Category: Food

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::Popcicle Cupcakes Toppers::

Seriously now, have you ever seen anything so adorable in all your life? Popcicle cupcakes toppers–just in time for your summer barbeque dessert.

And best part of all–they don’t melt, but they sure do look like they could help you beat the summer heat, even if they are just pretend frozen pops.

Here’s how you do it~

Find flat toothpicks and snap 24 of them in half–you are only using the bigger of the two halves. Throw the other ends away.

Choose whatever color Mike & Ikes that suite you. I got Tropical Typhoon because I simply HAD to have the color blue in my Popcicle pile.

Now take the stick and very carefully…

push it into the flat end of each candy piece.

And there you have the sweetest little Barbie-sized, no drip “popcicles.”

In fact, if you’re like me, you’ll have a hard time stopping yourself once you get started.

I actually couldn’t keep myself from playing with all those pretty, bright colors!

These would make a perfect Summer Birthday party treat. But be sure to help younger children take the sticks out before they eat their cupcake.

So simple and fun and summer-y and most of all–

totally cool.

Heh.

PS– Gracious Rain is in 2nd place in the KSL Best Local Blogger Contest!! If you’d like to vote go right here and register…then vote. Thanks- thanks!!

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Chocolate Banana Freeze

We’ve been trying to eat more fruits and veggies around here instead of all the sugar that’s been kicking around these days–and it’s actually been fun. Don’t get me wrong, I can eat a Symphony bar with my lips glued shut, but right now, I’m trying not to.

So when this little recipe popped up on Pinterest, it would have taken a Mack truck to keep me from making it. Simple. Chocolaty. Frozen.

Save me.

No don’t.

Here’s how it goes…

Freeze 2 or 3 peeled bananas in a ziploc bag. Once they are frozen, cut them into pieces and whirl in the blender with 2 Tablespoons of cocoa. Work quickly and pour the mixture into a chilled bowl. This is a fabulous–no sugar added–fruity, frosty treat that is best eaten very cold.

In the time it took me to run for the camera, it was more thawed out than I wanted it to be. So I took one last taste and popped it back in the freezer, where it will stay until…

tomorrow…

for

breakfast.

Go fruit!

Heh.

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Chocolate Buttermilk Texas Sheet Cake

In honor of my Daney boy–who’s away in Texas for the summer…we made CAKE!

And the only thing missing from this picture is a big, old, scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Maybe later.

Right now…I just have to eat this piece…like right now…before anyone catches me.

Cake Ingredients:

1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups *all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup water
6 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*I actually used whole wheat flour and 1 Tablespoon of Dough Enhancer. Nobody even knew. It was fabulous.

Frosting Ingredients:

1 stick (1/2 cup)  butter
6 tablespoons of milk
4 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a jellyroll pan with butter or non-stick spray. In a measuring cup, measure out 1/2 cup of buttermilk. Add 2 eggs and beat until well blended; set aside. Whisk together in a large bowl, 2 cups sugar, 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Make a well in the center and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the 2 sticks of butter, the 2 tablespoons oil and 1 cup of water and bring to a near boil. Remove pot from the heat and whisk in 6 tablespoons of cocoa, until smooth. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla and add this mixture to the sugar and flour mixture; stir until well blended. Slowly add in the buttermilk and egg mixture and stir well.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees until the center is set, about 20 to 25 minutes.

When cake is about 5 minutes from being done, prepare the frosting. Do not do the frosting ahead of time because it will quickly stiffen. Heat the stick of butter and 6 tablespoons of milk in a saucepan just until it comes to a boil. It will need to be very hot. Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons of cocoa. Mixture will thicken. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and quickly beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.  If mixture thickens too quickly just warm it on the stove again. Immediately pour the frosting all over the cake. Use a spatula to gently push the frosting out to the edges and to cover the cake evenly. Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing.

Oh. My. Goodness.

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Table Top S’mores

Oh, we had sooo much fun at Jillian’s bridal shower with this sweet idea–we found on Pinterest. Cooking yummy little s’mores over individual Terra Cotta hot pots. Aren’t they just adorable?

Originally, we set three Hot Pots on each table around the yard for the guests to enjoy. But towards the end of the party, we gathered them up and set them all in one spot, and realized that they were still hot enough to go for round two–so that’s what we did!

These are so simple to make–we kinda just threw them together with 6 inch Terra Cotta flower pots that we bought from Michael’s.

First, I balled up a piece of foil and put it in the bottom–so they weren’t so deep. Then, I lined them using heavy duty foil with the shiny side up, and just scrunched it so that it just barely rolled over the outside edge.

I didn’t worry too much about them looking perfectly beautiful either. Once the foil was in, I stacked them to kind of smooth out the insides.

We lit a busload of charcoal briquettes in the barbecue, then once they were nice and glowing, we used tongs to transfer the hot coals to the pots.

Luckily, April had some stoneware bowls to set them in, because they got really hot and started melting the plastic table cloths. So be ready with plates or trivets and it won’t be a problem. I loved that even the little people could cook their own marshmallows–with adults close by, of course. But there were no flames to worry about–which made it much easier to relax even with a few kids around. Our friends just sat and talked and laughed the evening away, leisurely toasting marshmallows and candy bars and chocolate cookies…and…

is that a Starburst?

Heh, heh.

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Mother’s Day Getaway~ 1

Day 1

~Morning~

This year, Mother’s Day was all about doing whatever each of the Mother’s in my life wanted to do–whatever that was. So for little Lyndi, the day started with breakfast at Kneaders, where they were serving…

Strawberry French Toast with whipped cream.

And get this–the sign said, “Moms. Eat. Free.”  Oh, my.

It was a totally adorable set-up with a tent outside and two cute little fellows doing valet parking. Anything to pamper all those moms. There was a line clear out the door, but it moved fast and everyone was happy and chatting the whole time.

I know we made it worth their while because we brought nearly the whole crew with us, whether or not they were mamas yet. And of course, they had to eat too, you know. Hey Miss Chompy–you gonna eat that piece?  :}

I mean, seriously, who can resist Kneaders for Pete’s sake?

Not us. That’s who.

We took a box of…um…extras with us, just for the Heck of it. No, no…I’m not going to eat those all by myself. I can share…if I make up my mind to do it. And get a load of that Chocolate Mousse Bomb. Ho-lee-cow.

Food, folks and fun. Perfect way to start the day–if we do say so ourselves.

Thank you Kneaders–we positively LOVE you!!

Stay tuned for Mother’s Day Getaway~ Day 1 “Afternoon” coming tomorrow.  :}