School starts in two weeks from today. Jacob is so ready to go back to school and is it bad if I say that I am really ready for him to go back to school? Kelly will be in school all day (last year it was just half day Kindergarten) and I’m really not ready for her to be gone all day. She is a better mom than I am and is a huge help with the girls around the house. She has a patience level with Ella that I just don’t seem to have all the time.

We had a big long list of things we wanted to do this summer, and unfortunately, that big long list still has a lot of things not marked off. I feel like I need to soak up these next two weeks and cram as much summer fun as I can into it.

I am feeling the same way about the fresh berries of summer. Summer is almost over, so I feel like I need to hoard and buy up all the berries I can and make all those recipes I haven’t had the chance to get to yet this summer. The May/June 2010 issue of Cooking with Paula Deen has some great berry recipes in it. (Incidentally,  this is the first issue of this magazine I have ever read and it has some great recipes. Is it always this good, or is this just a particularly good issue?)

If you are trying to cram the last of the summer berries into your escaping summer, this Raspberry Parfait recipe is a great one to try. Refreshing, rich and delicious, not to mention beautiful, you can eat it and savor the final days of summer just a little bit longer.

Raspberry Parfaits (from the May/June 2010 Issue of Cooking with Paula Deen Magazine)

3 pints fresh raspberries, divided

½ cup sugar, divided

1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fresh raspberries for garnish, optional

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 pints raspberries and ¼ cup sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently for 8 minutes or until raspberries have softened. Press mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, discarding solids. Cover raspberry sauce, and chill thoroughly.

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining ¼ cup sugar at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Add cream, and beat until soft peaks form. Fold in sour cream and vanilla.

Layer cream mixture, raspberry sauce, and remaining 1 pint fresh strawberries in four parfait glasses. Garnish with fresh raspberries. Makes four servings.

(The folks of at The Times News used strawberries in this recipe with great success too!)

The post Berry Overindulgence (Recipe: Paula Deen’s Raspberry Parfaits) appeared first on Dine and Dish.

Dr Laura Schlessinger

I will admit, I used to be one of those women (remind me to tell you about our invitation to be guests on the Dr Phil Show). My husband who does so many things right is not the elaborate, romantic kind of guy and it used to drive me crazy. After reading Dr Laura’s book several years ago, I had a rude awakening and luckily was smart enough to change my tune.

Now, my husband and I make Valentine’s a very special day for our kids. For example, this evening we made a multi course meal of salad, homemade bread, baked potatoes, filet mignon with red wine sauteed mushrooms and asparagus. For dessert, we had the delicious Strawberry Shortcake Parfaits pictured above. Nick and I had the children sit at the table, lit the candles and put on soft music. We served them “fancy restaurant style” (with drinks in wine glasses, cloth napkins and the works) and the kids had a ball with the special attention. We then headed downstairs to the “movie theater” to watch a special movie, and then bed time ended in rooms at “Hotel Doyle”.

You may not think our Valentine’s Day sounds all that romantic, but trust me. Just sit back and watch your husband doting over your kids as a pretend waiter, chat together as you both wash and dry the dishes and clean up the kitchen and then watch later as he has kids draped all over him, sleeping on his shoulders and lap. My idea of romance has certainly changed since we’ve became parents and I read Dr Laura’s books. I would take this over chocolate and roses any day!

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle (from This Mama Loves to Cook)

(I made these into individual parfaits)

1 Angle Food Cake
1 8 oz. Cream cheese
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. powdered sugar
1 c. sour cream
8 oz. Frozen Whipped Topping (thawed)
2 large container of fresh strawberries

Wash strawberries and remove berry tops. Slice strawberries.
Sprinkle granulated sugar over strawberries. Cut Angel Food
cake into 1-inch squares. Set aside. Blend together cream
cheese, vanilla, powdered sugar, and sour cream until smooth.
Fold in Whipped topping. In a trifle bowl layer ingredients
starting with half the cake cubes, then half of the sliced berries,
and then half of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat layers and
garnish with strawberries.

Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Valentine’s Day – Mommy Style (Strawberry Shortcake Trifle) appeared first on Dine and Dish.

I was reading an article on BlogHer the other day about how blogging has now become a mainstream activity for women. I certainly believe this. It seems like everytime I turn around I see a new blog pop up somewhere. Especially in the food blog world… there are so many talented women and men contributing to food blogs. I just wish I had the time to sit down and read through them all!

Reading through this study made me start thinking about a couple of thing…

Why do you blog? I know that I blog because it is a way for me to express myself, keep track of my food/recipes and to connect with others. Even though I work from home and have that connection with the outside world, I enjoy the interaction with others I get from my blog. Oh – and I have to add… I love photographing food, and through this medium I can do it without others thinking I am an odd duck 😉

Why do you read blogs? Blogs have now become my number one source for food related information. If I am looking for a recipe, I look at the Food Blog Search first for things tried and true, then turn to other online sites like Recipezaar or My Recipes. I love the food photography on food blogs and the passion that goes into each photo. I love the stories that go along with the food. I love supporting other people who have similar lives as mine with their blogging efforts. On a regular basis, if I stumble through the blogosphere, I can always find a story that makes me laugh, cry and feel. I really enjoy the ideas and tips shared by others in the blogging world as well. There are some very smart people in the world, and they are finally being heard through this great medium!

Would you continue to blog if you did not receive feedback on your blog? Honestly, one of the great things about blogging is connecting with people, so I probably would lose the interest or motivation to blog if I was just writing for myself. Thank you all for your comments and interaction! It means a lot to me.

If you don’t blog, why is that? When people I know find out that I blog, I almost always hear, “I’ve thought about starting a blog, but I just don’t know what I would write about!” I would venture to guess that most of us who blog aren’t writing about what we originally planned on writing about. Blogs take on a life of their own once you get them started. You get inspired by various places and eventually you have a voice that is taking you to places you wouldn’t have imagined.

So, those are just some of my random blogging thoughts. I would love to hear your answers, simply because I am curious to find out what is it about blogging that intrigues us all so.

And, speaking of completely random… here is a simple recipe for a Fruit and Yogurt Breakfast Parfait. Nothing complicated about it or even related to this post about blogging. It is sharing an incredibly simple recipe idea with others through the blogosphere, which is one of my blogging goals. Enjoy!

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait

5 minutes total | 5 minutes prep

SERVES 1

• 8 ounces low-fat vanilla yogurt, divided
• ½ cup mixture of fresh raspberries and fresh blueberries
• 1 cup granola cereal with raisins, divided

1. Place 1/3 cup of granola in a parfait glass.
2. Layer half of the fresh fruit mixture on top of the granola.
3. Layer half of the granola cereal with raisins on top of the fruit
4. Repeat layers, leaving some fresh fruit to place on top as garnish

So, you love a good parfait? Check out the different versions these food bloggers share with us:

• Mixed Berry Breakfast Parfaits, from The Modern Apron
• Blackberry Parfaits with White Chocolate Soy Milk Custard, from A Fridge Full of Food
• Honeyed Strawberry Shortcake Parfaits, from A Picky Palate
• Mango Parfait with Homemade Crunchy Granola, from My Diverse Kitchen
• Oatmeal Parfait, from Do Better

The post Blogging appeared first on Dine and Dish.