Chocolate-covered strawberry "lasagna"...my personal cutthroat kitchen challenge!!

I'm always excited about a new cooking challenge and will take any opportunity to create something new and wonderful!!  It's even better when that challenge is over-the-top, unbelievable kind of stuff...

A couple of weeks ago, I was attending a business conference with my husband in Washington, DC.  We were staying in a hotel room that was equipped with a small fridge and a tiny, half-speed kind of microwave and nothing else that could even remotely be considered "kitchen-like."

The 3rd night of the conference was scheduled to be a "working dinner" in the conference room where Chinese food was going to be brought in for everyone to eat while working (of course, this didn't include me since most Chinese is not GF).  The challenge was presented to have a fabulous, gourmet-type dessert to conclude the evening. I readily accepted and began thinking and plotting and planning.

How could I prepare a gluten-free (because I wanted to eat it, too!), gourmet dessert with no utensils or appliances beyond that stinky little microwave???  My grey matter went into hyper-drive as I stayed awake all night.  I discarded dozens of ideas and finally, hit upon the perfect solution...I was going to create a Dark chocolate-covered strawberry "lasagna!"

Now, remember the parameters here...the only utensils I would be able to use were plastic knives and spoons that I bought at the local grocery store so I could throw them away when I was finished.  Same with a mixing bowl--I used a standard disposable paper bowl.  For a dish, I bought a disposable aluminum pan and that was it!!  Along with my microwave and fridge, I had all the utensils I was going to have.

An hour at the grocery store changed my plan only slightly as I was forced to use the ingredients that I could obtain there.  After my successful shop, I headed back to the tiny bathroom in my hotel room to begin the challenge....

Let me give you the ingredient list here first and then, I'll show you just how this was to be done...


2 bags Glutino's Chocolate sandwich cookies (like oreos)
2 pounds strawberries plus 1 quart
2 12-ounce containers of Extra Creamy Cool Whip
2 8-ounce containers of mascarpone cheese
1 container Baker's microwave chocolate pieces
1 bag of mini chocolate chips

I realized when I got back to the hotel that I didn't have any paper products, so I washed out one of the grocery bags and put the cookies inside for crushing. (Please excuse the quality of some of these pictures--I didn't have my good camera with me and the space was very tight!)

I closed the bag up tightly and began whacking at it with my empty ice bucket!  It was the only thing heavy enough that I had available to me in my hotel room.

After smashing them sufficiently, I transferred half of them into the disposable aluminum pan as the bottom layer to my "lasagna."

Then, it was time to get to work with my pathetic little plastic knife, cleaning and chopping up the strawberries.  (Before you do this step, remove 12 large, nice strawberries to use for garnish later.)  Chop up the remaining 2 pounds of strawberries.  Place them in a large bowl.  (I, however, had to do this in several batches since I only had my small paper bowl to work with!!) 

 Add 1 of the containers of Mascarpone cheese and about 2/3 of 1 container of Extra Creamy Cool Whip. 

This mixture will now become the next layer of the "lasagna."

This picture shows it half-covered....and now, you can see it fully-covered...

For the next layer, use the other half of the crushed cookie crumbs.

The next layer will be made by combining the mini chocolate chips with the other carton of Mascarpone cheese and an equivalent amount of Cool Whip as you used in the strawberry layer.

I mixed this together with my little plastic spoon right in the Cool Whip container as it had more space than the plastic bowl.  Then, I layered it right on top of the cookie crumbs.

I originally had planned to add another cookie crumb layer right here, but realized that I had not bought enough cookies, but had extra strawberries.  So, I used the 1 quart of strawberries, sliced, for a nice fresh layer.

For the final layer, I just covered the strawberries with the remaining Cool Whip.  I actually bought an 8-ounce container and a 12-ounce container and realized that I was really pushing it!!  My top layer was pretty thin and skimpy, which is why I recommended 2 12-ounce containers in the ingredient list.

I put it in the little fridge to chill.  Make sure you have at least 4-6 hours for it to get completely chilled and for the flavors to start to blend well.  Overnight would be even better.

While the "lasagna" was chilling, I went ahead and dipped the 12 strawberries that I had reserved back for garnish.  

I was frankly surprised at how well the little microwave container worked!!  I generally like to use the Wilton's chocolate whenever I'm dipping stuff, but this was great! I had to nuke it longer than it called for because my microwave was so stinky, but it came out nice and creamy and ready to dip!

I dipped all 12, 4 to a bowl, and then, set them in the fridge to set.  I had a bit of chocolate left over, so I drizzled it over the top to add some extra yumminess!

Just before serving time, I placed the strawberries on top ...and voila!  my own gourmet dessert, "cooked" in my tiny hotel room, using only plastic utensils!

If Alton Brown just happens to read this blog entry....all I have to say to him is, "Put me in, coach...I'm ready!!"