Buckets and Trifles

Last night I dreamed of broomsticks, mops, and candlesticks.  Unfortunately, they were not dancing and singing Be Our Guest or anything entertaining like that.  Belle has no idea just how good she had it.  No, I was dreaming of  house-work, because that is what my husband and I did the moment we got home from work… until the moment we went to bed.  We pretty much did the spring cleaning we had planned on pushing off until fall.

And it was all due to a yellow bucket.  Oooh, how my aching muscles and sleepy eyes detest that bucket.

My husband thought it was the greatest thing since the invention of Mr. Clean.  In fact, he was a little disappointed that I was not quite as excited to see that bucket as he was to buy it.  In fact, he outright asked me why I wasn’t so excited.  I looked around my disheveled house which was completely upturned so that every square inch of carpet and flooring could be cleaned. 

Oooh, how I wanted to send that bucket back to the store.  It should have come with a warning:  Will give your husband the intense desire to scrub your house from top to bottom.

But clean away we did.  And as the cats made forts out of the stacked chairs, we scrubbed the kitchen floor, did dishes, dusted, vacuumed, polished, and tidied.  I also whipped together a trifle, since Nate’s family is coming over tomorrow night for a campfire.  (trifle recipe below). 

Finally, by bedtime, the house sparkled… And now I can sit back and enjoy my July 4th weekend.  🙂  So maybe, in the end, I didn’t hate that bucket quite so much.  I just don’t think I’ll be wanting to play with it again any time soon.

But now onto the sweet stuff…

What do you get when you layer sweet berries with vanilla cake, pudding, tropical fruit, and freshly whipped cream?  A Red, White, and Blue Trifle, of course!  🙂 

Red, White, and Blue Trifle

1 package (9 ounces) yellow cake mix — or bake a 13 x 9 cake and freeze the other half

1 can (20 ounces) pineapple tidbits, drained

Cup sliced fresh strawberries (plus extra for garnish)

4 cups cold milk

2 packages (3.4 oz each) instant vanilla pudding mix

2 cups whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

Cup fresh blueberries  (plus extra for garnish)

2 Kiwifruit, peeled and sliced (optional)

1.  Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions.  Cool.  Then use your hands to tear it up and turn it into cake crumbs.In a bowl, combine the pineapple, bananas, strawberries, kiwi and blueberries.

2.  In another bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes; let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set.  In a mixing bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form.  Add sugar; beat until stiff peaks form.

3.  In a 3-qt. trifle bowl, layer half of the cake crumbs, fruit mixture, pudding, and whipped cream.  Repeat layers. Top with blueberries and strawberries as a garnish.  Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.  (Best if refrigerated over-night!).

Do you have a Patriotic Dessert that you like making for July 4th?