Red, White, and Blue Jello Berry Trifle

The boys are so excited for our town's 4th of July parade. Last year was the first time we attended. They loved seeing kids from the community coming down the parade route with bikes and wagons all decked out in red, white, and blue. They've been waiting all year long to join in on the festivities, so I've been stocking up on decorations at the dollar store.

I've also been planning a little Independence Day fun of my own. I made a Red, White, and Blue Jello Berry Trifle for my cute patriotic cake toppers. Think jello poke cake with a bunch of fresh berries. Every year I struggle with whether to make red, white, and blue Jello parfaits, a Jello poke cake, or strawberry shortcake. This year I combined all three into one big fabulous dessert.





There's nothing like a bunch of beautiful fresh summer berries paired with some extremely processed foods, right? Ha! Just kidding. Let's keep it real though.



I've been trying to keep things more natural and fresh, but when I thought up this dessert I had to go back to the beloved 4th of July ingredients I grew up with - Jello and Cool Whip. So sue me. No, don't sue me. Please don't. Really. Don't.

I started by preparing my jello and cake mix according to the package directions. Any white or vanilla cake mix will do.



When my cake was cool and my Jello was set, I macerated my berries with a little bit of sugar and started putting my trifle together.

I was a little heavy handed with the layers in the beginning of my process and ran out of space on top, so I suggest keeping each layer about half an inch thick.


A layer of cubed cake goes down first. Then a layer of macerated blackberries and blueberries. I topped that with some blue Jello and then a layer of good ol' Cool Whip.

You can see how I ran out of room up top.

More cake goes down, followed by my red berry mixture and then the red Jello.



The trifle gets finished with a final layer of Cool Whip on top.

My cute celebratory cake toppers are the perfect finishing touch atop this gorgeously patriotic trifle. This dessert is cool, fresh, fun, and perfect for a hot summer day of celebrating our beloved country.

Red, White, and Blue Jello Berry Trifle

INGREDIENTS
1 box vanilla or white cake mix + ingredients to prepare according to package directions
1 6 oz box blue Jello
1 6 oz box red Jello (I used raspberry)
2 8 oz tubs Cool Whip, thawed in the fridge
1 pint blueberries, washed and halved
1 pint blackberries, washed and halved
1 pint raspberries, washed and halved
1 1/2 cups strawberries, washed and chopped
2 Tbsp sugar, divided

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare your cake and Jello mixes according to package directions.
2. When Jello is set and cake is cool, macerate the berries. In a medium bowl, combine blueberries and blackberries with 1 Tbsp sugar and stir together.
3. In another bowl, combine raspberries and strawberries with the other Tbsp of sugar and stir together. Let berries sit 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cut your cake into 1/2 inch cubes. Also, cube your jello.
5. Assemble your trifle by laying down a 1/2 inch layer of cake at the bottom. 
6. Top with all of the blueberry mixture including any juices.
7. Spoon a 1/2 inch layer of blue Jello on top of the berries, followed by a 1/2 inch layer of Cool Whip.
8. Add another 1/2 inch layer of cake.
8. Add all of the raspberry mixture on top of that including any juices.
9. Add a 1/2 inch layer of red jello, followed by another 1/2 inch layer of Cool Whip.

* You will have leftover cake, Jello, and Cool Whip.

Patriotic Cake Topper

This Independence Day is gonna be a fun one at the Loverbee's. I'm trying out a new red, white, and blue dessert that I'll be sharing with y'all soon. I also made some cake toppers to decorate my scrumptious treat.







These patriotic cake toppers aren't just for cakes. They can be used on all kinds of desserts, including trifle (hint, hint). 

I've included my template at the bottom of this post for those of you that would like to print and use. For those of you interested in making your own cake toppers, I've laid out my process below.

For this project you'll need:
- a computer and printer
- cardstock
- a black Sharpie
- patterned/colored paper for the back of your toppers
- colorful paper straws or skewers
- a glue stick
- scissors
- a scanner to reproduce/share



I started by printing out my phrases in a pretty font. I used card stock to ensure my topper didn't turn out flimsy. I downloaded some patriotic patterns for the backing and printed those out too. Scrapbook paper will also work great.



I drew a boarder around my phrases with a black Sharpie. You could definitely be more elaborate. I just kept it simple.



Next, I placed the patterned paper behind my phrase so that the white parts of both papers were facing each other. I cut around the boarder I drew being careful to hold on tightly to both papers so that they both cut exactly the same. You want them to match up when you glue them together over the straw.




I used cute and colorful paper straws to hold up my toppers. I taped down the straw onto the back of the phrase, then covered the back with glue. I placed the patterned paper white side down over the straw and sealed it all up as evenly as possible. You can trim away any uneven white edges with scissors.

If you want your toppers to be reproducible, scan the pieces into your computer before you glue them together. 

Here are my templates:

Happy party planning, and stay tuned for my red, white, and blue dessert coming soon!

What's for Dinner? Italian Sub Nachos

I can't stop with the nachos. We eat nachos about once a week these days. Can you blame me? Nachos are fast and easy and fabulous. Absolutely fabulous! You want a fabulous meal? Make nachos!

These Italian Sub Nachos are reminiscent of one of my favorite Subway sandwiches.



I start off by covering my chips in parmesan and mozzarella. Then I throw on sliced pepperoni and hard salami.



That gets thrown into the oven for 7 minutes or so.



I chose the fresh kind of toppings I like to add to my Italian sub - shredded lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, salt and pepper, and a drizzle of red wine vinegar.



Deeeeeeeeeelish! Next time I'm adding pepperoncinis.

Italian Sub Nachos

INGREDIENTS
1 bag corn tortilla chips
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup sliced pepperoni
1/3 cup sliced hard salami
2 1/2 cups chopped Iceberg lettuce
1 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. Add a layer of corn tortilla chips to your pan. Top with cheeses and meat.
4. Bake 7 to 10 minutes until cheese is melted.
5. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.
6. Sprinkle with salt and pepper according to your taste.
7. Drizzle with vinegar.

All Natural Rainbow Fresh Fruit Popsicles

It's popsicle season y'all. We recently made some rainbow popsicles with layers of fresh pureed fruit. We've been trying to keep things a little more natural and a little lower in sugar too.

This recipe takes a little more effort than I'm used to putting into a popsicle recipe, but when your little guy asks for this healthy treat with all the enthusiasm his heart can muster; well, what can you do?



You'll need about 1 1/2 cups of 5 different types of fruit. We chose strawberries for the red, blackberries for the purple, Cuties for the orange, pineapple for the yellow, and kiwis for the green. There's no natural way to make a true blue layer. If you come up with one, please let me know. You could end up being the super hero of many a household.



I used an immersion blender to puree my fruit. I didn't want to use a whole big blender for so many different small batches. That little machine got quite the workout, let me tell you. Some of the fruit is harder to break down that way, but with a little elbow grease, and some stubbornness on my part, I got the job done without totally overheating my little machine.



You can strain your purees if you don't like seeds. I hate straining things, so I didn't, but I highly recommend straining the blackberry puree, or using blueberries instead. 

I also had some honey and fresh lemon juice on hand to enhance the flavor of each puree if it needed it. I ended up sweetening all the layers, except for the blackberry, with a little squirt of honey. Only the Cuties needed a teaspoon of lemon juice to make the flavor really pop. Just taste each puree and add sweetener or lemon juice, a teaspoon at a time, until you like the flavor.



Drop a heaping tablespoon of your first layer and freeze for 30 minutes. Repeat with each fruit puree to make your layers and then freeze at least 4 hours until completely frozen.


Any leftover puree can be frozen in ice cube trays to throw into smoothies or cocktails.

Rainbow Fresh Fruit Popsicles

Makes about 8 medium popsicles

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1 1/2 cups blackberries or blueberries
1 1/2 cup chopped fresh pineapple
1 1/2 cups segmented Cuties
1 1/2 cups chopped kiwis
honey to taste
fresh lemon juice to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Use a blender or immersion blender to process each kind of fruit into a puree. As you process each batch, taste, and add in honey and/or lemon juice a teaspoon at a time to get the flavor you want. Strain out any seeds, if you like. Keep purees in separate bowls/cups.
2. Drop a heaping tablespoon of your first puree into each popsicle mold and freeze for 30 minutes.
3. Repeat with each puree, freezing for 30 minutes before adding the next layer.
4. Freeze at least 4 hours or until completely frozen.

What's for Dinner? Skillet Lasagna

Skillet dinners are the best. They start and end in one pan. That's my kind of meal. I often take my skillet right to the table, place it on a hot plate, and dish out the grub.



This skillet lasagna has all the flavor of an awesome lasagna without all of the work. Let's keep dinner easy and yummy, shall we?



Onions, sausage, and garlic kick off this dish with a punch of flavor.



A delicious blend of seasonings gets stirred into the meat mixture and then the dry noodles are sprinkled on top. You can use any noodles you like. I used to use broken up lasagna noodles until I realized that any noodle would work. Also, this dish works just as great with regular or gluten free noodles. Look at those babies. They're just calling out, "Sauce me, please."



Pasta sauce and diced tomatoes get poured on top of the noodles. Just smooth it evenly so that all of the noodles are covered. This is what the noodles will cook in.



This skillet would be so yummy just as it is. It's kind of like a fancy homemade Hamburger Helper at this point. But we can't just leave well enough alone, now can we?



Mozzarella and Parmesan smother the skillet. Then it gets broiled into a goopy, melty, bubbly topping of deliciousness.



I usually serve this dish with a ready-to-go toss-together salad bag. Those salad bags and Steamfresh peas (the kind that you steam in the bag), are my "go to" veggies for quick dinners.

Skillet Lasagna

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb Italian sausage

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano, crushed

¼ tsp dried thyme, crushed

heaping ½ tsp salt

¼ tsp fresh cracked pepper

10 oz dry pasta (I use gluten free Barilla)

28 oz diced tomatoes

24 oz pasta sauce

1 8 oz package shredded Mozzarella

¼ to ½ cup grated or shredded Parmesan

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook 3 to 5 minutes until translucent and just starting to brown.

2. Add sausage to skillet, brown, and cook through. Drain any excess grease.

3. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

4. Add seasonings and stir to combine. Add dry pasta on top. Add diced tomatoes and pasta sauce on top of that.

5. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook covered on medium low for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. If skillet is too liquidy, cook uncovered for the last 5 minutes.

6. Turn on your broiler. Cover top of skillet with cheeses. Broil for 2 minutes until cheese is melted and a little brown.

WARNING: It's almost impossible to only eat one serving of this dish. If that's gonna be a problem for you, then you shouldn't make it. In fact, you should stay as far away from this recipe as possible. Just unread it and walk away. 😉

Father's Day & Homemade Trail Mix

Father's Day is almost here. We have some special treats lined up for an extra special dad in this house. Hopefully, he won't read this post before his big day.

Matthew is a really good man - I mean truly amazing. He's an awesome father and a wonderful husband, a good provider and a good example to his boys on how to humbly serve God and others. He works long hours at a very stressful job, comes home and makes an effort to give his babies some attention and affection at the end of the day, and does what he can around the house when he has the time. He's our hero!!! (I'm allowed to gush.) He deserves a special treat this Father's Day, so in addition to cards and a "Best Dad Ever" mug, the boys and I made him some of his favorite trail mix.

The kids are still at the age where they need prompting to remember days like Father's Day and ideas for how to make it special. I acquired the trail mix ingredients and poured them into bowls so the boys could easily measure them out.

We started off with a basic recipe and then added a little more of this or that as we saw fit. Then, we mixed it all together.

We filled a jar with Dad's special treat, screwed on the lid, and finished it up with some twine and a picture of Dad and his kids.

Trail mix is a simple homemade treat that's super easy for kids to make. You could also make it an all-nut mix of dad's favorite nuts or turn it into a snack mix by adding in his favorite pretzels, crackers, and chips.

Homemade Trail Mix

INGREDIENTS
2 cups peanuts
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 raisins
1 cup peanut M & M's

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Store in an airtight container.

*Sub your favorite nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and other goodies to make this recipe your own.