Welcome to the weekend, my friends! We had a fantastic time in NM and AZ with our family this past week. I’m really glad we could get out there at last and see everyone. That said, it’s great to be home again. We’re getting ready for the new school year and definitely looking forward to fall.

ON THE BLOG this week: Tender buttery Peach Coffee Cake is filled with sweet bites of peach and topped with an irresistible brown sugar crumb topping – what is not to love??

This Italian Red Wine Roast Beef slowly cooks in the crock-pot creating an unforgettable dinner with almost no effort at all. This smells absolutely fantastic as it slowly cooks through the day.

Can a recipe ever go wrong when it starts with the words “double chocolate?” The first time I made these Double Chocolate Brownies, I took them to the park to share with friends and they disappeared within minutes.

Homemade Vanilla Pudding is a classic dessert that simply doesn’t get the love that it deserves. So, often we reach for chocolate or caramel or peanut butter to satisfy a sweet craving, but I’ve come to appreciate the awesomeness of a great vanilla dessert.

Ripe strawberries, bananas, and chunks of fudge brownies are layered into these Banana Split Brownie Trifles with vanilla pudding and whipped cream.

What I’m CRAVING: These Garlic Parmesan Stuffed Pork Chops from Spicy Southern Kitchen look so good! 

What I’m WATCHING: Miss Congeniality. If you need a laugh, this one never dissapoints. It still makes me laugh every time I watch it.

What I’m READING: The Spellsong War. This is the second book in the Spellsong War series (think sorcerers who can work magic through songs – it’s a fun idea) and I’m enjoying re-reading them all. 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 NIV

Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile!

Mary

Ripe strawberries, bananas, and chunks of fudge brownies are layered into a Brownie Trifle with vanilla pudding and whipped cream.

Brownie Trifle

I love using these Double Chocolate Brownies for these trifles, but any of these brownie recipes will work great in a brownie trifle.

Homemade Vanilla Pudding, instant pudding from a handy box, or store-bought puddings will all work nicely in this recipe.

Trifles are so versatile, the possibilities are endless here. You can switch up the flavor of pudding, swap in different fruits, drizzle the trifles with chocolate syrup or caramel sauce.

Brownie Trifle Ingredients

• sliced strawberries
• sliced bananas
• brownie chunks
• vanilla pudding: homemade, from a box, or store-bought
• whipped cream

Don’t feel like whipping fresh cream? (I do promise it’s EASY.) Feel free to swap in a store-bought whipped cream or cool whip for an even easier option.

Brownie Trifle Recipe

1. Combine the cream and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat on high speed just until the cream is whipped and fluffy. Be careful not to overmix the whipped cream. Set aside.
2. Layer half of the pudding, whipped cream, bananas, and berries in a large serving dish or individual bowls.
3. Sprinkle half of the chopped brownies on top and then repeat the layers.
4. Serve immediately or refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

Can a recipe ever go wrong when it starts with the words “double chocolate?”

The first time I made these Double Chocolate Brownies, I took them to the park to share with friends and they disappeared within minutes.

Double Chocolate Brownies

I love the slightly gooey centers, combined with just the right amount of rich chocolate and nuts. The options with this brownie recipe are nearly endless.

Add nuts or skip them if they aren’t your thing. I’ve made these brownies with macadamia nuts, pecans, walnuts, and almonds, they’re honestly delicious however you make them.

Make the final handful of chocolate whatever you like: white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Make the brownies with the traditional recipe or turn them into the best ever dairy-free brownies or gluten-free brownies that you’ll ever taste!

Dairy Free Brownies

These brownies have been a hit with everyone who tries them. I’ve made them countless times over the past 8-9 years and I’m including tested variations for traditional, dairy-free, and gluten-free recipes.

I’ve been playing with dairy-free baking lately and I’m happy to say that making these brownies dairy free is as simple as swapping coconut oil for the butter in this recipe.

Gluten Free Brownies

Every single gluten-free recipe on this website has been tested side by side with their traditional all-purpose flour counterparts. “Good enough for gluten-free” will never be part of my baking.

I don’t think that I could ever have too many great Gluten Free Dessert Recipes.

For this recipe, making these brownies gluten free is as simple as substituting brown rice flour and tapioca starch for the all-purpose flour in this recipe. The measurements are included at the bottom of the recipe card.

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Homemade Vanilla Pudding is a classic dessert that simply doesn’t get the love that it deserves. So, often we reach for chocolate or caramel or peanut butter to satisfy a sweet craving, but I’ve come to appreciate the awesomeness of a great vanilla dessert.

Vanilla does not equal boring, my friends.

Vanilla Pudding

This is an old-fashioned Betty Crocker recipe that I tried years ago straight out of the red and white checkered cookbook that I was gifted when I first married. You just can’t go wrong with the classics.

Pudding is such a simple dessert and I grew up making pudding with the handy boxes of instant pudding that you can buy at every grocery store. Just add milk and you’ll have a tasty dessert waiting in the fridge.

That said, homemade pudding? It’s a whole new ballgame these days. There is nothing store-bought that compares to it.

And I’m happy as can be to tell you that it takes just a few minutes to stir up a pan of homemade pudding and it’s every bit as tasty when served warm or cold. If you’re in a hurry? There’s no mandatory chill time while it firms up.

So, technically? Homemade can be faster AND tastier than a box of “instant” pudding!

Pudding Ingredients

• sugar
• cornstarch
• kosher salt
• milk
• egg yolks
• butter
• vanilla extract

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This Italian Red Wine Roast Beef slowly cooks in the crock-pot creating an unforgettable dinner with almost no effort at all.

This smells absolutely fantastic as it slowly cooks through the day.

Crockpot Roast Beef

I could hardly wait to taste this pot roast the first time I made it and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Seasoned with a light blend of Italian spices and then cooked in red wine, served with Baby Red Potatoes and Roasted Green Beans this roast is happily eaten by every member of the family.

I’ve been making this Red Wine Roast Beef for a few years now and it never fails to impress. This recipe was originally inspired by a recipe I found over at allrecipes.com. I’ve simplified it over time and the whole family enjoys it.

The aroma, while it cooks, is almost as amazing as the resulting meat. I could eat this roast beef every week all year long with no complaints.

Red Wine Roast Beef

What really makes this Italian roast beef recipe stand out is the red wine that it cooks in. I use a dry red like cabernet or a merlot to fill this roast with delicious flavor. (Not a big wine drinker? I buy these tiny bottles of wine and stash them in the pantry. I use one small bottle each time we make this roast recipe.)

The red wine gives this meat a whole extra dimension of taste. It tastes better than any roast beef I’ve had at a restaurant but is incredibly simple and easy to make. This is a standard dinner time main dish for us by now but we never ever get tired of eating it.

I first made this pot roast with red wine by baking it in the oven. The meat was perfectly tender and fell apart on the fork easily. I had a feeling the recipe would work well in the slow-cooker, too and I was right.