It's beginning to smell a lot like Thanksgiving

The Thanksgiving baking commences... This year we will be celebrating two Thanksgivings on Thanksgiving day... let's just say that even if our pants don't agree, we have a great deal to be thankful for this year. My husband and I are both incredibly lucky to have our parents and many family members living in town, and this year we are extra blessed because my sisters are going to be in town as well. My MIL is usually very kind and invites my small family to join hers, but this year there will be too many Lynskeys to fit in the O'Brien home! So... two Thanksgivings it will have to be!

Our mothers are in charge of the majority of the cooking, but I have volunteered to bring the dessert. One dessert I will bring is a Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle. Here is how I made it-- very simple and semi-homemade.

Bake two boxes of gingerbread and set aside to cool. Once cool, break the gingerbread into crumbles.

Prepare one large box of vanilla instant pudding (takes 3 cups of milk) and let sit in the refrigerator to firm up. Once pudding is set, mix in one 29 ounce can of pumpkin puree. Add 3 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon all spice and stir together. Refrigerate mixture until ready to assemble trifle.

Evenly layer half of the gingerbread, then 1/2 of the pudding, and then 1/2 of the cool whip (repeat). Garnished with chopped pecans and a heart made of cranberries.

One Trifling Fool

My parents are directors of a local youth ministry, and they are having a fundraiser this weekend for their annual ski trip. Mom likes to sign me up to make desserts, so this time I made a Chocolate-Strawberry-Trifle. I love to make this recipe for many reasons.

1. It gives me a reason to make my husband's favorite chocolate cake from Barefoot Contessa.
2. I get to layer all the ingredients in the trifle bowl (something about this is calming to me- it's like a challenge each and every time I make a trifle)
3. I get to experiment with different toppings and textures. Let my creative hair down for a bit :)

This time for the trifle guts I chose: chocolate cake, strawberries and raspberries, Cool Whip, and chocolate pudding.

The first thing that I do is bake the cake. The Barefoot Contessa recipe will make two 9 inch round layers. I usually bake one 9 inch round and then make about 15-16 cupcakes with the remaining batter. The cupcakes only need to bake for about 15 minutes (or until inserted toothpick comes out clean).

While the cake is cooling (needs to be cooled completely) I cut up the strawberries (one whole package) and sprinkle them with about a Tablespoon of white sugar. I let the strawberries sit in the sugar mixture for a few hours in the refrigerator.

Once the cake has cooled, I break it up into 1 inch pieces. I use two bowls to separate the pieces of cake (this way I know the layers will be even in the trifle). I always have a little bit of the layer cake left (enough for a taste test for the hubby).

Next I make the pudding. I buy two large boxes of instant pudding and prepare it just as the box indicates. Because I am making a double batch (two boxes), I mix the pudding on low (to avoid splash). Heads up--this much pudding calls for 6 cups of milk.

While the pudding is setting in the refrigerator (takes about 5 minutes), I begin to layer the ingredients. I always start with a layer of strawberries on the bottom and around the bottom of the trifle bowl. I then pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture inside the ring of strawberries. Next I add the chunks of chocolate cake. On top of the chocolate cake I spread a thin layer of cool whip. On top of the Cool Whip I add another layer of strawberries (and a decorative ring against the trifle bowl). On top of strawberries I add the rest of the pudding mixture. On top of pudding I add cake. On top of cake I add Cool Whip. For decoration I add another ring of sliced strawberries. I also add four halved strawberries in the center with a raspberry. I cover the trifle with cling wrap and refrigerate until time to serve.

Scoop and enjoy!

I had a little extra of all of the ingredients this time... so I made four small ramekins of personal size trifles.