Brownie Strawberry Trifle

Janis made homemade lasagna (for real, she didn't buy it at Costco and try to pass it off as her own like I may or may not do on most occasions...) for Sunday supper and I was in charge of dessert. I had the idea to make Tiramisu trifle but our grocery store didn't have ladyfingers so I changed my idea on the fly when I saw a container of two-bite brownies in the store's bakery (did I mention that I didn't have much time to commit to making dessert? That's where the trifle idea came from - it's SO fast, not exact, and easy). No recipe, but it's trifle which is usually pudding/cream layered with cake so making it up is a no-brainer.

For this trifle you'll need:

• 1 block cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cpus milk
• 1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 container Cool Whip
• 1 1/2 containers of 2-bite brownies (or make your own if you have the time!)
• Big handful sliced strawberries (I used about 1/2 of a small container)
• bittersweet chocolate bar or cocoa powder, optional for garnish

Whisk the milk and pudding together until thick. In a mixer whip the cream cheese until it's smooth and fluffy, then slowly mix in the pudding. Once fully incorporated, gently add 1/2 container of Cool Whip. 

To assemble: put a layer of brownies in the bottom of a clear glass trifle bowl (or a regular bowl but then you won't see the pretty layers), top with a layer of pudding mixture, top with brownies and berries, more pudding, more brownies and berries, finish with pudding. Add the rest of the Cool Whip on the very top. Garnish with chocolate shavings and one pretty berry for presentation. 

To make chocolate shavings just hold a square of chocolate and run your vegetable peeler down the edges: