake or another sponge such as lady fingers or pound cake.

*cut it into 1-inch squares for assembly

 

Strawberry Sauce:

1 ½ lb fresh strawberries

¾ c sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

 

Custard Filling:

1 ½ c whole milk

¼ c heavy cream

2 tsp vanilla (or vanilla bean paste)

6 large egg yolks

1/3 c sugar

3 Tbs +2tsp cornstarch

 

Whipped Cream and Topping:

1 c heavy cream

2 tsp powder sugar (more to desired sweetness)

½ lb strawberries

 

For the strawberries:

Cut them into quarters and place them in a saucepan along with the other ingredients. Bring them to a simmer and allow them to simmer and break down for 15-20 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning or sticking. Use a masher to break them down more if you prefer, or just keep the chunks of strawberry as they taste wonderful in the trifle. Allow it to cool while you work on the other elements.

 

For the Custard Filling:

Pour the milk, heavy cream, and vanilla (also a vanilla bean pod if you’d like) into a saucepan and warm to 170 degrees. Do not let it boil. Meanwhile, in a large measuring cup whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar for 2-3 minutes. The color should become pale when it’s ready. Add the cornstarch and whisk for another minute to combine.

Remove the vanilla bean from the milk mix if you used one. Slowly add about ½ cup of the warm milk to the egg mix and whisk so that eggs don’t cook. Repeat that process until about half of the milk mixture has been added. Return everything to the saucepan and turn the heat to medium-low. Warm the custard back up to 170 degrees, stirring frequently. It should only take a few minutes and it should be thick enough that if you run your spatula through the custard, it will leave a line. Remove it from the heat and put it through a sieve and back into the large measuring cup. Place plastic wrap directly on the custard to avoid a film developing and the refrigerate until you’re ready to use it; within 1-3 days.

 

For the Whipped Cream Topping:

Pour the heavy cream and sugar into a mixing bowl with the whip attachment. Slowly increase the speed so that it is very fast (about an 8 on my kitchenaid mixer). As it whips, you will notice it thickening and becoming stiffer. You want it whipped and creamy, but not so much that it begins to separate. Taste for sweetness and add sugar as needed.

Finally, slice the strawberries to be placed on top. You can get creative here with slices, fanning, diced, quarters, whatever you enjoy to make your trifle look beautiful.

 

Final Construction:

The idea with a trifle is to create layers. It ensures that when your guest is eating it, they will be able to get a little of everything in each bite. I start with a single layer cake squares. Pour 1/3 of the strawberry mixture on top of the cake. Then pour 1/3 of the custard filling on top of the strawberries. Repeat these steps two more times. After the 3^rd and final layer, place the whipped cream on top. Add your fancy strawberries to the top for a final touch. To make this feel really English, add some colorful sprinkles to the center of the top. Everyone will love this amazing dessert!