Triple-Berry Trifle

It's time for an easy summerish dessert. In order to qualify for a summerish dessert at my house, the stove and oven MUST remain off. No extra heat added to our air-conditionless house.

Here's what I came up with. It's a variation on trifle that required no stove top/oven work at all. At least not for me. The microwave was employed, but in a fairly minimal capacity.

This trifle also qualifies as a "dessert by the numbers". Easy as 1-2-3. Let's get started.

1. Make one package vanilla pudding (I used the microwave directions). Allow to cool in refrigerator, then mix about half and half with whipped cream (or Cool Whip?).
2. Thaw out a cup or two of frozen strawberries, then puree in the blender with a spoonful or two of sugar, to taste.
3. Slice a pound cake into about 1/2 inch thick slices.
4. Spread marionberry jam between slices - like you're making sandwiches. Cut sandwiches into 1 inch cubes.
5. Let's start layering!
6. I covered the bottom of my container with pound cake sandwich cubes.
7. Sprinkle with blueberries.
8. Drizzle a little of the strawberry puree.
9. Spoon on some pudding/whipped cream.
10. Add some sliced strawberries.
11. Repeat.

There's nothing magical about the recipe. Change any step you'd like. Substitute different fruit. Make your own pound cake...instead of pudding, make custard...or use lemon curd. Go wild.

Verdict: 19 year-old Alex liked it in a general way - in a sort of "chunky chicken soup" way. Dr. van der Stevejinck declared it delicious. I am not a huge trifle fan - there's a great quote from The Pirates of Penzance that sums up my feeling: "Individually, I love you all with affection unspeakable; but, collectively, I look upon you with a disgust that amounts to absolute detestation." Yeah...I like all of the components, I just find the finished dish a bit too busy for my taste. I don't actually find it disgusting, it just doesn't work for me as a complete dish.