BBQ Party ... Flip Flop Cake Pops

This past Saturday we had a End of the Year BBQ at my parents lake front.  WELL it was scheduled for last Saturday, but when I kept checking the weather and it called for 80% chance of RAIN, I called it.  Thank God since Noah may have picked us up for the party too, if you remember Caden's bday party did the same thing.  I think it's a new theme for my parties. 

I of course wanted to make theme things!  I found these Flip Flop Cake pops on Living Locurto.  If you have not been to this site you MUST from free printable's to awesome ideas for food!

NOW her's are so professional an amazing looking.  I didn't do the cake pops on a lollipop stick.  They were't all uniformed but I loved how they came out!

 What You’ll Need:

• Blue Candy Melts
• Lolliop Sticks (I skipped this part)
• Baked Cake & Icing. Flavor of your choice.
• Flower Sprinkles
• Candy Straws

Directions

Mix the cake and icing together in a bowl. Shape into a cake ball. Squeeze the middle to form an hour-glass shape.

Once you have your hour-glassy looking shape, you’re going to want to then shape it into your “flip flop” form.  Just smooth the edges and form it to make it look like a flip flop.

Dip in melted candy before it dries place the strap onto the flip-flop.

Next, put a small dot of chocolate on the strap and attach your flower, or decoration.

They turned out pretty darn cute if I say so myself!

Thanks for stopping by

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

Skinny Meatloaf ... Meatloaf Parmesan

Sunday Supper Time Ideas ... Oh yes I've even named it (stop shaking your head I know it's not original but it works).  This was a easy one that was so yummy!!

I saw Audrey on The Taste a while back and wanted to give one of her skinny recipes a try. I came across her Meatloaf Parmesan which looked so yummy she served with Rosemary Potatoes.  I just skipped those potatoes and made regular mashed for the boys, I just had a slice of the meatloaf myself to keep low on my calories for the day.  This was a hit with the boys and our guest.  Our guest said he never had meatloaf with cheese before and really enjoyed it!!

Meatloaf:
1 onion diced
3 cloves Garlic finely chopped
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 LB lean ground beef
2 eggs
½ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, or a combo of the two
¾ cup bread crumbs
2 roasted red peppers chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup marinara sauce
¼ cup Mozzarella cheese

Pre-heat oven to 350, oil (cooking spray is fine) a loaf pan and a rimmed baking sheet.

Put oil in pan, heat on med-high and add the onions cooking for 5-10 min until soft. Toss in the garlic and cook for another 5 min, remove from pan to a plate to cool. While the onions and garlic cool put everything else in a large bowl, hold the marinara and Mozzarella back though. Once the onion mix is cool add to the bowl and mix with your hands until just combined, don’t over mix it will make the meat tough. Mold into an loaf pan, top with marinara sauce.

Bake in oven for 50-60 minutes, after about an hour take out the meatloaf, top with mozzarella and put back into oven and broil at 400 for 3-5 min, watch so it doesn't burn.

Take out meatloaf and let it rest for 10 minutes. Time to plate and serve.

ALEXIS NOTES: I used pizza sauce since that is what I had on hand along with Panko bread crumbs.

Not your Mama's Meatloaf!
Do you do Meatloaf?

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

Going Back to School

As we enter into this new school year it makes me think back of years past.  Time sure does fly by doesn't it?  I swear I just blinked and Cole was just entering First Grade and and Caden was rambunctious 3 year old driving mom nuts while she tried to work (well somethings will never change). 

The boys were ready to go when Tuesday came they were bouncing off the walls.  NO REALLY bouncing off the walls, I was thinking I needing to add some bubble wrap so they would at least bounce off with out hurting something ... or wait I mean themselves. HEHE as you know I find that humor makes the days go instead of tears.

We hit up great stores like Staples to get us prepared for the LONG list that was given to us for our community supplies.  It's funny even when I was away in Canada all the commercials I saw were reminding me that I needed to go school shopping.  But it did ease my mind that Staples was showing that they had GREAT deals.  I mean who wants to break the bank when you send the kids back.  I almost had to take out a second mortgage to pay for the clothes. THEN you tell me I need to buy enough supplies for the whole class.  Thank God we hit the sales and walked out with out that second mortgage .. lol.

And since the throw back pictures are all the rage and I'm such a trend setter. Said the girl who so has a pair of doc martins from Jr. High hoping that the trend will cycle back .. yeah good luck on that.  I had to pull out the photos of the boys from a few years back.  Cole was just entering into Kindergarten and the little monster was 3 years old.  REMEMBER I work from home and a 3 year old at home with me makes for crazy arm waving mom.  You know while I'm on a call for work and covering my mic hoping that will make him be quiet. YUP I am one woman show of jokes.

See this cute little thing was what would roll (yes roll) by me as I would be working.

I'm so excited Staples has asked us to spread the word about going back to school in style but NOT breaking the bank.  We will be showing off our new backpacks and a Kindle Fire the kids and tutor are excited to read some new books on.  Shout out to Dad for the Amazon Prime that will allow us some awesome books to read.  I wanted to give you a little teaser to lead up to the dramatic post (ok in my head it is always fabulous written with no run on sentences .. but hey at least I go out with a bang).

Thank you again Staples for the amazing opportunity to spread the word.

Disclosure – The product featured in this review was provided to me free of charge, by the manufacturer or representing PR agency. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

Chocolate Marshmallow Banana Surprise Cookies

I made some fun cookies for the boys and girls club workers and volunteers.  My chocolate was a little too thick and I didn't have time to make it rich and smooth, so mine aren't as pretty as Anna's on Cookie Madness. But I had so many of the helpers come up to me wanting me to make them again so that told me they must have been a hit!

2 cups all purpose flour (9 oz)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 stick (4 oz) butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 ripe bananas

1 large egg, room temperature

10 marshmallows, cut in half or use 20 marshmallows and just trim them a little**

Frosting

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

6 tablespoons salted butter

1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1/4 cup whole milk or use lowfat milk with a little cream mixed in

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Have ready two cookie sheets lined with parchment.

Stir together flour and baking soda and set aside.

Using high speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter, vanilla and sugar for about 3 minutes. Add the banana and beat it with the butter/sugar mixture until it’s fully mashed. Beat in the egg. Using lowest speed of mixer or by hand, stir in the flour mixture. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto cookie sheets and bake at 350° F for about 11 minutes or until cookies just start to appear set. Remove pan from oven and press a marshmallow half into center of each cookie. Return to oven and bake for 2 to 2 ½ minutes or until marshmallow begins to melt (puffs). Remove from oven and let cool completely. Prepare frosting.

Prepare frosting. Put the confectioners’ sugar in a mixing bowl. In a small saucepan or in a large microwave-safe measuring cup, melt the butter and cocoa. Pour the melted butter/cocoa mixture into the sugar and stir well (I did it while it was hot), then stir in the milk and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting over each marshmallow, starting in the center and continuing outward until marshmallow is covered.

Makes 20 cookies

These cookies really did smell amazing :)!

Thanks for stopping by

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Citrus Slice Cookies ... Summer Time Cookies

My next try for a slice cookie was for these ones I found on Betty Crocker.  The watermelon cookies I featured yesterday were easy and a piece of cake compared to these. LOL I mean really I thought it would be easy enough but they were a pain and I was happy to be done with them ... hehe.  But they were cute and the people at our family reunion really enjoyed them.

I used Americolor Electric Yellow Food Coloring and Electric Orange Food Coloring.  I found yellow sugar at Hobby Lobby but couldn't find orange so I mixed a little food coloring to coarse sugar.

1

cup unsalted butter, softened

1

cup sugar

1

teaspoon vanilla

2

eggs

3

cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

Dash salt

Grated peel from 1 orange (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)

1

teaspoon orange extract

Yellow and red liquid food color

Grated peel from 2 lemons (2 to 3 teaspoons)

1

teaspoon lemon extract

Orange and yellow sanding sugar

• On work surface, shape dough into a ball. Divide into 3 equal portions. Return one-third of dough to bowl; beat in orange peel, orange extract and drops of yellow and red food color until orange color is consistent. Remove dough from bowl; cover with plastic wrap.
• Clean bowl; add another one-third portion of dough. Beat in lemon peel, lemon extract and drops of yellow food color until yellow color is consistent. Remove dough from bowl; cover with plastic wrap.
• Leave remaining one-third of dough plain; cover with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate all dough portions 1 hour.
• Shape each portion of tinted dough into a roll about 5 inches long and 2 1/2 inches in diameter; set aside. On lightly floured work surface, roll plain dough into a rectangle. Place roll of orange dough on plain dough. Roll plain dough in a single layer around orange dough. Cut away excess dough; reserve for yellow dough.
• Place orange sanding sugar on plate; roll dough log in sugar until completely coated. Wrap sugar-coated dough log in plastic wrap; refrigerate. Repeat process with lemon dough, remaining plain dough and yellow sanding sugar. Refrigerate dough logs at least 4 hours.
• Heat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
• Cut chilled logs into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick rounds. With back edge of knife, score “segment” lines into each round, making only indentations (do not go all the way through). Cut rounds in half; place on cookie sheets.
• Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until set. Remove cookies from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely.

The cookies made:

Thanks for stopping by

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Watermelon Cookies ... Summer Time Cookies

I made these super cute cookies for the boys and girls club workers and volunteers.  These were NOT an easy cookie to make and I probably will never make them again, but they were super cute!

If you have the time make these cookies you will be the star of the party!  I found these super cute cookies on Among the Young.  I used Americolor Super Red Food Coloring and Leaf Green Food Coloring, I buy the little ones at Hobby Lobby.  I used Vanilla instead of Almond since I didn't have it on hand that time.

 1 1/2 C. butter
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp almond extract
4 1/2 C. flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
Food coloring paste (green and red)

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and extract. Add the flour, salt, powder at a low speed. Remove 2 C. dough – set aside. (2/3 C. will be green and 1 1/3 will remain “white”). At low speed, beat in red paste. Shape dough into a 3 1/2 inch cylinder. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours. Wrap green and plain dough separately and chill also.

Reshape red cylinder (so there are no flat sides). Roll out plain dough to 7×8 1/2 rectangle. Roll up around the red cylinder. Roll out green dough to 10×7 1/2. Wrap together and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Next day slice (cut thick!) and bake at 375 for 6-10 minutes. Do NOT overbake!

Thanks for stopping by

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.