I love berry trifle! Even though trifle is pretty simplistic to execute in the kitchen,
I have found an even easier recipe…using Little Debbie Pound Cakes!
English Berry Trifle
Serves 6
6 Little Debbie® Pound Cakes
10 oz. Pkg. Frozen Raspberries in syrup
10 oz. Pkg. Frozen Strawberries in syrup
1 Pkg. Instant Vanilla Pudding
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/4 C. Fresh Blueberries
1/4 C. Fresh Raspberries or Strawberries
Prepare pudding according to package. Cover and chill.
Thaw packages of raspberries and strawberries. Drain off syrup and set aside. Place fruit in bowl and set aside. Measure the syrup. You should have about one cup. Transfer one quarter of the syrup into a small saucepan. Fold in cornstarch. Stir in remaining syrup. Bring to boil over medium heat. Cook until juice thickens and turns clear.
Cut cakes into bite size pieces. Place half the cake into large glass bowl. Next, layer with half the fruit and juice. Top with half the pudding. Repeat. Garnish with fresh fruit. Cover and refrigerate for two hours and up to six hours before serving.
Mercedes-Benz of Canada has caused quite a stir with their blinged-out platinum keychain that will only set you back, oh — in the neighborhood of $17,500 U.S. shekels.
This luxury Mercedes-logoed trinket consists of 0.950 platinum with a satiny finish.
It’s been a while since I’ve done a “Let’s Visit” feature. Hey, you know how it is…
Life gets busy sometimes, folks.
So alrighty then, without further adieu, let’s hop on my private jet and head to Trinidad & Tobago!
You know my motto: FOOD FIRST!
I must show some serious love for my two favorite Trinidadian food bloggers:
1. Sarina, of TriniGourmet fame, will have your fat bellies rumbling with her delectable photographs of her exotic culinary delights. Whenever I head over to Sarina’s blog, I always learn something new about gourmet Trini fare. So if you’ve been itchin’ to discover and master a new cuisine, Sarina’s blog is your ticket!
2. “TriniFood,” from Can Cook, Must Cook, is a Trinidadian foodie who lives in London. To say she has a passion for good food of all kinds is an understatement! What I love about Can Cook, Must Cook is its abundance of culinary exploration. From the quite unusual Stargazy Pie to Pastelles, there is something for every palate at this blog.
And NOW…
It’s Trinidadian & Tobagonian cookbook time! Both of these island cooking Bibles have been rated five stars on Amazon!
For those who MUST have facts and figures about geographical locations, here is a quick blurb from Wikipedia on the geographical stats of Trinidad & Tobago:
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (IPA: [ˈtrɪnɪdad ɒnd təˈbego]) is an archipelagic state[1] in the southern Caribbean, lying northeast of the South American nation of Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. It also shares maritime boundaries with Barbados to the northeast and Guyana to the southeast. The country covers an area of 5,128 square kilometres (1,979 sq mi) and consists of two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and 21 smaller islands. Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the main islands; Tobago is much smaller, comprising about 6% of the total area and 4% of the population. The nation lies outside the hurricane belt.
Originally settled by Amerindians at least 7,000 years ago,[2] Trinidad and Tobago was occupied by Arawakan- and Caribbean-speaking peoples at the time of European contact in 1498. A history of slavery and indentureship has left the country with a mixture of African, Indian, European, Middle Eastern and Chinese people. All these groups have left an imprint on the national culture, and there is an increasingly high percentage of mixed-race people. Trinidad and Tobago became an independent nation (from the United Kingdom) in 1962 and a republic in 1976.
The lovely national flower, the Chaconia:
Officially Trinidadians or Tobagonians, the people from Trinidad and Tobago are often informally referred to as Trinbagonians or Trinis. Unlike most of the English-speaking Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago is a primarily industrialised country whose economy is based on petroleum and petrochemicals. Trinidad and Tobago is famous for its pre-Lenten Carnival and as the birthplace of steelpan, calypso, and limbo.
Go to Get Trinidad to finish your education on these amazing islands.
Class is dismissed!
So where the heck are all of us going to sleep now that we’ve arrived? Decisions, decisions… Ooh, I know - let’s stay at Infinity Villa in Bacolet, Tobago!
With an on-call housekeeper, cook and gardener, you best believe we’re lodging here!
Here sugar, have a seat while I tell you all about these accommodations:
Infinity Villa is perched on top of a low cliff with uninterrupted views of the Atlantic Ocean, offering cooling sea breezes. Swim in the pool while watching the Frigate birds and Pelicans fly past, or sip on an evening drink enjoying the sounds of the sea.
Infinity is a four-bedroom, 4 1/2 bathroom villa consisting of two master suites with en-suite bathrooms and two large double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms. All bedrooms are air-conditioned.
Wouldn’t you love to wake to this view each morning?
Dinner’s ready!
A small pool is located on the veranda, with steps on both sides allowing easy entry into the pool. The veranda runs the full length of the property and overlooks the sea…
Infinity Villa’s features include two BBQs, 5 TVs, a DVD player, ceiling fans, alfresco dining, washer/dryer, cable TV, air-conditioned bedrooms and a CD player/radio.
Need I say more? Yep - one final thing…
Check out Island Flave for even more classic Trini recipes!
Galito’s Famous Sauces and Flame Grilled Chicken restaurants first opened in
South Africa in 1996. Their flame-grilled Portuguese chicken has been a great success. Today, there are 12 Galito’s restaurants and more on their way. Galito’s South Africa has teamed up with Galito’s USA to bring this authentic Peri-Peri sauce to the U.S.
Peri-Peri means “pepper pepper” in Swahili. This specific pepper referred to is the
African Bird’s Eye Pepper. This fiery pepper is very small and can be found in African and Portuguese cuisine. The pepper was carried back by Portuguese traders to Angola and Mozambique, and then ultimately to Portugal.
Garlic Peri-Peri Sauce
Use with chicken, beef, pork, vegetables, chili, soup, etc. It can be used as a condiment, a marinade, or an overall flavor enhancer.
Hot and Spicy Peri-Peri Sauce
Galito’s has combined this red hot pepper and packed it with flavor. The heat in the Peri-Peri sneaks up on you only after the intense flavors of lemon, garlic & herbs have paved the way. The result is that you just can’t get enough!
Whether you prefer a mild, spicy, or garlic flavor, click any of the pictures in this post to order securely from Amazon and fire up that grill!
If I were a guy, I’m certain I would be pretty hoity-toity and particular about my unmentionables.
A lot of you tell me you enjoy my men’s clothing articles. Rest assured that since I’m gearing up for my next lifetime as a (very handsome and rich) man, my men’s undergarment and clothing research is endless. You’ll always find something new here!
For those who know nothing about the great online men’s shop HisRoom, you will be happy to know that this shop carries both Hanro of Switzerland and Schiesser men’s underthings, among many other quality designers.
This recipe is courtesy of the United Dairy Industry of Michigan. It’s the best of both worlds - nourishing and sweet!
The only modification I would make to this recipe is topping mine with some toasted pecans or oats. But you know me - nothing is ever simple in my world. Ever.
Baked Apples with Cinnamon Yogurt Topping
Recipe created by Chef Michael Bussinger of San Francisco on behalf of 3-A-Day™ of Dairy.
Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
4 Granny Smith or Gala apples (with or without skin)
¼ cup unsweetened apple juice or apple cider
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray an 8×8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Core and thinly slice apples. Place apples in a medium bowl and toss with apple juice. Mix brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a small bowl. Sprinkle over apples and stir gently until apples are coated.
Pour apples into prepared baking dish. Bake 40 minutes or until apples are slightly browned at edges and sauce is bubbling.
For the cinnamon yogurt topping: Line a colander with several paper towels and place over a bowl to catch drips. Pour yogurt into colander and allow to drain, refrigerated, about 30 minutes. Spoon yogurt into a small bowl and stir in honey and cinnamon.
For each serving, top ¼ of the warm apples with ¼ of the yogurt topping.
I love Jamaican ginger beer. For those who are like - ginger what? - I didn’t say
ginger ale; I said ginger beer.
Desnoes and Geddes (D&G) ginger beer, though non-alcoholic, has a much stronger, spicier and assertive taste than plain ginger ale. D&G brand, while imported from England, is made in the authentic Jamaican style of preparing ginger beer. I love it!
Jamaica makes some wonderful things, I tell ya.
I drink mine cold and straight from the can, without ice. The canned version is better than the bottle for some reason. Sometimes I’ll throw a slice of lime into my ginger beer. Yummy.
For grilling: ginger beer also makes a kicky addition to a marinade or BBQ sauce.
I’m all over this stuff!!!
To join me and toast a glass, click the picture above.
Lest anyone accuse me of being a careless writer, I am well aware there should be a question mark after the word “pizza” in the headline of this post.
However, I chose an exclamation point because I am making a statement;
an emphatic one, at that. Everyone loves pizza!
If, by some chance, you don’t like pizza - please don’t tell me about it. I don’t want to hear about your wheat allergy, dairy intolerance, allergy to tomatoes and dislike of pizza toppings.
Just humor me and pretend for the duration of this post that all is well in Pizza Land and we all adore it…m’kay?
I think I’ve talked about my thrilling life in Italy ad nauseum, so I suppose I’ll bypass my extensive sermon on whose pizza is better: Italy vs. the U.S. I think you can guess where I stand on the topic.
Hint: it’s pretty safe to assume that I prefer a thinner, crisper crust, less sauce, and only a smidgen of cheese.
Give me a spongy, heavy, sauce-drenched, greasy pile of mushy goop called a pizza,
and not only will my face grimace as such: , but you better duck because you might be covered in sauce and pepperoni in less than two seconds flat.
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way…I’ve heard great things about this incredible pizza contraption -
Outdoor Artisan Pizza Oven, by Kalamazoo Gourmet
Ovens lined with stone and topped by an arched roof are found across Italy for baking pizza and bread. Why? The stone delivers superior heat transfer characteristics and the low, arched top reflects radiant heat back to the pizza for even baking from both the top and bottom.
Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet has taken this classic design and updated it for worry-free outdoor use. The Outdoor Artisan Pizza Oven is hand fabricated entirely of stainless steel. The countertop design is a perfect addition to your outdoor kitchen.
The baking surface is a professional composite baking stone. Its heat transfer performance exceeds that of natural stone, and it will never become brittle like quarry stone can after repeated heat cycles. The precision digital thermometer measures the temperature of the stone so you can do both low-temperature deep-dish pizza and high-temperature thin-crust pizza with equal confidence.
The convenience of the 30,000 BTU stainless steel gas burner means the oven is always at the ready, while the integrated smoking drawer imparts the flavor of a wood-fired pizza oven.
Start a tradition at your home of baking artisan pizza in your backyard! Thick or thin crust, pan pizza or stuffed, even calzones or artisan bread… The Outdoor Artisan Pizza Oven helps you cook like a seasoned professional.
So there I was, half asleep and cruising the Internet. I was about to retire for the night when I happened upon a still picture of a kitten with his head poking out of a tissue box.
I was like, what in the world???
Maybe you like cats, maybe you don’t. But either way, one must admit that this is exceedingly precious.
If you pause the video when the kitty’s head is poking out of the box, you are guaranteed to grasp its ridiculous humor and get a chuckle out of it.
So if you find yourself getting all uptight and serious today, just pause the video at that part. You have to know how silly this is.
This wouldn’t be Good Luck Deluxe without another mention of my latest exquisite, creative jeweler discovery. This is a luxury site, after all.
Introducing fine jewelry by A La Vieille Russie in New York! From jewels to fine art and Fabergé, A La Vieille Russie will make you smile.
French Lattice Garnet and Diamond Earrings
Gold Nugget Collection
Gold Paratrooper Earrings (how cute are they?!)
Pearl and Diamond Clusters
Pearl and Gold Bangle
Pink Coral Shoes (just darling!)
Girls, tell me that is not some seriously charming jewelry. Like Oprah says, it’s time for a fun-filled SHOP-A-ROO!
, but you better duck because you might be covered in sauce and pepperoni in less than two seconds flat.
