Memorial Day Yummies

The one thing about Memorial Day that I remember as a child is the picnics and all the food.  How bout you? Take a look at some of these goodies.

RECIPES

Flag Pop-tarts (to cute)

I think your kids would think your the best, with these little treats.

Ingredients

Pop-Tarts® | Tasty Creations | Celebration Flags
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
4 Kellogg's® Pop-Tarts® Strawberry toaster pastries
16 fresh red raspberries or 12 medium fresh strawberries
36 fresh blueberries

Directions
1.  In a small bowl stir together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.  Spread on top of KELLOGG'S POP-TARTS STRAWBERRY toaster pastries, completely covering tops.
2.  Lengthwise quarter raspberries or halve strawberries and thinly slice.  Arrange 9 blueberries on top left corner of each toaster pastry to make "stars" on flags.  Arrange raspberries or strawberries on top of toaster pastries to make "red stripes" on flags.  Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. 

Ice cream (fun for the kids)

In a pint sized zip lock bag combine:
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbs. sugar
Zip the bag closed getting out as much air as possible.
Put the pint size zip lock bag into a gallon zip lock with:
1/3 bag of ice
1/4 cup salt on the ice.
Zip it closed and shake it (the kids love this part) until the ice cream is firm. Cut a corner off the small bag and squeeze the ice cream into a cup or bowl. Top with toppings of your choice.

Dipped Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon shortening

4 ice cream sandwiches

Red, white and blue sprinkles

Directions

• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside. In a microwave or heavy saucepan, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Quickly dip ice cream sandwiches partway in melted chocolate; coat chocolate with sprinkles. Place on prepared baking sheet and freeze. Yield: 4 servings.

Peach Lemonade

Ingredients

• 8 cups lemonade
• 2 cans (5-1/2 ounces each) peach nectar or apricot nectar
• 1 cup frozen unsweetened sliced peaches
• Fresh mint sprigs, snapdragons and lemon balm

Directions

• In a 3-qt. glass pitcher, combine the lemonade and nectar; refrigerate until chilled. Just before serving, stir the lemonade mixture; add frozen peach slices. Place mint sprigs along the sides of the pitcher and float the flowers on top of the lemonade. Yield: About 2-1/2 quarts.

Summer Shortcake

Serves 12 to 15

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, plus more for brushing
• Raw sugar or fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling
• 2 pints blueberries
• 2 pints strawberries, hulled (small berries left whole, large berries halved lengthwise)
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream

Directions

1. Make the biscuits: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a food processor, pulse flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Add butter, and pulse until largest pieces are the size of peas. Add cream cheese, and pulse again until largest pieces are the size of peas. Add buttermilk, and pulse until dough comes together. Transfer to a bowl, and gently knead into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest in the refrigerator at least 1 hour (or overnight).
2. Divide dough in half. Working with one portion at a time on a lightly floured work surface, pat into a disk, then roll into a 10-inch round. Transfer to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
3. Brush biscuits with buttermilk. Generously sprinkle raw or sanding sugar over tops and sides. Brush off sugar from parchment. Bake until dough has risen slightly and is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes (if bottoms brown too quickly, reduce temperature to 400 degrees). Leave biscuits on sheets. Using a 2 1/2-inch star cutter, cut out (but do not remove) 7 stars from one biscuit while it is still warm. Let cool.

   

4. Using a paring knife, carefully remove star shapes. Reserve for snacking or another use. (Biscuits can be made up to 8 hours ahead; store on wire racks, and cover loosely with plastic wrap.)
5. Make the filling: Combine blueberries, strawberries, and 2 tablespoons sugar, and let macerate until juicy, 10 minutes.
6. Just before serving, beat cream to medium peaks with remaining tablespoon sugar and the vanilla.
7. Assemble the cake: Place uncut biscuit on a large plate. Spoon half the berries and their juices on top of biscuit, then spread the whipped cream over berries. Top with all but about 1/2 cup berries. (Make sure surface is even; it will support the top biscuit and prevent it from breaking.) Carefully place cutout biscuit on top. Fill star cutouts with reserved berries. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, uncovered, up to 3 hours.

   

If time allows I will try to add some grilling ideas….they would be good for anytime this summer….and remember there is always July 4th right around the corner.

When dining indoors, decorate your table using all your red, white and blue goodies. 

  

You don’t have to spend alot of time decorating for this holiday, however if you are having friends or  family over during this weekend, it serves as a nice reminder of why we celebrate and puts people in a more festive mood. Just a few simple ideas I found while scouring the internet.

Well really should scoot for now.  Have some packing to do as well as a few errands.  Hubby and I along with some friends are heading out to Amish Country tomorrow for a few days, should be home late Sunday night .  If I don’t get back before Monday, hope all has a safe and family fun filled Memorial Day. 

Woo Hoo Summer is here!

Hugs,

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Eggnog anyone?

My family loves eggnog during the holidays with a touch of nutmeg.  What is your favorite way to drink Eggnog?

Hugs,

Cindy

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A Great Pumpkin Cheese ball

 

8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
10 ounce container sharp cheddar cold pack cheese spread
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
one pretzel rod, broken in half, for garnish
assorted crackers

Blend together cheeses until smooth. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, celery salt and onion salt, adding more to taste if desired. Shape into a ball and set on serving plate; cover and chill for two or three hours, until firm. If desired or vertical lines with a knife to resemble a pumpkin. Toss walnuts with paprika; press into surface of Cheese ball. Break pretzel rod in half and insert in top for stem. Arrange crackers around Cheese ball. Makes 10 to 12 servings

source: Coming Home with Gooseberry Patch

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Pumpkin Pie Bites

Another little goodie I ran across that is going to be a MUST MAKE for me this year... you can find a picture tutorial at Bakerella.

2 refrigerated ready-to roll pie crusts
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter
Optional

1/2 cup chocolate morsels
vegetable oil
re-sealable plastic bags

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Use cookie cutter to cut 12 pumpkin shapes from each pie crust. You will need to roll the dough thinner than it comes out of the box.

Press dough shapes into a 24 cup mini muffin tray. (Make 12 at a time, alternating cups to make sure pie crusts don’t overlap each other.)

Apply egg whites from one egg to the top edges of each pie.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, canned pumpkin, remaining 2 eggs, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice together until thoroughly combined.

Spoon mixture into each pumpkin-shaped pie crust.

Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Remove pies to cool and repeat with second pie crust. Place the muffin tray in the freezer to cool it quickly for re-use
Makes 24 pies. Keep refrigerated.

To decorate, melt chocolate in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave on medium. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between until melted. Add a little vegetable oil to make the chocolate more fluid. Transfer to a re-sealable plastic bag and cut the corner off. Drizzle or draw faces on pies.

Note: The cutter I used was 3 3/4 inches wide, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry. Just use a round cutter around that size or slightly smaller to cut circle shapes out of the dough. Then make stems with the scraps. Press each stem over the edge and down the side of the dough before filling.

Pumpkin pie spice is a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. Pin It

Easy Scarecrow Cake

From Better Homes and Garden
Autumn party? Serve Scarecrow Cake, and let the kids help decorate it.

Prep Time: 35 min

Total Time: 3 hours 0 min
Makes: 24 servings


1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® cake mix (any flavor)
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 container (1 lb) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
1 tablespoon chocolate-flavored syrup
1 box (4 oz) waffle ice cream bowls (10 bowls)
1 box (4.5 oz) Betty Crocker® Fruit by the Foot® chewy fruit snack rolls (6 rolls)
1. Heat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pan.) Grease 12-cup fluted tube (bundt cake) pan with shortening and lightly flour, or spray with baking spray with flour. Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs. Pour into pan.

2. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

3. Place cake on serving plate. Stir together frosting and syrup; reserve 1/4 cup of the frosting. Spread remaining frosting over cake. For straw hat, place 1 waffle bowl upside down in center of cake. Stack 5 more bowls on first bowl.

4. For hair, cut fruit snack into 14 (6-inch) strips and 14 (5-inch) strips. Cut each strip lengthwise to within 1 inch of top of strip. Place one 6-inch and 5-inch strip together, pressing together at uncut ends. Repeat with remaining strips. Randomly press pairs of strips on top of two-thirds of cake, overlapping as needed and allowing strips to hang over side of cake. Spread reserved 1/4 cup frosting over top of hair.

5. For brim of hat, break remaining waffle bowls into 5 or 6 pieces each. Randomly press waffle pieces on top of cake, overlapping and tucking pieces as needed. Allow waffle pieces to hang over side of cake and over fruit snack strips. Cut pieces of remaining fruit snack for eyes and nose; press on cake. Pin It

Cupcakes....

I love cupcakes how bout you.  When I was young, cupcakes were okay, not sure I cared for them as much because the size was limited.  But today there are several sites dedicated to making and decorating cupcakes. One of my favorites is Bakerella. Take a look at just some of the creations from that site.  The sites is also full of techniques as well as recipes to create some gorgeous treats.

Cupcake Pops

 

Cupcakes with Roses

 

Mini Cherry Pies

 

Snowmen cupcakes (aren't these adorable.  They would match my Debbie Mumm dinnerware)

 

Enjoy taking a look at one of my favorite sites. 

Hugs and Blessings,

Technorati Tags: Cupcakes,Treats,Entertaining

Cindy

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