Red, White, and Blue Layered Drink

This drink is so fun because it makes people wonder how you've done it! But its easy. It starts with lots of ice, a drink with lots of sugar on the bottom, less sugar in the middle, and no sugar on top. Its beautiful and delicious!

Red, White, and Blue Layered Drink
Idea From:MooreMinutes.com

Pina Colada Sobe, 24 grams of sugar
Hawaiian Punch, 15 grams of sugar
Blue Gatorade, sugar free

Put ice in the bottom of the glass. Pour the Sobe over the top. Add more ice and slowly pour the fruit punch over the ice. Add more ice to glass and so slowly pour the Gatorade over the final layers of ice.

Patriotic Cookies

The 4th of July is a holiday that I really enjoy. We get up at 5:30am and go see hot air balloons take off. Afterward we go to a parade and later we have a party at my Grandmas house and do fireworks. The last few years the holidays have gotten even better because our kids enjoy them too. They especially enjoy this holiday cause of all the fun and family.

I've also started to try a bunch of fun recipes. So over the next week or so I'll be sharing them with you so you'll have fun things to make at your 4th of July parties, starting out with this delicious cookie. Its easy but the effect is dramatic! People will be so impressed!

Patriotic Cookies
Recipe Source: Nestle.com

1- 16.5oz pkg refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough
1- 8 oz pkg Cream Cheese, at room temp
1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
24 Strawberries, sliced
3/4 cup Blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Between 2 pieces of parchment paper roll the cookie dough until its 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate dough for 10 minutes. Remove the top piece of parchment paper. Using a 3-inch star cookie cutter cut the cookie dough. Transfer to an ungreased cookie sheet. Roll remaining dough to 1/4-inch thickness, refrigerate dough for 10 minutes, and cut additional stars.

3. Bake for about 10 or until golden brown. While the cookies are hot, reshape the edges of each star with knife. Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Beat the cream cheese and sugar in small mixer bowl until fluffy. Spread onto cooled cookies. Place strawberry slices onto each cookie pointing outward. Put a dollop of the cream cheese mixture onto the strawberries and place about 5 blueberries in center of each cookie.

Mini Lemon Meringue Pies

Growing up my aunt made lemon meringue pie for every holiday and we looked forward to it every time. It may be the reason most of us went to family gatherings... Ha.

But now I know that it takes time to make. So I found this recipe and its just as good, it takes less work, and it's in individual form.

Mini Lemon Meringue Pie
Recipe Source: TidyMom.com

1 - 5oz box Walkers Shortbread Fingers, finely crushed
3 Eggs, separated
1 - 14 oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup Lemon Juice
zest from 1 Lemon
1/3 cup Granulated Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with nut cups.

2. Divide shortbread crumbs between the 9 nut cups. Press crumbs firmly with a glass.

3. In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks, condensed milk, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir until well combined then spoon on top of shortbread crusts.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk egg whites until stiff. Gradually add sugar and beat until sugar is completely dissolved, it will take several minutes. Spoon meringue over lemon filling, be sure to go past the edges of your pies.

5. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the top is golden. Turn the oven off, and leave the pies to cool inside oven, with door open. Refrigerate until cold and serve.

Perfect Baked Potato

Potatoes are one of my favorite foods. Red, Yukon, Idaho. I love them all. Baked potatoes, when cooked well, are so good. So make them this way and you'll love them too!

Perfect Baked Potato

1 Idaho Potato, per person
Olive Oil
Coarse Kosher Salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Scrub the outside of the potato to get all of the dirt off. Pour olive oil onto a plate and rub each potato in it. Sprinkle the outside of each with the coarse salt. 

2. Poke each of the potatoes with a fork several times. Then wrap in tin foil and place on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 1 hour or until a fork poked in the potato feels soft.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Frosting

My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. So when I was looking for new frosting flavor and came across this, I knew it was meant to be. It tastes just like the ice cream, just less cold.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Frosting

Recipe Source: ConfessionsofaCookbookQueen.com

1/2 cup Salted Butter, room temp
3 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
1 teaspoon Mint Extract
1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Green Food Coloring
2 cups Powdered Sugar
2 oz Semisweet Chocolate, finely chopped

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter until fluffy. Add cream, mint and vanilla extracts on medium until smooth.  

2. Turn mixer to low and slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until combined.  Add enough food coloring to get desired color and increase speed and beat until fluffy and smooth. Fold in the chopped chocolate.

Baked Cinnamon Donuts

I am guest posting over at Sawdust and Embryos today! Baked donuts, so easy and they will satisfy your need for a cinnamon roll, they are so good!!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake and Secret Recipe Club

This month for the Secret Recipe Club I got Trisha from My Hobbie Lobbie. Her blog is so great! She love to bake and craft and it shows! There were so many fun, new recipes I wanted to try it was hard to narrow it down! So I will be going back soon to make other things! 

I ended up choosing Pineapple Upside Down Cake. I did what I do and  made some changes and added some pineapple buttercream frosting around the outside and it turned out fantastic! Go check out Trisha's blog and giver her some love!!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Recipe Adapted from: MyHobbieLobbie.com and FoodNetwork.com

1 1/2 cups Cake Flour
1/2 cup Butter, room temp
2 cups Granulated Sugar
3 large Eggs
3/4 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 heaping teaspoon Baking Powder
1/8 teaspoon Salt
3/4 cup Buttermilk
3/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 - 20oz can Pineapple Slices, reserve juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 inch round pan with cooking spray and dust with flour.

2. In a large bowl combine butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg/sugar mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. begin and end with the flour.

4. In the prepared pan, evenly sprinkle the brown sugar. Pour the melted butter over the brown sugar. Place the pineapple slices on top. Pour the batter over the top and place in the oven. bake for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes and turn out onto cake plate.

Pineapple Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup Butter, room temp
3 Tablespoons Pineapple Juice
3 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

Beat all ingredients together until combined and fluffy.