 Here's a chocolate trifle I conjured up in the kitchen. It was a cake recipe from a Hershey cocoa box. I added a mocha flavor, then alternated the layers with a rich chocolate rum mousse recipe I found with Google. It worked better in a bowl than a stand alone cake, topped with chocolate ganache and raspberries. |
 We started out with a set of white flowery dishes and went looking for a compromise with a fall color palette. Once we found the center garland on sale in a craft store, we switched to a different set of china and crystal we haven't used in decades. |
 Due to space constraints, part of the food had to be served buffet style from the kitchen counter. The vegetable side dishes found room on the table. |
 My plate had just about everything on it, turkey and dressing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, glazed carrots, macaroni and cheese, brussel sprouts, green bean casserole, tomato aspic with shrimp, yellow squash with onions and sauteed corn and bacon. No seconds for me. |
, We had only six people for dinner, a manageable crowd. |
 After clearing the table, we set out the desserts, pumpkin pie, chocolate rum trifle, a strawberry jello cream cheese dish and pecan pie. A store bought apple pie never made it to the table. |