Just In Time for Memorial Day...Featuring White Chocolate Cheesecake-Berry Trifles #berries #nobakedessert #summerdesserts #memorialdayfood

 

A sure sign that Memorial Day is just around the corner...and Summer is on the horizon? There's tons of seasonal fresh berries arriving in local grocery stores. Why not create a refreshing dessert?!?!?My White Chocolate Cheesecake-Berry Trifles use cubed angel food cake to save fat and calories. Strawberries were a must for me, and I paired them with blackberries. The white chocolate cheesecake mousse is light and fluffy and pairs perfectly with the sweetly tart berries. Put it all together, and you've got a fabulous warm weather dessert. 

White Chocolate Cheesecake-Berry Trifles

a Weekend Gourmet Original

Ingredients (makes 4 mini trifles):

• Four individual trifle cups (or four large wine goblets)
• One angel food cake, baked according to package directions OR one purchased bakery angel food cake 
• For optional garnish: 1 ounce good-quality white chocolate and your favorite whipped cream

For the berries:

• 16-ounce container strawberries, chopped
• 8-ounce container blackberries, halved
• 2 TBS limoncello (lemon liqueur) OR Grand Marnier (orange liqueur)
• 1 TBS pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 cup granulated sugar

For the filling:

• 8-ounce tub whipped cream cheese
• 1/3 cup half-and-half
• 1 tsp. good-quality vanilla extract
• 2 TBS lemon juice 
• 2 oz. good-quality white chocolate, melted [NOTE: I use Ghirardelli]

Directions:

Step 1: Cut the angel food cake into bite-sized cubes with a serrated knife and set aside. Next, add the strawberries, blackberries, vanilla, citrus liqueur, and sugar to a large bowl. Stir well to combine and refrigerate the berries for 30 minutes, which allows them to release their juices.

Step 2: Add the whipped cream cheese, half-and-half, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and melted white chocolate to another large mixing bowl. Whip the ingredients with a mixer until the mixture is fluffy and nearly doubled in volume. Refrigerate the filling for at least 30 minutes before assembling the trifles.

HELPFUL HINT: The first two steps can be completed up to a day in advance, if desired.

Step 3: To assemble the trifles, layer cubes of angel food cake in the bottom of each trifle bowl or wine goblet. Top with 1/2 cup of the chilled berries and a spoon or two of the flavorful juice. Spoon 1/2 cup of the cheesecake mixture on top of the berries, using an offset spatula to spread it evenly. Top with another layer of angel food cake cubes and an additional 1/2 cup of berries and juice. Grate the reserved ounce of white chocolate on top of each trifle. If desired, add a dollop of sweetened whipped cream on top of each trifle.

That's it, folks! Layers of spongy angel food cake, fluffy white chocolate-infused cheesecake filling, and sweet-tangy berries combine for an ideal Summer dessert. As an added bonus, this dessert has tons of eye appeal thanks to the layers and vibrantly hued berries.

Feel free to use any combination of berries that you like best for these versatile trifles. For example, blueberries would work perfectly with strawberries for July 4th parties! No matter the berry duo you choose, I hope you'll give this delicious dessert a try very soon.

Streamlined Sheet Pan Dinner: Greek Chicken with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Mushrooms #easymeal #healthydinner #chicken #cleaneating #sheetpanrecipe

I love to cook! But some nights? I need to get in and out of the kitchen with as little fuss...and mess...as possible. Enter sheet pan dinners, which cook an entire meal using ONE pan! They're a perfect solution to save time and streamline kitchen cleanup! Greek Chicken with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Mushrooms features in-season veggies and Mediterranean spices with chicken breast to create a delicious one-pan dinner. This dish literally takes 10 minutes to prep, then roasts in the oven for about 30 minutes. That gives you a pocket of time to whip up a quick side dish. Life can be hectic...but dinner doesn't have to be!

Family-Friendly Lenten Meal...Featuring Tilapia Wrap Sandwiches with Feta-Avocado Slaw #lentenmeals #fishrecipes #seafood #healthymeals

I'm always on the lookout for Lenten Friday recipes that help me create tasty and quick seafood meals. At the end of a busy week, nobody wants to spend hours cooking dinner! My family-friendly Tilapia Wrap Sandwiches with Feta-Avocado Slaw are bursting with fun flavors and textures. Convenient frozen tilapia fish sticks and a quick homemade slaw flavored with feta and creamy avocado are rolled inside soft flatbreads. All you have to do is add a quick side dish or two...and dinner is ready in about 30 minutes!

Lenten Meal Spotlight...Featuring Sizzling Garlic Shrimp #lentenmeals #shrimp #spicy #gulfseafood #fiveingredientrecipe

Time for another delicious Lenten seafood recipe! Today, I'm sharing my Sizzling Garlic Shrimp...which takes FIVE simple ingredients that combine to provide HUGE flavor! It's also a snap to make for a weeknight dinner. Here's an tip for you: if you buy shrimp that are already peeled and deveined, this dish can literally be ready to eat in about 10 minutes. While you whip up the shrimp, make sure to bake up some crusty French bread to soak up the flavorful sauce in the bottom of the serving bowl!

Lenten Seafood Dinner...Featuring Baked Crab Cakes with Avocado Crema and Mango-Avocado Salsa #lentenmeals #crabcakes #seafood

 

This week's Lenten dinner recipe is my Baked Crab Cakes with Avocado Crema and Mango-Avocado Salsa. They're lower in calories than traditional fried crab cakes, and they're served with a duo of flavorful sauces. The finished crab cakes are served on top of a creamy avocado sauce...and topped with tropical mango-avocado salsa. Healthy and delicious...a winning combination any time of year!

Lenten Meal Ideas...Featuring Shrimp Scampi Grilled Cheese #shrimp #grilledcheese #grownupgrilledcheese #elevatedcomfortfood

The Lenten season begins next week, so I'll be sharing a delicious seafood or vegetarian recipe here weekly. I'm starting things off today with a gourmet grilled cheese that seafood lovers are guaranteed to go crazy for! I used nutty Comté and smooth-melting Gruyere cheeses to create my Shrimp Scampi Grilled Cheese. My inspiration was two of my favorite dishes: cheesy garlic bread and buttery shrimp scampi. Wait until you see how easy this flavorful grilled cheese is to whip up. With one bite, I guarantee you'll be hooked!

Tutorial: Assembling a Lightened-Up Game Day Taco Bar Stadium for the Super Bowl #superbowlfood #homegating #snackadium #foodietutorial #appetizerdisplay

The Super Bowl is next Sunday. That means cheering...commercial watching...and lots of amazing FOOD!! Today, I'm going to show you step-by-step instructions to create a Lightened-Up Game Day Taco Bar Stadium. These days, I use healthier versions of my favorite taco fixings to reduce fat, carbs, and calories. I do this without sacrificing any of the fun or flavor! I use a football field serving platter I found a couple of years as the taco bar's centerpiece. I'll show you how easy it is to create this simple football-themed appetizer display. My football field tray has sections to hold reduced fat shredded cheese, fresh pico de gallo, and guacamole. Reduced fat sour cream and a trio of  healthy sauces are spooned into four smaller sections in the tray's "end zones." The end result is a display with great eye appeal...and taste! 

Keep reading for step-by-step instructions to cook and assemble my Lightened-Up Game Day Taco Bar Stadium. I promise it's easy...the entire process of cooking and setup will take you an hour max! To save time, the beef and chicken taco fillings can be made a day ahead and refrigerated overnight. This taco bar display is a perfect showstopping centerpiece for any game day spread. 

Perfect for Game Day Noshing: Red Beans and Rice Arancini #gamedayfod #homegating #redbeansandrice #appetizers

Confession: I meant to share today's recipe during the holidays, but I simply ran out of time. Luckily, they're also a great appetizer to serve at any football-watching parties you have planned over the next few weeks! My Red Beans and Rice Arancini conveniently start with a boxed red beans and rice mix. After chilling in the fridge, the mixture is rolled into balls, breaded, and fried. Even the pickiest eaters I know absolutely love this delicious appetizer. 

Easy Entertaining with Chef-Curated Boarderie Cheese and Charcuterie Boards #boarderie #charcuterie #easyentertaining #cheeselover

This holiday season, I was introduced to Boarderie, a Florida-based company that offers a variety of creative pre-made cheese & charcuterie boards. These gourmet ready-to-serve boards are sent via free nationwide shipping to serve at a wide range of occasions. I love serving cheese and charcuterie boards when I entertain at home...but not figuring out which cheeses, meats, and accompaniments best pair together. Not to mention taking time to shop for everything and assemble it in an eye-pleasing way. Boarderie does all of that! I only had to open the shipping box, then set up the gourmet chef-curated cheese & charcuterie board I received. Talk about a time saver!

I received a Boarderie Happy Holidays Large Cheese & Charcuterie Board to serve at my family's annual Christmas Eve party. This beautiful board featured a whopping 37 different items arranged on a reusable acacia wood serving tray! There was literally something for everyone: 15 varieties of cheese, four charcuterie meats, eight types of dried fruit, and five different nuts...along with olives, fig jam, candies, and three types of crackers. They even included disposable wooden serving utensils!

My Boarderie cheese & charcuterie board arrived carefully packed inside a cushioned shipping box. It was kept perfectly chilled via two large frozen gel packs. The board arrived sealed and pre-arranged in multiple sections. Each section of the board was also individually sealed for maximum freshness. The entire setup process took about 15 minutes. All I had to do was unwrap the individual sections, open the jars of fig jam and olives, and plate the crackers.

A Perfect Holiday Dessert: Eggnog Pie with Maple-Spice Whipped Cream #eggnog #holidaybaking #pie #holidaycooking

My sweet Dad passed away after a long illness just before Thanksgiving. So this holiday season has been bittersweet. Dad so loved the holiday season, so I'm doing my best to find joy where I can this year! We've done our best to experience some of our favorite holiday sights, sounds...and tastes. I'm all about the peppermint during the holidays...but my husband prefers the flavor of eggnog. I created my Eggnog Pie with Maple-Spice Whipped Cream especially for him. To save time, I use a ready-to-bake refrigerated crust...but feel free to make your pie crust from scratch if you prefer. This seasonal pie features a simple eggnog custard flavored with rum (or rum extract) and warm spices. After thickening on the stove, the flavorful custard is poured into a cooked pie crust. The pie is then refrigerated until set. My secret ingredient? A layer of white chocolate ganache in the bottom of the crust, just under the custard! I pair this pie with homemade whipped cream flavored with real maple syrup, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

2024 Holiday Gift Guide for Food Lovers Part 2 #24holidaygiftguidefood #foodiegifts #2024giftideas #foodgifts2024

It's time for Part 2 of this year's annual Holiday Gift Guide for Food Lovers! From a viral kitchen appliance...to delicious food presents...to healthy gifts and stocking stuffer ideas...here's the rest of my picks for the best 2024 holiday presents for food lovers and cooks. You're sure to find a present that appeals to the food enthusiasts on your shopping list. All items are can be ordered online and shipped...but I also mention retail location options for those who prefer to do their shopping in person.

For the Breakfast Lover: Runamok Peppermint Bark Maple Syrup ($19.95). If you have any breakfast lovers on your holiday shopping list, Vermont-based Runamok is featuring a seasonal maple syrup with classic peppermint bark flavors: chocolate and peppermint! This unique maple syrup combines the classic caramelized flavor of maple syrup with notes of refreshing peppermint and rich cocoa. It's the perfect balance of cool freshness and rich sweetness.

This versatile maple syrup definitely goes great with pancakes -- especially if you add a bit of cocoa to the pancake mix! It can also be added to hot chocolate or cold milk for a delicious beverage. I love to add this Peppermint Bark Maple Syrup to flavor my morning oatmeal!

If you prefer a more traditional maple syrup flavor profile, Runamok has two other seasonal options. Glittery Snow Globe Sparkle Syrup and Festivus Infused Maple Syrup, which features warm spice notes. In addition to handy online ordering, Runamok products can also be purchased at select retailers nationwide.

For the Grill Master: Urban Accents Bodacious BBQ Gift Set ($29.95). For BBQ enthusiasts, this Urban Accents collection with BBQ rubs/seasonings and dryglaze blends will be a welcome addition to their grilling spice rack. 

This gift sets contains spice blends in a wide range of regional flavor profiles:

• Chicago Chophouse Spice Blend
• Kansas City Classic Rub
• Athenian Herb Dryglaze
• Vermont Maple Dryglaze
• Santa Fe BBQ Dryglaze

These spice blends can be used to flavor meat...or veggies...and they're a snap to use. In addition to purchasing directly from Urban Accents, this Bodacious BBQ Gift Set can also be purchased via Amazon.

 Gift Ideas for the Healthy Food Lover. If you're having difficulty shopping for friends or family who follow healthy eating plans, here's a trio of gift ideas just for them!

2024 Holiday Gift Guide for Food Lovers Part 1 #2024holidaygiftguidefoodlovers #holidayfoodgifts #foodieholidays

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It's December...which means it's time for my annual Holiday Gift Guide for Food Lovers! Every Fall, I research dozens of food and kitchen items. Then, I narrow the list down to the very best gifts I believe will appeal to a wide range of food lovers. My focus is on gifts that can be ordered online and shipped direct to gift recipients. However, I will also provide information on retail shopping options -- where possible -- if you prefer to present your gift in person. So...let's jump into Part 1 of this year's gift guide!

For the Peppermint Lover: Stonewall Kitchen's Holiday Peppermint Collection. For many people, peppermint is the signature holiday flavor! For the peppermint lovers on your shopping list, Stonewall Kitchen offers a variety of peppermint-infused holiday goodies...as well as some peppermint-themed home goods. Stonewall Kitchen's 2024 peppermint items include Peppermint Bark Tea, Peppermint Hot Chocolate, Chocolate Peppermint Brownie Mix, Chocolate Peppermint Sauce...and well two varieties of Peppermint Bark. Items range in price from $3.95 to $17.50, so there's something for every budget.

Because these items are sold individually, they can be combined to create a uniquely personal gift. For example: the Peppermint Bark Tea ($14.95) would pair perfectly with a festive mug and a tin of homemade holiday cookies. It's a thoughtful gift that can enjoyed into the new year! You can also select several items from Stonewall Kitchen's peppermint collection to arrange in a basket lined with their festive Peppermint Kitchen Towel ($10.95). 

Be sure to visit Stonewall Kitchen's handy online store to check out their entire line of great holiday items and gift sets! They also have a convenient Stonewall Kitchen Amazon Store.

For the Coffee Connoisseur: Smart Sips Coffee Pod Sampler Holiday Gift Box. Smart Sips is offering a festive Holiday Gift Box ($23.99) that features 24 single serve flavored coffee pods that can be used in K-Cup-compatible brewers. Smart Sips' 2024 Holiday Collection of coffee pods includes flavors like Frosted Gingerbread Cookie, Peppermint Mocha, and Spiced Eggnog. Other flavor themes that can be selected for this gift box include their Liquor-Lovers Collection and Dessert Flavors Collection. All Smart Sips medium roast coffees are Kosher, gluten free, and contain zero sugar and carbs. Looking to save time during the hectic holiday season? This festive holiday-themed gift box arrives ready to give. Simply fill in the To/From label that's printed on the box...that's it!

No-Bake Holiday Treats...Featuring Coconut-Pecan Truffles #nobaketreats #holidaytreats #chocolate #easyholiday

The holiday baking season is officially underway! If you have cookie exchange parties on your calendar -- or simply need an easy holiday treat to serve last-minute guests -- I've got the perfect recipe for you! These no-bake Coconut-Pecan Truffles are made in minutes with a handful of simple ingredients. Even better? These sweet treats can be made up to a day ahead since the chocolate truffle mixture needs to chill before being rolled in crushed pecans. It's the holiday happiness trifecta: quick to make...no oven required...and delicious!

The Perfect Thanksgiving Side Dish: Orange-Maple Cranberry Sauce #thanksgivingfood #cranberrysauce #makeityourself #holidaycooking

Can you believe that it's nearly Thanksgiving? I'm starting to finalize this year's menu...which has to include cranberry sauce! Until a few years ago, I swore that I hated cranberry sauce. However, once I tasted chunky

homemade cranberry sauce at a friend's house? I immediately became a believer! To me, fresh is so much better than canned. Today, I'm sharing my favorite riff on this quintessential Thanksgiving side dish...featuring a technique I learned from Cooking Light magazine. My Orange-Maple Cranberry Sauce features a double shot of orange, pure maple syrup, and warm Fall spices. The end result is a chunky cranberry sauce that's nicely balanced between sweet and tart. Even better? It's ready in 30 minutes or less...and fine to make a day or two before Thanksgiving and stored in the refrigerator.

The secret technique to achieving amazing texture and a well-rounded flavor to homemade cranberry sauce is to reserve 1/2 cup of fresh cranberries before you cook your cranberry sauce. Then add the reserved whole berries to the cooked cranberry sauce as soon as it comes off the stove. The reserved cranberries soften a bit from the residual heat, but retain their shape. The fresh cranberries provide a tangy burst to every bite of sauce. Mind blown! I hope you give this delicious Thanksgiving side a try...everyone who tastes it LOVES it!

Halloween Fun Week: Featuring Boo-Rific Corn Dog Cups with Green Goo Dipping Sauce #halloweenfun #spookyfood #kidfriendlyhalloween #funwithfood

Halloween is coming up in a few days! Why not whip up a SPOOKY family-friendly dinner before trick-or-treating...or at-home scary movie fest. I can't wait to show you how quick and easy it is to create my seasonal Boo-rific Corn Dog Cups with Green Goo Dipping Sauce. It's also a fun project to have your kids help assemble! Frozen corn dogs are embellished with and presented in seasonal Halloween decor. To up the spooky theme, the corn dogs are served with a vibrant green dipping sauce flavored with avocado, cilantro, and ranch. Family fun and yummy food is truly what life's all about! My step-by-step tutorial will show you exactly how easy this project is to achieve. 

Spotlight on Just Meats Cooked Meats: Smoked Texas Brisket...Featuring Streamlined Brisket Queso #justmeats #gamedayfood #homegating #beef #queso

I was recently introduced to Just Meats, an Utah-based company that ships chef prepared cooked meat right to your door! All meats are hand trimmed, seasoned and cooked, then vacuum sealed and flash frozen for shipment. Just Meats offers a wide variety of natural grass fed beef, free range chicken, and pasture raised pork. To use Just Meats products, simply thaw, reheat in a skilled with the included cooking sauce, and use in your favorite recipes. Each package contains a full pound of cooked meat. Super convenient! Just as important as convenience is taste. I've tried Just Meats 90/10 Ground Beef Chuck, Texas Pulled Pork, and Smoked Texas Brisket. Once thawed, the meat is ready to eat in less than 10 minutes and tastes amazing. Just Meats definitely helps streamline my kitchen time.

I used diced Just Meats Smoked Texas Brisket to create a delicious Streamlined Brisket Queso for my family to enjoy while we watched this week's Houston Texans football game. The smoked brisket saved me a ton of prep time, so I was able to spend more time cheering instead of cooking. That's a win! This queso is a snap to make. It has just FIVE ingredients...and a few flavorings you likely already have in your kitchen. 

When I say this flavorful queso is streamlined? I mean it! Gather your ingredients and heat and chop the Just Meats Smoked Texas Brisket. Then assemble the queso and bake. It doesn't get simpler than that!

Las Vegas Afternoon Adventure at The Venetian: Black Tap Craft Burgers, The Sphere Experience, and Minus5 ICEBAR #weekendgourmettravel #lasvegas #vegasfun #whathappensinvegas

This Summer, The Weekend Gourmet enjoyed a quick getaway to Las Vegas for some serious FUN! After a busy few months relocating back to the Houston area from San Antonio, we definitely needed to let off some steam...so Vegas was a perfect destination! Our home base was The Venetian Resort. It was a great location, near a TON of great restaurants and attractions. From the glamourous, ornate lobby and public spaces...to the wide variety of onsite dining, shopping, and gaming? We literally had everything we needed for a great stay within The Venetian Resort's huge resort complex!

Today, I'm sharing our itinerary for an afternoon of adventure based at The Venetian. We started with lunch at Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer, then we headed to Sphere for a mind-blowing immersive movie experience, and we wrapped up our afternoon with cocktails at the uniquely "cool" Minus5° ICEBAR. Best of all? We enjoyed all three activities without ever stepping foot in the 110℉ scorching Vegas Summer heat! Black Tap and ICEBAR are both located inside the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian. Sphere is connected to The Venetian via a convenient air conditioned indoor pedestrian walkway. This is an afternoon of fun that any Vegas visitor can enjoy...and it's family-friendly to boot!

We started our afternoon fun with lunch at Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer for creative craft burgers...and their signature over-the-top Crazyshakes® milkshakes. Black Tap is located steps from The Venetian's casino area, just inside The Grand Canal Shoppes. Black Tap started in New York and has expanded to seven locations -- including Las Vegas. We started our meal by sharing the Hot Chili Fried Pickles appetizer. The pickles were served hot and super crispy...with a definite spicy kick. These addicting little bites are served with cooling house made buttermilk-dill dressing for dipping. With one bite, we couldn't stop eating them!

This big-flavor appetizer was a great start to our meal. Next up? It was time for burgers! Michael chose The Wagyu Steakhouse Burger. This award-winning burger features a half-pound Wagyu beef burger, spicy pepper Jack cheese, bacon, crispy fried onions, A1 sauce, and roasted garlic mayo. It's definitely a two-napkin burger...so flavorful!

For my burger, I opted for the bun-less Black Tap Burger Craft Salad. It includes a medium cooked prime burger patty topped with melted American cheese and bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, a dill pickle spear, scallions, pickled red onions, and a tangy-spicy Special Sauce.

This hearty entree salad has all the flavors that I love in a traditional bacon cheeseburger...with more healthy veggies and fewer carbs. The tart pickled onions really cut through the richness of the burger, cheese, and bacon. I really appreciated that Black Tap offers this salad option! 

Healthy Game Day Snacks: Vegetarian Skillet Nacho Dip #gamedayfood #homegating #healthyappetizer #meatless #vegfriendly

Football preseason is underway...and the regular season starts next month. If you're like my crew, that means it's also time for some amazing game day FOOD!! Healthy and delicious snacks are definitely a key component of our Houston Texans games. Today, I'm sharing a delicious healthy hot dip. My Vegetarian Skillet Nacho Dip is bursting with flavor...but it's lower in fat and calories. It features spicy meatless chorizo crumbles, a quick homemade queso, fiber-rich beans, and lowfat shredded cheese. Once this heart dip is baked, it's topped with pico de gallo and diced avocado. It has all your favorite nacho flavors that's layered, cooked, and served in a cast iron skillet.

Fulton Fish Market Spotlight...Featuring Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Taco Salad #summereats #seafood #shrimp #salad #healthyfood

Today, I'm teaming with New York's Fulton Fish Market to share a healthy Summer salad spotlighting their Wild Colossal Blue Easy-Peel Shrimp. Established in 1822, they're the world's largest seafood market by variety. For more than two centuries, their quality seafood was available only to local chefs...and adventurous tourists willing to brave the early morning hours. However, their convenient online Fulton Fish Market now allows seafood lovers across the United States to order their world-class seafood.

My Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Taco Salad is an ideal dinner for warm Summer evenings! It's quick to make, and it doesn't heat up my kitchen. This entree salad also features multiple layers of flavors and textures. It's exactly how I like to cook during the long, HOT Texas Summer.

Back-to-School Breakfast...Featuring Banana Cream Pie Overnight Oats #backtoschool #overnightoats #nocookbreakfast #kidfriendly #healthyanddelicious

 

It's back-to-school time in Texas...with kids all across the country heading back to the classroom in the next few weeks. That means busy parents need quick, healthy breakfast options. Enter overnight oats! If you're new to this chilled oatmeal experience, now's a great time to give them a try. A few minutes of prep time before bed...and you've got a hearty, delicious breakfast ready for the next morning. Saving time is a lifesaver on hectic weekday mornings! 

I've been tweaking nutritionist Joy Bauer's ultra creamy Banana Cream Pie Overnight Oats recipe for the past few years. It's a keeper! This recipe uses staple ingredients I always have on hand in my kitchen. After hanging out in the fridge overnight, breakfast literally takes a minute or two to assemble the next morning. For maximum banana flavor, make sure you use a **very ripe** banana for this recipe -- it provides a perfect amount of natural sweetness to the finished oatmeal. If you're not a fan of cold oatmeal, simply warm the chilled oatmeal in the microwave for a minute or two before topping and serving.