i'm back....

well, I took a looooooong break and am back and ready to cook! luckily, just in time for the annual 4th of july picnic. my new obsession is Pinterest so this recipe is courtesy of one of my pins and this fantastic website...

 

it was really easy. you need:

 

 

2 bags light blue candy melts (found in the baking aisle of craft stores/wal-mart)

1 – 10.5 ounce bag large marshmallows

1 box graham cracker crumbs (I used Teddy Grahams)

1 – 6.6 ounce bag cheddar goldfish

Large white pearl nonpareils

20 lollipop sticks

 

- Melt blue candy melts according to package. I recommend placing chocolate candy in a microwavable bowl and melting in 30 second increments, mixing in between. Do not over-melt or the chocolate will be difficult to work with. Start with one package and see if you need more.

- Place lollipop sticks in marshmallows. Dip marshmallows into the chocolate candy. Use a knife to get excess chocolate off the marshmallow bottom.

- Dip the bottom in graham cracker crumbs. Add a goldfish and 2 white pearl non pareils.

- Allow to cool and then enjoy! If you are making this a day in advance, make sure to place your pops in an air tight container or cover with saran wrap so they don’t go stale.

 

 

Feedback was pretty good. The candy melts are sweet but everyone

really liked them. They went really fast too!

day 16 = cheeseburgers it is!

sarah:

thank you to everyone who voted on what i was going to make for the 4th of july picnic. in the end, these were just too cute to pass up! they are supposed to have a sesame seed bun, but i agree that sesame seeds on a dessert seem a little odd. if you want a true cheeseburger bun though, put a little egg wash on top and add a sprinkle of sesame seeds. these were really simple and fun to make.

here's how you do it:

step 1: gather the ingredients

• 1 box vanilla wafers (need at least 80)
• 1 pkg grasshopper cookies (need 40)
• 1/2 cup vanilla frosting
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes
• red, yellow, and green food coloring

step 2: prep the ingredients

• mix vanilla frosting with food coloring in a bowl. use 2 drops of red and 8 drops of yellow (1 to 4 ratio). tweak if needed to get the perfect "cheese"

• in a ziploc bag, mix coconut and 1 drop green food coloring. shake well and tweak if needed to get the perfect "lettuce"

step 3: assemble

• put a drop of frosting on the flat side of a vanilla wafer
• place a grasshopper cookie over top
• add a glob of frosting
• sprinkle with coconut
• add a drop of frosting to another flat side of wafer
• smoosh it all together and the cheese will "ooze" like a fine cheeseburger!

step 4: let's eat!

charley:
i would admit when she first presented options for what she should cook for the 4th of July i picked the strawberries due to the colors and i love strawberries in sugar.  after seeing her make these, how real they look and how good they taste i am glad she went with these.  for those who do not like coconut, i tend to agree, but the brand she used didn't overwhelm the burger.  in fact the grasshopper had the most taste to it and i love mint and chocolate.  this is one of those dishes that adds all the things i like and makes something i can say i loved.  in fact typing about it is making me want another, too bad they need to be saved for the 4th of july picnic :(


**if you want to see the list of options that did not make the chopping block, take a look at the 'day 14' blog. maybe another time...


enjoy!

day 14 = what am i going to make for 4th of July?

each year i make something cute and fun for the kids on 4th of july. each year i agonize about what to make, finally pick something, scramble to get the ingredients, and stay at the beach a little longer than i should (i need to get a tan!) and then have to rush to put something together.


i'm sure this year will be no different, but this year i'll let you in on my thoughts... we'll just have to wait to find out which one it is!


2011 --- what do you think????

• mmm... strawberries 
• cake pops
• forget-me-not cones
• lollipop flower pots
• chicken pot pie?
• creepy crawly mud cups
• cheeseburger in paradise
• too bad it's not thanksgiving
• up for a sleepover?
• banana split mini-bites
• fried eggs anyone?

past years if you want to drool...

• oreo frogs
• brownies on a stick
• marshmallow cherry kisses
• candy sushi
• dirt cups 
• grandma's 90th birthday cake

enjoy!