Back In Business!

I'm back! My camera issues are resolved, so I'm able to get back to my favorite hobby (well...besides cooking)! Tonight, David and I went to my cousin Jordan's high school graduation party, and I decided to take a berry trifle. I first had this trifle a couple of years ago at my in-laws house during their annual Father's Day party (wherein about 50 Klingenfuses get together, eat obscene amounts of food, then play games - volleyball, basketball, badminton, shooting sports, etc.). David's cousin's mother-in-law (hey...all are welcome...you don't have to be a Klingenfus to participate) brought this trifle, and it was delicious! She gave Earl the recipe, with two variations...the full-fat version, and the lightened up version. I made the lightened up version for our party this evening, and it was still super-good! The first thing you need to do is bake an angel food cake:

This is my personal preference, but I think it works better to bake your own angel food cake. You can buy one of the pre-made ones at the grocery, but they're a lot more dense, so the cream cheese mixture doesn't soak in as much. It's also cheaper to bake your own. It's your call!
I apologize that I don't have process pictures for you on this recipe...I was still having some camera issues. You'll find the recipe below, but it's really very simple. You just tear or cut your angel food cake into good-sized cubes, mix with a delicious cream cheese mixture, then layer with sliced strawberries and blueberries. It's a fabulous and easy dessert. And it's pretty, too!

Berry Trifle

Mike Slider's Mom (Mrs. Slider...I don't know her first name)

16 oz fat-free cream cheese

1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

8 oz fat-free whipped topping

1 angel food cake, cubed

4 pints fresh strawberries, sliced

1 pint fresh blueberries

4 Tbs. sugar substitute (Splenda)

Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat on high speed until well-mixed.

Stir in vanilla yogurt and vanilla.

Fold whipped topping into cream cheese mixture. Add cake and stir gently to coat well.

In a bowl, combine the sliced strawberries wtih the sugar substitute. Layer the strawberries, blueberries, and cream cheese mixture in a trifle bowl, beginning and ending with the strawberries.