Damn Travel

I'm home finally after 4 weeks of travel since the last week in June.  2 clients (3 visits total) and a corporate meeting.  One thing that I have the hardest time with while traveling is eating.  Most of the hotels have a comp breakfast or in the case of our corporate meeting, we had 3 meals a day plus a snack and booze.  I tried really hard to be good but 1)the food was really good 2)I had to eat and work at the same time 3)I was working in my down time so exercise didn't happen (running through the airport doesn't count).

What is a girl to do?  I would love to try those shakes they advertise from the various companies but I just can't put my faith in a product that costs so much money.  So I went shopping today and picked up Strawberries, cantaloupe, bananas, celery and carrots.   I would love to say no carbs but HA!  that won't happen.  I start clean this week.  No ice cream, no pop, no munching at night.  Water or iced tea (unsweetened stuff I make) only.  Coffee only in morning.  No sugar.  Minimal carbs and walking after dinner.   Lets see if I can get back on track for fall.

4th of July cake

We are heading over to our Niece's house for a 4th of July get together.  I wanted to try something new and here's to hoping it turns our ok.

Strawberry Shortcake Flag cake

The idea is this -- Take some premade cake, some strawberries and blueberries and cool whip..  and WHAM!!  A cake.
Here's what you need.

Cake - I used pound cake. You could use the Standard Strawberry shortcake cake.. or angel food.  I used Sara Lee as it was handy.  1 cake worked.

Cut the cake up

Then layer it in the pan. You may need to get creative to cover the bottom like I did

Then make sure you have enough strawberries to make your flag.  I laid them out to make sure I grabbed enough.

Take the rest and smush them.  I used a quart.  I added some sugar to sweeten them up a bit.  They are not local Berries so wanted to make sure they sweet.

Now, pour them over the cake and then spread the Cool Whip on top.

Lay out the Strawberries to make the Red stripes on the flag

Now, use the blueberries to make the field of blue.  

Pretty huh?  Happy Fourth everyone!  

UPDATE:  It was good.  Not too sweet, just the right amount of strawberry.  Kids even liked it.  Its a keeper.