4th of July Ideas

I've been neglecting this blog, I know, but what better reason to post than a holiday worth celebrating with friends and family? These beautiful, festive pictures make me want to throw a festive, domestic party! We'll probably just settle for a bbq. Maybe next year.

Easter Chick Cupcakes

Looking to make a cute Easter treat that the kids can help with? Try these cupcakes. Here is how:

Tools & Materials

20 Vanilla Cupcakes
Buttercream Frosting
4 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
1 piece (10 inches) black licorice lace, cut into 40 (1/3-inch) pieces
20 whole almonds
140 red candy-coated licorice pastels (about 1/3 cup), or pieces of snipped red licorice laces

Step 1

Bake cupcakes and cool completely. When turned upside-down, each cupcake becomes the body of a chick. Spread buttercream frosting on a cupcake to anchor it to the serving plate while you are working. Use a small offset spatula to coat the sides thickly with frosting, and then mound more on top to create a dome shape.

Step 2

Press toasted shredded coconut into the frosting -- it stands in for fuzzy feathers. Hold the plate at an angle while applying the coconut so the excess falls back into the bowl.

Step 3

Place eyes (made from snipped black licorice laces) on chicks using tweezers. Use a whole almond for the beak and red licorice for the feet and comb; both can be pushed into the frosting by hand.

Saturday Morning French Toast

It's Saturday morning, what could be more appropriate than sharing one of my favorite breakfast recipes? Let me begin by admitting that I have never been a big fan of big breakfasts. Well, making them at least. I hate slaving over the oven making french toast and pancakes and handing them out one at a time. Nobody ends up eating together, and I am the last person to eat; which is difficult for an impatient person like myself. I love french toast, and make the sacrifice for myself and my family on occasion. Until, that is, I found this great recipe. It eliminates my big breakfast pet peeves. I spend maybe ten minutes getting it ready, and then pop it into the oven and let it bake while I sit and visit freely with family. And best of all, we all sit down and eat it together. (Recipe pulled from my AllRecipes.com "recipe box".)

French Toast Casserole

Rated: 4.5/5 Submitted By: STARFLOWER Photo By: foodaholic Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 50 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 20 Minutes Servings: 6

"Tastes good for breakfast, just like French toast. It's easy to make too! Serve warm with maple syrup on top."

Ingredients:

5 cups bread cubes 4 eggs 1 1/2 cups milk 1/4 cup white sugar, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon margarine, softened 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly butter an 8x8 inch baking pan.
2.	Line bottom of pan with bread cubes. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt and vanilla. pour egg mixture over bread. Dot with margarine; let stand for 10 minutes.
3.	Combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Bake in preheated oven about 45 to 50 minutes, until top is golden.

Easter Gift Idea

It seems like around each holiday, we are looking for creative and festive ways to give a gift to those we associate with. Whether it is your neighbors, someone you visit, teachers, co-workers, friends/family, or even a small party favor... we are always trying to come up with a holiday inspired gift. When I saw this idea over at "Creative Holiday Gift Ideas blog", I had to document it for future use. I can see myself using this darling yet simple idea for years to come. It sure beats slaving over several dozens of cookies, yes, this is my type of thing.

INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:
1. Reduce 1 sleeve graham crackers to crumbs.
2. Layer 2/3 of the crumbs in a 1 quart jar.
3. Place 8 marshmallow bunny peeps standing up, facing out around the inside of the jar.
4. Press them up against the glass, but don't squash them.
5. Carefully spoon remaining crumbs in the center of the jar to support the bunnies, pressing down to keep it snug.
6. On top of this pour 1-1/4 cup Easter M&M's.
7. Spoon 1/3 cup brown sugar into center of M&M's, gently pressing with a spoon.
My changes: I did M&M's first, then Peeps, then put combined brown sugar and graham cracker crumbs in baggie. I didn't like how the crumbs made a mess in the jar. Attach a gift tag giving the following instructions:
1. Empty the jar contents into a bowl. Snip the bunnies into bits with kitchen sheers or cut up with a knife. Return the bunny bits to the mixture. Mix well.
2. Melt 1/2 cup butter; add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour this over the dry ingredients, mixing well. Pat into a greased 9" square pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Cool and cut into bars. (Makes 9 to 12 bars.) *Option - leave bunnies whole; combine remaining ingredients and place the bunnies on top; then bake as directed. *This gift jar may be created to suit any holiday for which marshmallow candies are available.
**Here is a card you can print with your jars... they are 3x3 size. **

Sweet Potato Casserole

This recipe seemed fitting for the Thanksgiving season. I have always loved sweet potato casserole, and after finding out all the ingredients I can certainly see why- it really is suited for a dessert category. But if you're like me, you are definitely not counting the calories on Thanksgiving day... so why not a few extra hundred?

INGREDIENTS

• 5 sweet potatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Bake sweet potatoes 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until they begin to soften. Cool slightly, peel, and mash.
3. In a large bowl, mix the mashed sweet potatoes, salt, 1/4 cup butter, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, sugar, and heavy cream. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
4. In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup butter, flour, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Mix with a pastry blender or your fingers to the consistency of course meal. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture.
5. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until topping is crisp and lightly browned.

I Scream Sand-Witches

The name of this treat cracks me up. It is almost too cute to eat! Almost... This looks like quite a bit of work, but the end result is just too darling. If you're me, you are looking to take the short cut, and this is what is going through my mind right now- skinny cow makes circular ice cream sandwiches, and then top it with a chocolate covered ice cream cone. Ta-da! That's just me though, go ahead and do it the hard way if you have the time, the patience, and kids pulling at your legs. It's all worth seeing their little faces light up at such at fun, festive treat.

Ingredients

Makes 8 (16 circles, 8 half circles)

• 2 large egg whites
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
• Mini candy-coated chocolates, for hats
• Green mint-chocolate-chip ice cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix 30 seconds. Mix in flour, cocoa, and salt. Mix in butter, cream, and vanilla; mix 30 seconds.
2. Bake cookies: Using plastic lids or heavy card stock, cut out 1 circle (2 3/4 inches in diameter) and 1 half circle (4 1/2 inches long). Using the outlines as stencils, spread dough on a Silpat baking mat with an offset spatula to make 4 circles and 2 half circles. Transfer mat to a baking sheet; bake cookies until starting to set, 6 to 7 minutes.

   

3. Shape cones: Remove half circles with an offset spatula while still hot. With straight sides of cookies facing up, quickly bring edges together to form cones, holding until set. Repeat three more times with remaining dough.

   

4. Make sandwitches: Dip cones in melted chocolate to coat 1/4 inch of rims. Place cones on 8 whole cookies; press 1 candy onto band of each hat. Freeze until set, 10 to 20 minutes. Brush remaining 8 whole cookies on one side with melted chocolate. Freeze until set, 10 to 20 minutes. Cut ice cream using technique described above. Place on coated cookies; top with hats.

   

yummy mummy dogs

Well, are these are not the cutest little things you ever did see!

Ingredients:

6 Rhodes Texas™ Rolls, thawed but still cold 3-inch square aluminum foil 6 hot dogs 8 currants or small raisins 1 egg, beaten 1 red licorice lace

How To Make:

Roll each roll into a 15-inch snake, leaving one end a little thicker for the head. Using a knife and a toothpick, cut slashes and poke holes to decorate the body of the snake. On larger end of snake poke holes for the nose and slice a 1 1/2-inch opening for the mouth. Crinkle up the aluminum foil and place in mouth to wedge it open during baking. Cut slashes across the tail section to resemble a rattler. Wrap snake around a frank and place on a large sprayed baking sheet. Poke deep holes for eyes and press currants into them. Brush well with egg and let rise for 15 minutes. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a cooling rack and carefully remove foil. Poke a 3-inch piece of licorice into the throat. Clip the end to make it look like a forked tongue.

a thanksgiving fruit tray kids love

i haven't broken down the entire "how-to" for this yet, but i'm sure you could figure it out! just at a glance i see: honey dew as body, yam as face, bamboo skewers w/ pineapple and grapes, and apples as feathers. cute though, right? wouldn't your kids just gobble this up? ha ha.

very easy pumpkin cookies

not feeling the fancy pumpkin trifle recipe? try this. it will stay in your recipe box for years...
three ingredients, no joke:

1 box spice cake mix
1 small can pumpkin
1 package chocolate chips

Mix until combined. Place 1-2 tsp spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 14-16 min.

thanks to my sister-in-law, jen, who gave me this fantastic recipe.

pumpkin trifle

planning or attending a halloween party this year? impress everyone with this appealing, easy to make dessert. every cook should invest in a trifle bowl, they make such lovely masterpieces! mmm... pumpkin trifle! this is what you do:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups heavy cream
• One 15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch ground cloves
• Pinch salt
• One 7.5-ounce jar marshmallow cream
• 3 cups chopped gingersnaps, plus crushed gingersnaps for sprinkling
• 3 tablespoons dark rum

For a change
Layer the trifle in juice glasses with vanilla yogurt for a holiday parfait.

Directions:

1. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream until stiff. Reserve 2 cups whipped cream for serving; refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Fold in half of the marshmallow cream, then half of the whipped cream. Repeat with the remaining marshmallow cream and whipped cream until combined.

3. In a medium bowl, sprinkle the gingersnaps with rum.

4. Spoon one-third of the pumpkin mousse into a clear glass serving bowl, spreading evenly, and sprinkle half of the cookies on top. Repeat with half of the remaining mousse and the remaining cookies, then top with the final layer of mousse. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. Just before serving, top with the reserved whipped cream and sprinkle with the crushed gingersnaps.

birthday cupcakes - easier, cuter

so i'd like to start of this post by saying that these adorable ideas are from my sister-in-law lisa, and my neighbor melissa. they are both avid bakers, and quite talented i might add! these adorable cupcakes make birthday parties a piece of cake (no pun intended). it takes the ease out of cutting everyone a piece, you just hand them out. it helps that they are adorable also. i fully intend on following the jazzed up cupcake idea for future birthday parites. since everyone dies when they see these adorable things, i knew it was a secret worth sharing.

directions:
1. make cupcakes as instructed on box (or for moister cake, follow cake box instructions and then- add 1 c sour cream, 1 small box instant jello pudding, and 1 c sugar)
2. cookie monster cupcakes: frost with white vanilla frosting, and cover liberally with blue gem sprinkles. put remaining frosting in ziplock and with scissors cut the corner of the ziplock. squeeze the frosting out of the opening to make the eyes. use chips ahoy cookies for the mouth, and chocolate chips for the black of the eye.
3. minnie mouse cupcakes: you will want 2 cans of vanilla frosting, and one tube of red food coloring (found in party stores). Empty contents of 1 jar of vanilla frosting into medium sized mixing bowl. Add entire jar of food coloring - mix well, cover, and let sit overnight. It takes a while for the true red to come through. It will look dark pink at first. The next day - frost the cupcakes with red frosting. Take small scoop of vanilla frosting (from second can) and place in plastic baggie. Snip off very small corner of the bag, and squeeze white frosting for polka dots. They will look pointy at first. Allow them to dry before pushing down tips. Take Oreos and twist open. Push down through frosting and into cupcakes. Don't worry about removing the frosting from the back of the Oreos - people like that part anyway!

summer dessert - banana pudding

for today, i will pull out of my fall obsession, and come back to reality and 90 degree weather. with a month or two left to enjoy bbq's and the outdoors, this dessert is the perfect ending to your summer night. this is by far one of my favorite desserts, it is... mouth watering. best of all, it is insanely easy to make.

recipe:
1 box nilla wafer cookies
1 large box vanilla pudding
1 bunch ripe bananas
1 8oz tub cool whip

directions:
1. line the nilla wafer cookies on the bottom of a 9x13 casserolle dish
2. slice bananas over cookies, until completely covered
3. in separate mixing bowl, prepare pudding according to directions, and pour over cookies and bananas
4. spread cool whip over top until completely covered
5. place 10 nilla wafer cookies in a ziploc and crush until it is a crumb consistency.
6. sprinkle crumbs over cool whip
7. cover and let chill for 30 minutes

submitted by stacy, recipe from jennie