8 Crowd-Pleasing and Easy 4th of July Potluck Recipes

I love a good potluck, and the 4th of July is a great time to make one happen!

Listed below are some of our family’s favorite potluck recipes, my go-to recipes to share with a crowd. They are easy-to-make, aesthetically pleasing and appealing to all ages!

8 Crowd-Pleasing and Easy 4th of July Potluck Recipes

THE ONLY PASTA SALAD RECIPE YOU REALLY NEED

This Only Pasta Salad You Really Need is a great potluck crowd-pleaser, can be made ahead of time, and tastes even better after sitting a day. Makes a LOT and is easy to double for even larger crowds. Red wine vinegar is the secret ingredient that makes this salad taste super special!

CHOCOLATE BERRY 4TH OF JULY CUPCAKES

Blueberries, strawberries, and chocolate are 3 must-haves in our family for the 4th of July weekend, and these Chocolate Berry 4th Of July Cupcakes have all 3! Cupcakes are always a great thing to make to share with a crowd or display on a table at a potluck.

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE SAUCE HEAVEN

This 5 Minute Chocolate Sauce Heaven is a family recipe that we have been making for years. It is so much better than that stuff in the brown squeeze bottle!

It uses ingredients we usually have on hand and is a breeze to make. I am planning on bringing this and some fresh strawberries to top my Mother-in-Law’s homemade ice cream to our family 4th of July party.

I bought her an ice cream maker for Christmas, and we are all enjoying having her use that gift!

KALE AND LENTIL SALAD WITH CRANBERRIES & COCONUT BACON

This Kale & Lentil Salad with Cranberries & Coconut Bacon is really delicious & reminds me of something you could order at an upscale vegetarian restaurant. This kale salad is full of beauty.

It has gorgeous color from the cranberries & the kale itself. The texture is great with curly kale, chewy dried cranberries & crunchy coconut bacon. The cranberries are a nice sweet touch while the coconut bacon adds an amazing smokey & salty flavor. It is a crowd pleaser for sure, vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike!

RASPBERRY LEMON LOAF

This Raspberry Lemon Loaf is made super moist and tasty with the addition of lemon yogurt. Lemon and raspberry are so fresh tasting and the perfect summer combination. Double the recipe for a large group, or to keep one for yourself to freeze.

CHEESECAKE STUFFED STRAWBERRIES

Do you know what July and February have in common? The 4th of July & Valentine’s day both give us an excuse to eat lots and lots of STRAWBERRIES! Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberries are a super great way to celebrate a holiday. They are special, beautiful, and a nice change from chocolate-covered strawberries. Can’t give your Chocolate Covered Strawberries up? Then mix the 2 on a beautiful platter and get ready for the oooo’s & ahhhh’s!

HONEY LIME FRUIT SALAD

This Honey Lime Glaze is the perfect go-to recipe to make your fruit shine–literally! I love taking a fresh fruit salad to a potluck, and this glaze keeps it just sweet enough and moistened. It allows the fruit to show off its beautiful texture, color, and flavor.

CHOCOLATE MUDBALLS

These Chocolate Mudballs just hit the spot! They are great when you are wanting a bit of a chocolate treat, but use ingredients like wheat germ and oats to make them a treat that has some health benefits! You can whip them up in minutes, and they will please palates young and old.

What are YOUR plans for the 4th of July?

Do you attend a potluck style party?

What is your favorite dish to bring to a potluck?

Christmas/ Holidays/Parties

How To Fold Napkins Into Christmas Trees + Tips To Keep Holiday Gatherings Simple

Christmas is almost here! If you are like me, you are aching for simplicity this Christmas season. I want simple, meaningful, festive and cozy and don’t want to break the bank or spend a ton of time prepping for guests! However, I want them to feel loved and special.

I recently had some friends over and was able to create a super warm and welcoming holiday feel.

I didn’t spend much money or time, but by being purposeful and thoughtful with just a few simple details, (like napkins folded into Christmas trees!) I was able to reach my goal of making my guest feel welcomed & my home feel festive.

In this post I will share with you how to make these cute folded napkin Christmas trees, and also share tips on how to keep holiday gatherings simple so you can greet your guests feeling refreshed and ready to connect!

How To Fold Napkins Into Christmas Trees

These folded napkins take just minutes and add a wonderful touch to the holiday table. It is amazing how one festive element (like these folded festive Christmas Tree shaped napkins) can make a very simple table feel super festive!

The technique is super simple, but the process is shown best in a video. I used the one below and found it to be informative and very easy to follow.

Like I said above, I like to keep my holiday table basic but festive. I use the same everyday dishes we use during the week, add some special touches like these napkins which created a super festive, special table for my guests! A fun detail like this takes just minutes, and the napkins can be reused, unlike holiday paper napkins, which I love.

I’ve been wanting some nice cloth napkins for a while now. I purchased these napkins from HomeGoods right before Thanksgiving. They were 6 napkins for $9.99. I was careful to choose a print that would be appropriate for all occasions and holidays. I was tired of paying money for paper napkins but didn’t want several sets of cloth napkins sitting around for different seasons or holidays. One set is perfect and all that I need. A simple, minimal mindset is so important when shopping, and I was very happy to find these pretty cloth napkins.

TIPS TO KEEP THINGS SIMPLE

Use What You Already Have On Hand

I did this by using our everyday white dishes, glasses & mugs. I buy very plain dishes & mugs so they will look great in my kitchen, and on my table no matter what the season.

With minimal being my goal, I do not want to store different sets of dishes for different seasons. I want to be FREE of having to store anything extra! This is a personal mission of mine and the closer I get to my goal of “minimal everything,” the more time and freedom I have. I just love pursuing simplicity, but I want to go even further in this area. A minimal 2018 is my goal!

The majority of food and drink that I served at my holiday gathering also came from the food I already have on hand in my pantry and refrigerator. The key was setting them out on my table in a way that is attractive, allowing guests to help themselves. Again, white dishes serve me well. The food pops from the white and looks beautiful.

Food I Already Had On Hand:

Hot Tea

Coffee

Nuts

Popcorn

Clementines

Berries

Crackers & Cheese Slices

Tip: Have a variety of healthy and not so healthy foods.

Have Key Festive Touches

I found some spiced star-shaped cookies at Aldi for a couple of bucks. I knew they would look adorable an a little white platter. Well worth the money and they were delicious!

Another key festive touch for food were my Andes Mint Cookies. These 4 ingredient cookies whip up in minutes. I made them just a few minutes before my guests arrived. They are a shortcut cookie that uses a Devils cake mix, and a quick swirl of the melted Andes mint on top of the cookies make them extra beautiful! Click through to this post to see how festive they are!

The folded napkins in Christmas Tree Shapes were the star of the table and a key festive touch.

Bring in Nature

Cut some twigs from your evergreen bushes and put them in a mason jar. Add a cinnamon stick from the pantry. Even a wooden cutting board adds a natural wood touch and makes a great base for a cheese board, and also adds a touch of warmth when placed under a white platter or to gather smaller dishes.

Create Atmosphere

Light candles & plug in the twinkly lights! I might go a little overboard in this area, especially during the winter holidays, but I just can’t help myself! I love strings of battery-operated lights and have them all over my house!

Music is a great way to create atmosphere. It is fun to know your audience and play music that suits their tastes. I love Spotify. I used the below playlist from Beverly of Bev Cooks (take a peek at her blog! Love her!!) at my holiday gathering.

Crank the heat for a cozy atmosphere. Make sure your guests are comfortable. Being cold makes your guests tense up, and that is the opposite of relaxed and cozy. Have soft blankets around for guests to grab for even more comfort.

Have a fireplace? Light a fire! No fireplace? Search Netflix for “virtual fireplace” and turn your tv into virtual warmth! My sister-in-law came over for a cup of tea last night and I had the virtual fireplace going. She just sent me a message telling me she enjoyed our “fireside” chat last night. Ha!

Keep Things Inexpensive

I bought German mulled wine from Aldi for around $5. It was yummy! The cookies I made used very few ingredients. I used a lot of what I had on hand and I didn’t buy disposables but used our everyday dishes.

It kept our gathering very affordable and it made room in our budget to have more people over another time!

Let Guest Self Serve

Have things sitting out for guests to help themselves– blankets to grab for themselves, buffet-style food & drink–this frees you up to be present instead of constantly busy serving your guest. Make sure they know they have the freedom to help themselves to more food and offer more to drink if you see glasses low, but also remind them to help themselves.

No Perfection Allowed

Don’t worry about the house being perfect. It doesn’t have to be white glove clean. Shut doors to messy rooms and keep the lights low to hide dust bunnies if you have them! Having people into your less-than-perfect home gives them permission to do the same for you.

Care about your guests. Hear them…listen well! Be present. Sit & don’t worry too much about everything being perfect. Slow down, sit down, breathe and enjoy them!

{for your pinning pleasure!}

I hope this post gives you the inspiration to have simple holiday gatherings, reminds you that it only takes a few touches to make things feel festive, and gives you permission to let go of perfect and just be.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas everyone!

What are your biggest hurdles in having holiday gatherings?

Do you have any tips for keeping things simple?

What do you think of these adorable Christmas Tree Shaped Folded Napkins?

FUN/DIY/ Holidays/Parties/ Seasonal/ Sponsored

Tips For An Effortless Outdoor Late Summer Party

School is back in session, but that doesn’t mean that summer fun can’t continue! How about an effortless outdoor late summer party? Late summer is the perfect time to have an outdoor party, and I have a bunch of tips to make it easy and enjoyable!

I’ve often been told that I have a certain touch when it comes to entertaining, which always makes me smile. My goal is for people to feel loved and have a great time when they come over, and I accomplish this by being the queen of shortcuts! I’ve been known to sweep piles of dirt under the rug, order takeout and put it in a pretty dish (always being honest about it, of course), and just close the doors of rooms I don’t want seen, telling people if they enter, to enter at their own risk!

I’ve learned that in order for my guests to have fun, I have got to be present and willing to just– be. To let go of perfect and show up, creating lasting memories full of laughter and fun.

Thankfully I have learned some great shortcuts, tricks and tips to plan an effortless party, which really help me enjoy the party just as much as my guests do!

13 Tips For An Effortless Outdoor

Late Summer Party

USE DISPOSABLES

It is ok to take a break from doing dreaded dishes and instead use utensils, plates and napkins that you can toss. If being green is a goal of yours, there are awesome disposable products out there that are kind to the environment. The key to keeping things fun and pretty is to display them in containers that have some personality, like the above polka dot mug.

Choose disposables that match the vibe of your party. There are so many cute disposable plates and napkins out there! I especially love bringing in some color with napkins, as there are so many great prints out there.

EFFORTLESS GREEN

Cut plants and flowers are a great way to add beauty in an effortless way when entertaining. Don’t want to buy cut flowers? Grab a few cuttings from a fern or houseplant! That is what I did! Look closely at the photos and you will see that I trimmed my fern and stuck the trimmings in little jar vases. I also cut palms off of a palm plant and used them laying flat on the serving table. So simple & FREE!

CASUAL DELICIOUS BEVERAGES

If you read this blog, you know I’m all about my lemon water, but when it comes to a fun, effortless, causal party, I want my drinks to match the vibe. Enter JaM Cabernet. It is an easy-to-love, berry-licious, velvety-rich & bold wine. This wine is a luscious Cab that doesn’t need a gourmet meal…it’s right at home in a casual backyard setting and is totally my kinda JaM! I’m a wine lover, specifically red wine. JaM Cellars makes three everyday California wines with names that make me smile; Butter Chardonnay, JaM Cabernet and Toast Sparkling. JaM Cab is my favorite to chill out with. Bursting with the flavor of juicy berries, it is the best cab $20 & under, and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Want this JaM to be your JaM too? Check the JaM Cellars Wine Finder page to find where to buy it near you.

USE FRUIT TO ADD COLOR

A favorite trick of mine to brighten up any room or table is to grab whatever fruit I have and display it in a great dish, or, like the lemons in the photo above; a great pot! It adds instant color, and often I will use fruit that can be eaten straight from the dish, like whole strawberries, grapes, peaches, plums, cherries, clementines, apples or pears. No need to do a bunch of chopping to make a fruit salad! Just set pretty dishes or jars of whole fruit out. I recently had a party and set out small, wide-mouthed mason jars filled to the brim with blueberries, and they received so many comments about how cute they looked from my guests.

BUY A VEGGIE TRAY

The veggie tray you see in the photo is under $10 from our local big box store, and comes with the yogurt ranch dip. This allows me to skip making a green leafy salad or pasta salad and the work of all that chopping, but I can still offer guests some healthy self-serve vegetables which compliment and round out any casual meal.

MAKE SELF-SERVE FOOD

By late summer, I’m ready to put the grill away but not ready to turn the oven on. This is when I pull out the slow-cooker. My 30 Minute Sloppy Joes are self-serve and can be made and kept in the slow-cooker. I even start early in the day and let the ground beef cook right in the slow cooker, then drain it and add the sloppy joe sauce ingredients. I’ve also bought a frozen foil pan of BBQ Pork from my big box store, threw it in the slow-cooker and it was ready when guests came to help themselves. Can’t get much easier than that!

BUILD A FIRE

Late summer into fall is our favorite time of year to build a small pit fire. Some evenings are starting to cool down around here, so a fire is a great way to stay warm and gather people around in one place with JaM Cab in hand, of course!

MUSIC IS A MUST

There is an article called “Summer’s not done, chill with JaM!” on the Scoop! if you are looking for a fun party playlist. Music can add instant fun to a party, and can really control the mood of a party. The above linked playlist has everything from Coldplay to Billy Joel, and one of my favorites to chill the night out with: “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran.

BLANKETS ON HAND

If the evening is expected to be cooler, take a wicker basket of rolled-up blankets outside with a chalkboard sign that says “help yourself.” Another way to use blankets while entertaining outside is to spread them out on the lawn for a casual, picnic feel.

MAKE S’MORES

Might as well take advantage of that fire and make some s’mores! We get creative around here with our s’mores and use nice thick cored apple slices in place of graham crackers and offer peanut butter cups along with the typical chocolate bar. One thing that we don’t change is the marshmallow! There is something about putting a big white marshmallow on a stick, watching it puff up and nursing it to the perfect gooey golden brown, that brings out the inner child in all of us. S’mores are another fun way to have your guests make their own and serve themselves, and are so sweet that you don’t really need much more for dessert.

CUPCAKES FOR DESSERT

If you DO want more for dessert, make cupcakes! Everybody loves a cupcake, and they are a great dessert to make ahead of time. I love how they look on a white platter, and often I will take the platter around to guests and let them grab the one they want. No need for dessert plates, just pass out a napkin with each cupcake. Use a cake mix, find some fun sprinkles & use gold or silver cupcake liners for a bit of sparkle.

Use Glass Jars

Fill them with nuts for guests to munch on before and after dinner. Put a candle or starry lights in them. Use them as casual water glasses, as containers to send leftovers home with your guests, and as vases to hold flowers or greenery. Put slices of lemon in one for guests to help themselves to for their water. Put butter or condiments in them–they will be so much prettier on a table than the bottles that most condiments come in. Yes, even ketchup and mustard can add color and beauty to a table if in a glass jar!

Lighting

Lighting is a must. Keep it simple. A few candles, some string lights or a jar of battery operated starry lights are all it takes to set a mood. When we are going to have a get-together in our backyard, I love plugging in our string lights over a sitting area, and I make sure the lightbulbs work in our spot light to light up the basket ball area. Use citronella candles to keep the bugs away and add ambient lighting at the same time. Light is important!

So there you have it. My 13 Tips To an Effortless Late Summer Party. Keep it simple! Use what you have! Good drinks, lighting and music make all the difference. Add some cut greens in jars & easy, self-serve food, and you will have a party that all will enjoy…including the hostess!

………………..

Want to know more about JaM Cellars?

Second-Generation Napa Valley vintners John and Michele are the “J” and the “M” in JaM Cellars, and I want to meet them just to tell them how much I love the clever names for their wines. They make their wines in the tradition of great California winemaking, rich bold and luscious, and in a style to enjoy with friends any day of the week.

“We take our wines seriously; we just don’t take ourselves seriously!” – JaM Cellars

Yep, I’d love to meet them…we could hang for sure!

Follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for daily wine-aspiration #JaMCellars @JamCellars.

Want to know where to find JaM Cellars near you? You can purchase JaM Cellars wine at leading grocery stores. Enter your zip code to identify local stores at JaMCellars.com/WineFinder {<–click}

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Brunch/ Holidays/Parties/ Meals/ RECIPES/ Thanksgiving

My Thanksgiving Day Brunch Menu – 11 Great Recipes!

I am having my family over for Thanksgiving Brunch this year. I have 3 sisters and their families coming, and my Mom & Mother-in-Law. I’m truly looking forward to some fun family time. I have the most precious nieces and nephews, 3 are teens and 3 are under the age of 4. I can’t wait to see them all!

I’m excited to switch up our regular menu and come up with some great breakfast/brunch recipe ideas. I have a few ideas of my own that I will need to experiment with before Thanksgiving day, and I also found some amazing recipes on Pinterest that I want to try.

Here is the menu

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Best Ever Cranberry Sauce

Jaw Droppinly Good Cranberry Mimosas

3 Ingredient Pumpkin Spiced Chai

Turkey, Stuffing & Cranberry Sauced Sliders

Oven Scrambled Eggs

Cornflake Topped Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

Apple Kale Slaw With Curried Almond Dressing

Deviled Eggs

Easy Elegant Yogurt Berry Parfait in a Trifle

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Perfect Ancestral Pumpkin Pie

Coffee | Hot Tea

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Best Ever Cranberry Sauce – Hall Of Fame Version

After trying many different cranberry sauce recipes, this one is by far my favorite. Everyone who tastes it asks for the recipe. It is the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Some cranberries are left whole, some and smashed. It is not too spicy with just a touch of cinnamon. It is perfection, and thick enough to smear on a piece of toast like a jam.

Jaw Droppingly Good Cranberry Mimosa

This is also a recipe from Shockingly Delicious. She takes a tablespoon of the Best Every Cranberry Sauce recipe above, puts it in the bottom of a champagne flute, adds some sparkling wine (I plan on using Moscato) & serve! Can’t get much easier than that. The color of these Mimosa’s is so pretty, & I plan on adding a spiral of orange peel to each glass to make them look even more festive.

Turkey, Stuffing, & Cranberry Sliders

This is a recipe I will need to experiment with. Update: I did! Here it is. I was inspired by Starbucks Turkey, Stuffing & Cranberry Panini– a sandwich that tastes like Thanksgiving! I will be making these for dinner next week & will post the recipe if they turn out yummy!

Oven Scrambled Eggs

Sometimes simple is better. I was going to make quiche or a breakfast casserole, but with so many other rich recipes that we will be having, I thought I would keep the eggs pure and simple. I love this recipe. It makes enough for a crowd and couldn’t be easier.

Cornflake Topped Cheesey Hashbrown Casserole

This recipe has been made by our family for years. It is so far from good for you, but boy, it sure tastes good! I like to ask my sister to bring this. She makes it the best, and then I don’t have to face how junky the ingredients really are for you! Those cream of ‘something’ soups get me every time, but it IS a celebration, so bring it on.

Apple Kale Slaw With Curried Almond Dressing

I must have some greens on the plate at any holiday celebration. This recipe for Apple Kale Slaw is really hearty, delicious & beautiful to look at. I am going to leave out the tomatoes and add dried cranberries or maybe pomegranate seeds. Mmmm!

Deviled Eggs

We always have deviled eggs at our family Thanksgiving celebrations. My older sister makes these the best, too! Her secret ingredient? Instead of using regular mustard, she uses a bit of honey mustard. The teens go nuts over these so she usually makes a couple dozen.

Easy & Elegant Yogurt Parfait

I love the idea of using a classic trifle dish to make this pretty parfait! Just simply layer in granola, fruit & yogurt. Can’t get any easier!

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Frosting

I may put my 13-year-old baker to work on these the day before Thanksgiving. She is a super gifted baker and would do a great job. This recipe caught my eye because they can be rolled out and sliced the night before, then raise for an hour in the morning, then baked. I like the idea of greeting my guests with the scent for freshly baked cinnamon rolls!

3 Ingredient Pumpkin Spiced Chai

I plan on brewing this ahead of time and keeping it warm in the crockpot for guests to help themselves. It is such a warming, comforting drink! It tastes like fall!

Perfect Pumpkin Pie With A Secret Ingredient

Gotta have pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving! This recipe is my all-time favorite recipe for Pumpkin Pie. My sweet neighbors spoil us by delivering pumpkin pie during the holiday season, and it was by far the best pumpkin pie I had ever tasted. I asked for the recipe & then of course, had to write a blog post about it. It uses a secret ingredient! Click through to see what it is.

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I’m so ready for Thanksgiving Day Brunch with my sweet family. Cannot wait to savor the food & the moments with them!

~~~

What are YOUR Thanksgiving Plans?

What is your FAVORITE Thanksgiving Day Recipe?

FAMILY/ FUN/DIY/ Holidays/Parties/ Kids/Family/ Leaving A Legacy/ RECIPES/ Sweets

My Avery Turns 12 + Cakepops!

Oh if the whole world could know my Avery Rose! I cannot believe she is 12 years old. My baby…a year away from being a teenager.

She has been a joy her whole life, even during her 2’s & 3’s when the stubborn streak in her could turn a simple grocery shopping trip into the best lesson in humbleness for me as her Mom.

Now that she is 12, I rarely see that stubbornness used in negative ways, but boy do I see a strength in my girl that is going to take her far. There is a resoluteness about her, a grounded-ness that shows the world that she is more concerned for others than herself. She has not gotten caught up in trying to impress those around her with artificial-ness, but instead shows her love through deeds and gifts…most of which are homemade, whether through the arts or through her amazing ability to bake.

She lives for a celebration, whether a holiday or a birthday, because that is where her gifts thrive. She goes around this house, usually in a sneaky manner so to ‘surprise’ those she loves, and will go all out in her creations to signify that what we are celebrating at the time is important. She will spend hours on Pinterest coming up with ideas of what would be the best way to love on her family, and will come to me, perch on the end of my bed in the evenings when she has the most of my attention, and whisper her best laid plans. She shares with me as I am the one who has the car keys to get the supplies she would need, and she knows I too, love to love others in this way. There is always a carefully drawn-up list of all that will be needed, and discussion led by her of how to make it the most frugal.

My girl had to take the reins in planning her own birthday this year, as I have been down and out the past 2 weeks with medication side effects that I won’t bore you with in this post. I will say it was severe and knocked me down harder than I have been knocked down physically since my chemo days.

Because I was not well, Avery was extra independent in her birthday planning, but still would come and sit at the end of my bed to fill me in on updates, as that had become just about the only place she could find me the last 2 weeks. She was so sweet in reassuring me that she didn’t mind making her own birthday treats and plans.

We celebrated her birthday this past Sunday, and the day could not have been better. The day before, my symptoms had let up in the early evening enough for me to get my girl out with her list and to buy her birthday supplies. It was sweet time with her, the day was warm and it felt so good to get out. I was slower than usual, and honestly, the forced slow pace made the time even sweeter.

She had her list in her hand and was on a mission at Target, and I followed with my heart just bursting with pride for my girl. She chose some fun chevron napkins that had a color in them that matched some leftover party balloons we already had at home. She chose some Starburst candies to sprinkle on the table, careful to get the kind that had wrappers to match the napkins.

Her birthday plan was to come home from church, eat one of her favorite meals with lots of treats, then go with the family and a friend to a place in town called Defy Gravity. It is an indoor trampoline park that is fairly new in town. I loved the plan. It was simple and doable. I prayed that my stomach would feel well enough to watch my lovlies and their friends bounce up and down.

With her list in hand, we bought all the groceries we would need to make her favorite sandwiches.

Here was her menu plan:

Baked Ham & Cheese Party Sandwiches

Potato Chips

Strawberries

Mini Cans of Sprite

Cakepops

I saw her eyeing some fun easter mini-cupcakes, and she had been so sweet about being frugal that I told her to grab them. They came a dozen and would be perfect to stick 12 candles in. Her eyes and face lit up at my suggestion, and that alone was worth the artificial color and ingredients, plus the $2.99 they cost.

She scoured the dollar section for some treats to make treat bags for her friend and sisters. She looked over some super cute treat bags, then said she didn’t need the fancy bags that cost over 3 dollars. She came home and made her own adorable treat bags out of brown paper sacks and washi tape. Again, my heart almost burst. What a sweet, creative, frugal girl.

When we got home, Avery got busy making the table festive & blowing up her balloons, then got to work on the cake pops. I thought she would be in the kitchen for hours making those cake pops. Well, she wasn’t. She made the cake part and we watched a family tv show as it baked. When the cake cooled and it was time to make the pops, I left her alone in the kitchen and hoped she would have good luck. It was not even 30 minutes later that she brought the finished cake pops up to me. They were perfect and so cute. She told me she had read up on how to make the perfect cake pop and how all the tricks that she learned really helped make it easy.

Here is the recipe she used, with tips from my Avery to follow:

Cake Pops

Ingredients:

1 cake mix + ingredients listed on box

1/3 cup prepared frosting

candy melts (available at most craft stores)

6 inch lollipop sticks (available at most craft stores)

sprinkles (optional)

food coloring (optional, to tint candy melt if desired)

styrofoam (to hold the pops upright to dry)

Instructions:

Prepare a boxed cake mix as directed on the box. (Avery used a chocolate cake mix.) Let the cake cool, then crumble the cake into fine crumbs with your hands in a large bowl. Mix in about 1/3 cup of icing (Avery used store bought milk chocolate frosting) using your hands. The mixture should be dense but not gooey. Using a cookie scoop (Avery used a 1 T scoop) scoop out mixture. Roll the mixture into your hand and pack it tightly into a ball. Continue until mixture is gone. It should make about 18 cake balls.

Coating:

Add about 5 candy melt morsels into a small jar and melt them in the microwave. This will be used sort of as ‘glue’ to hold the cake onto the stick. Dip your stick into the melted candy melt and quickly stick it into a cake ball at least half way down. Repeat with remaining cake balls. Set the balls onto a cookie sheet and freeze for about 10 minutes.

Put the rest of your candy melts into a microwavable jar and melt according to the package instructions. If you are wanting to color your candy melt different colors, used several different jars and add desired color after the candy is melted.

Dip the cake pop into the jar, evenly coating it. Let the coating drip off. If using sprinkles, add immediately before coating sets. Place the cake pop right side up onto styrofoam. Repeat for remaining pops.

Tips From Avery:

~using the candy melts as ‘glue’ is key. Don’t skip this part!

~smaller balls are easier to work with…don’t make them too big!

~when dipping, just tip the stick in several directions instead of swirling. This is a more gentle motion that will keep that cake ball on the stick.

~using candy melt coating is key! It easily covered dark chocolate and has the perfect consistency.

Her birthday morning came around and I woke up quite sick, still from side effects of medications. I sent the family on to the early service at church, and knew I had a couple hours to get myself together as much as possible. The kitchen was a mess from late night cake pop making, and I still needed to put together the sandwiches. We had a 12:30 appointment at Defy Gravity and would spend about an hour and 1/2 there, so eating needed to take place between church and jumping.

I prayed the nausea would subside, and got to work. I did fine until dealing with the slimy slices of ham. Not the best texture or scent when one feels sick! I just buckled down and did what I had to do. I took a bit of anti-nausea medication, had a few friends praying that I would feel well enough for the party, and prayers were answered. I started to feel better just as everyone was eating their sandwiches, and I got to go watch my sweet girl jump and jump and jump! She even let her sisters bring a friend, so it was a lot of fun for everyone. I am so thankful it all worked out, that I got to go, and that I am here to see my sweet girls grow up and celebrate these milestones with them.

……………

Avery Rose – I am so proud to be your Mom. You make me smile every single day. Keep being you and remember how very much you are loved!

Meals/ RECIPES

Mexican Food Pile On

This recipe is the perfect recipe for when you are having guests over. It can all be prepared ahead of time so you can enjoy your guests. For a larger party, all of the ingredients can be doubled.

The recipe consists of all types of Mexican food toppings & a crockpot full of a meat & bean mixture. There are 2 ingredients that make the recipe extra special, which I will share with you later in the post. The foundation of the pile-on is a bed of frito’s, the meat mixture, rice & cheese; but really, your guest can choose to make their Mexican Food Pile On’s any way they would like!

The first time I had this recipe was at a sweet friends house. I was so intrigued by 2 of the topping ingredients that she set out among all the typical Mexican toppings. Sweetened shredded coconut and chopped pecans! I piled the typical Mexican food toppings on, and was brave and added the coconut and pecans. Boy am I glad I did. Those two ingredients MADE the dish. The coconut gives a nice sweetness that compliments the savory and spicy of the rest of the toppings. The pecans add a nice nutty crunch.

The second time I had this recipe it was at a Christmas Party at my dear mentor’s house. She had quite a group but was not stressed at all about feeding all of us. She had it all prepared ahead and we just helped ourselves. Everyone raved about the recipe and what great party food it was.

I decided it was time to make it at my home. We had some great friends over, I made the meat/bean mixture ahead of time, set out the toppings, and it was the easiest entertaining I had done in a long time.

I’ve made this recipe a couple of times just for our family, too. The kids love it.

Mexican Pile On

2 lbs ground beef

1 large onion

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

1 can tomato paste

1/2 tbsp garlic salt

2 tbsp chili powder

1 can chili beans

Cook ground beef and onions in a frying pan together until meat is no longer pink and onions are nice and soft. Drain.

Put meat and onions into the crockpot. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Cook 4 hours on low, or put into the refrigerator to cook on party day for 4 hours.

To Serve:

Time to pile it all on! In separate bowls, offer the add-ons of choice & let your guest make their own pile-on’s:

~frito’s (I like to use Trader Joes brand, as it uses organic corn and no high fructose corn syrup)

~rice

~onions

~shredded cheddar cheese

~tomatoes

~lettuce

~black olives

~picante sauce

~sour cream

~guacamole

~jalapenos

~pecans

~coconut (sweet & shredded)

Enjoy!

Holidays/Parties/ RECIPES/ Sweets

Fruit Pizza With Honey Lime Glaze

There are certain recipes that just never get old. Fruit pizza is one of those recipes in my book–an oldie but goodie.

I remember having Fruit Pizza for the first time back during our newlywed days — 16 years ago! We were at a social gathering with a group from our church, and were eating potluck style. Someone brought Fruit Pizza and I remember thinking it was such a pretty dish! I will never get over the beauty of the color and texture of fruit. Put it on top of a sugar cookie crust and it becomes one of my favorite desserts. All that nutritious fruit helps me feel better about the sugar.

This recipe takes the classic Fruit Pizza and adds a simple glaze to make it shine! It is a great finishing touch that makes the pizza even more beautiful.

Fruit Pizza

2 pkgs. packaged sugar cookie dough

1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups chopped fresh fruit – kiwi, grapes, clementines, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, mango

Honey Lime Glaze

1/3 cup honey

2 limes, juiced

zest of one lime

Press cookie dough into sheet cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool.

Mix softened cream cheese, sugar & vanilla until creamy. Spread on top of cooled crust.

Pat chopped fruit with paper towels, making sure it is not too wet. Arrange evenly over the cream cheese layer.

Whisk honey glaze ingredients and drizzle over the pizza.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

———–

Want a healthier version of fruit pizza? Taralynn has a great recipe for Healthy Fruit Pizza that uses a grahmn cracker honey crust + yogurt & whipped cream topping. I can’t wait to try her version.

Older Posts

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USE DISPOSABLES

EFFORTLESS GREEN

CASUAL DELICIOUS BEVERAGES

USE FRUIT TO ADD COLOR

BUY A VEGGIE TRAY

MAKE SELF-SERVE FOOD

BUILD A FIRE

MUSIC IS A MUST

BLANKETS ON HAND

MAKE S’MORES

CUPCAKES FOR DESSERT

Use Glass Jars

Lighting

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Ingredients:

Instructions:

Coating:

Tips From Avery:

Mexican Pile On

To Serve:

Fruit Pizza

Honey Lime Glaze