Brownie Oreo Trifle

I haven't been cooking or baking very much lately, I confess.  I've just been feeling so blah.  Lots of stress in both my personal and professional life have led to me being totally exhausted when I get home. But I am trying to get myself back on track; I just got back from grocery shopping (why oh why do I grocery shop on Superbowl Sunday every single year!?) and I have lots of new recipes to try out.  One that got me back into the kitchen despite exhaustion was this brownie Oreo trifle!  Yesterday was Kenzie's 26th birthday, and I told her to pick out a dessert.  To my mother's dismay, she chose not a cake, but a brownie Oreo trifle (she hates Oreos too).

Mom, Rach and Kenzie went out shopping in the early afternoon, so I got to work on this trifle.  I am a bit ashamed to admit that for the brownies, I used a box mix.  I know, I am disappointed in myself too, but I'm telling you, just getting my butt into the kitchen these days is a task in and of itself!  Once they were baked, they get cut into bite sized pieces.

Then there is the pudding.  A box of pudding mix gets mixed with a can of sweetened condensed milk, some water, and Cool Whip.  It makes such a thick, sweet, rich creamy pudding!  And it's pudding consistency right away - no need to chill it.

The trifle itself is made of layers of brownies, the pudding mixture, Cool Whip, and chopped Oreos - 2 of each layer.  It came together pretty quickly.  I put it in the refrigerator to chill and went on the treadmill, and the next thing I knew when I got off an hour later, it had already been served!  Hmph!  So I can't tell you how it was, but I got some rave reviews.  Alex said it was delicious, and Kenzie loved her birthday treat.  Susie said it was the best dessert she ever had (and texted us for seconds today).  Nick was caught eating a large bowl of it today.  In all, it was a pretty quick and easy way to please the Oreo-loving birthday girl :)  Happy birthday, Kenz!

Recipe:

brownie Oreo trifle
from Baking Away

Ingredients:
1 9x13 pan of brownies
1 box chocolate pudding
1/2 cup water
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 containers Cool Whip (24 ounces total)
18 Oreos, chopped, plus 6 more for garnish

Instructions:

1) Bake brownies as directed.  Cool completely and chop into bite size squares.

2) Combine pudding mix, water, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth. Fold in one 8-ounce container of Cool Whip until there are no streaks.

3) Chop 18 Oreos and set aside.

4) In a trifle bowl, layer half of the brownies, half of the pudding mixture, half of the Oreos, and another container of Cool Whip.  Repeat each layer.

5) Garnish the top with 3 whole Oreos and 6 crushed Oreos.