Jasey's Crazy Daisy

Margarita Party Mix, Chex Mix Cupcakes, Cupcake Roulette, and Catching Firefly Giveaway {worth $43!}

2013-05-22T07:33:00.001-06:00

Cupcake photo source: The Cupcake Project

I hope you guys are ready for some fun today because I've got a whole bunch of amazing things to share with you today! First, I'd like to introduce Stef. She's an insane cupcake blogger, among other things, and the founder of the blog, The Cupcake Project. It's totally drool worthy, so make sure take a minute to poke around her recipe index. I'm sure you will find about a ca-jillion things that will leave you wanting to lick your screen. I know because I've been following her on Facebook for quite a while. Stef has this really fun thing she does, called Cupcake Roulette, where she selects a winner once 38 people have commented and created a cupcake inspired by their blog. Totally fun!!! About two weeks ago I WON! I couldn't wait to see what she came up with. I half expected a brownie cupcake or candy bar cupcake, or something with popcorn, but guess what? My Cinnamon Bun Chex mix inspired her not only to create her own party mix, Margarita Chex Mix, she also added it to a cupcake. How's that for a twisted treat? Check it out!

Source: The Cupcake Project

It's totally a party in a cupcake. I can't wait to try them! Can you? You can read more about her story and get the recipe here. Do you want a chance to play Cupcake Roulette? This is your lucky day!!! Another round just went live! I can't wait to see who the lucky winner is. Click here if you want to play. And if this wasn't enough fun for one day, I have someone else to introduce you to. Meet April from Catching Fireflies, whose blog is sure to brighten your day! Her Catching Firefly store is filled with creative gifts and unique kitchen gadgets.

I must tell you that I love some of their inspirational home decor items. I ordered this custom family print. It just arrived (it came really quick) and it's beautiful! I can't wait to have it framed! The colors are perfect for our family room, but if they aren't right for you don't worry, there are four more color schemes to choose from. I bet one of them would be a perfect fit for your home!

Catching Fireflies is sponsoring a fabulous giveaway for us! They are offering one of you a $43 gift certificate to catchingfireflies.com so that you can pick out your favorite item! What will you pick?!? These are some of my favorite items.

Now that you've done a little window shopping are you ready to shop? Catching Fireflies is offering JCD readers 20% off their purchases by using the coupon code: CRAZYDAISY (offer expires one month from post date). Start filling your cart! If you'd like to enter our giveaway use the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway opens immediately and ends May 20th at 12:00 AM. US only, please. The winner will be randomly selected, announced here on the Rafflecopter form and emailed. They have 48 hours to claim their prize by providing their mailing address or another winner will be selected.

* I didn't receive any monetary gain for this post. I did receive a $43 dollar gift certificate to chose an item for review. All opinions remain my own.

Chewy Samoa Caramel Corn

2013-05-20T09:56:00.001-06:00

The other day after picking up my son from school, I was unloading the baby and trying to grab a handful of the things that always seem to get left behind. Car litter makes me crazy. Snack wrappers, shin guards, forgotten toys, a half eaten curly fry - or two, you know how it goes. But seriously, one soccer cleat? I'm not sure how he hasn't missed his cleat. Anyways, I was completely surprised when my son ran out and tackled me with a huge hug and a thank you. Surely he wasn't thanking me for attempting to shovel out his personal trash can. Turns out he had discovered the mountain of caramel popcorn I had left to set on the kitchen table. "Caramel popcorn's my all time favorite dessert!" he exclaimed as he ran back inside - empty handed. He's lucky he's so darn cute. Anyways, it wasn't just any caramel popcorn. It was a twisted treat like my Tagalong Brownie Cookie Bars or Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn. It was Samoa Caramel Corn, chocolate drizzled toasted coconut shortbread cookie caramel corn. Soft chewy caramel corn. Now that's a mouthful of deliciousness. I sent some to the office with my husband and received this text. "Your popcorn is in the mayor's office. It was stolen. The crew in his office hijacked it." So far this popcorn has been received really well. I wonder what kind of bribing power it has?
Chewy Samoa Caramel Corn Recipe By Jasey's Crazy Daisy
*Note - adjust the amount of popcorn to suit your taste - use more if you like it lightly coated, maybe about 7 or 8 quarts. Also following this recipe makes for a soft, almost sticky caramel corn. If you prefer a chewier, yet still soft caramel corn then you will want to bring it to a boil for six minutes, rather than just cooking for another six minutes, after stirring in sweet and condensed milk.
1 1/2 cups coconut 1 (10 oz. package Lorna Doone Shortbread cookies, broken into fourths 5 quarts popped popcorn, (about 3/4-1 cup unpopped kernels 1 pound brown sugar 2 cubes butter 3/4 cup light corn syrup 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 can (14 oz.) sweet and condensed milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup chocolate chips, depending on just how much chocolate you want Cover tabletop or counter with wax paper. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 300. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread coconut evenly over baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to make sure coconut browns evenly. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, pop popcorn removing any unpopped kernels. This is also a good time to break cookies into fourths, if you haven't done so already. Stir cookie pieces and popcorn together in a very large bowl. Set aside. Combine sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in sweet and condensed milk. Cook for another 6 minutes (if you have a candy thermometer, don't let it reach higher than the soft ball stage or 240 degrees), stirring almost constantly so it doesn't burn. Take off heat. Stir in toasted coconut and vanilla. Pour over popcorn. Gently stir with a wooden spoon. Keep stirring until popcorn is evenly coated. Pour onto prepared waxed paper and spread into a single layer. Place chocolate chips into a plastic baggie. Microwave for 20 seconds. Take out and use fingers to mix by gently squeezing bag around. When smooth, clip a small piece off of the corner of the bag and drizzle over caramel corn. When chocolate has set, store in an air-tight container. Enjoy!
If you enjoy Samoa cookies, you'll love these Samoa Brownie Cookie Bars. If brownies are your thing, click here for more brownie recipes. If popcorn is more like it, click here for more popcorn recipes.

Chewy Samoa Caramel Corn

2013-05-20T09:56:00.000-06:00

The other day after picking up my son from school, I was unloading the baby and trying to grab a handful of the things that always seem to get left behind. Car litter makes me crazy. Snack wrappers, shin guards, forgotten toys, a half eaten curly fry - or two, you know how it goes. But seriously, one soccer cleat? I'm not sure how he hasn't missed his cleat. Anyways, I was completely surprised when my son ran out and tackled me with a huge hug and a thank you. Surely he wasn't thanking me for attempting to shovel out his personal trash can. Turns out he had discovered the mountain of caramel popcorn I had left to set on the kitchen table. "Caramel popcorn's my all time favorite dessert!" he exclaimed as he ran back inside - empty handed. He's lucky he's so darn cute. Anyways, it wasn't just any caramel popcorn. It was a twisted treat like my Tagalong Brownie Cookie Bars or Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn. It was Samoa Caramel Corn, chocolate drizzled toasted coconut shortbread cookie caramel corn. Soft chewy caramel corn. Now that's a mouthful of deliciousness. I sent some to the office with my husband and received this text. "Your popcorn is in the mayor's office. It was stolen. The crew in his office hijacked it." So far this popcorn has been received really well. I wonder what kind of bribing power it has? Chewy Samoa Caramel Corn Recipe By Jasey's Crazy Daisy
*Note - adjust the amount of popcorn to suit your taste - use more if you like it lightly coated, maybe about 7 or 8 quarts. Also following this recipe makes for a soft, almost sticky caramel corn. If you prefer a chewier, yet still soft caramel corn then you will want to bring it to a boil for six minutes, rather than just cooking for another six minutes, after stirring in sweet and condensed milk.
1 1/2 cups coconut 1 (10 oz. package Lorna Doone Shortbread cookies, broken into fourths 5 quarts popped popcorn, (about 3/4-1 cup unpopped kernels 1 pound brown sugar 2 cubes butter 3/4 cup light corn syrup 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 can (14 oz.) sweet and condensed milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2-3/4 cups chocolate chips, depending on how chocolately you want it
Cover tabletop or counter with wax paper. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 300. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread coconut evenly over baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to make sure coconut browns evenly. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, pop popcorn removing any unpopped kernels. This is also a good time to break cookies into fourths, if you haven't done so already. Stir cookie pieces and popcorn together in a very large bowl. Set aside. Combine sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in sweet and condensed milk. Cook for another 6 minutes (if you have a candy thermometer, don't let it reach higher than the soft ball stage or 240 degrees), stirring almost constantly so it doesn't burn. Take off heat. Stir in toasted coconut and vanilla. Pour over popcorn. Gently stir with a wooden spoon. Keep stirring until popcorn is evenly coated. Pour onto prepared waxed paper and spread into a single layer. Place chocolate chips into a plastic baggie. Microwave for 20 seconds. Take out and use fingers to mix by gently squeezing bag around. When smooth, clip a small piece off of the corner of the bag and drizzle over caramel corn. When chocolate has set, store in an air-tight container. Enjoy!
If you enjoy Samoa cookies, you'll love these Samoa Brownie Cookie Bars. If brownies are your thing, click here for more brownie recipes. If popcorn is more like it, click here for more popcorn recipes.

Orange Carrot Less-Drip Ice Pops (and Ice Pop Cookbook Giveaway Part Two)

2013-05-17T04:00:00.000-06:00

As promised, I'm back with another frozen treat from the cookbook in the giveaway announced earlier this week with a recipe for Raspberry Meringue Ice Pops.

Orange Carrot Less-Drip Ice Pops. I love the idea of these "less-drip" ice pops. Not only are they perfect for the summer days ahead, they are espcially great for little ones trying to get into the frozen fun before their treat melts away. There is an entire section devoted to these kind of ice pops (Strawberry Pudding, Milk Chocolate, and Green Grape to name a few). We're planning on trying most of them, starting with these Orange Carrot ones.

Orange Carrot Less-Drip Ice Pops, page 204,
Less-Drip for Kids

Makes about 3 cups (750 mL)

9 to 12 ice pops

Unless your kids are carrot lovers, just call these orange ice pops — they’ll never know the difference. The pops are bright orange, sweet and a good healthy treat, especially on a hot day.

Tip

Freshly squeezed juice is always best, but you can also use juice in cartons or from concentrate.

Blender

Fine-mesh sieve

11⁄2 tbsp unsweetened gelatin powder (22 mL)

2 cups orange juice, divided (500 mL)

3⁄4 cup chopped carrots (175 mL)

1 cup water (250 mL)

3 tbsp granulated sugar (45 mL)

2 tbsp honey (30 mL)

1. In a large measuring cup, sprinkle gelatin over 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) orange juice. Set aside until gelatin is softened, about 3 minutes.

2. In blender, purée carrots, 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) orange juice and water. Transfer to a saucepan and stir in sugar and honey. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.

3. Place sieve over gelatin mixture and strain carrot mixture into it, pressing out as much juice and pulp as possible. Discard solids. Whisk until gelatin is thoroughly dissolved, about 1 minute. Whisk in remaining 1 cup (250 mL) orange juice. Set aside to cool.

4. Give mixture a quick stir. Pour into molds and freeze until slushy, then insert sticks and freeze until solid, for at least 4 hours. If you are using an ice pop kit, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Won't they be delicious? Use the Rafflecopter form below if you'd like to enter the giveaway for your very one copy.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway opens immediately (US and Canada only, please) and closes at 12:00 AM on May 22, 2013 . Winner will be announced here, and contacted by email and has 48 hours to claim their prize by responding with their mailing information or another winner will be drawn. Good luck:)!
If you want to forgo this whole giveaway and purchase the cookbook for yourself, click here.
*Disclaimer, I received no monetary compensation for this giveaway. I did receive a cookbook for review, and all opinions remain my own. The link for purchase does include an affiliate link.

Raspberry Meringue Ice Pops and (200 Best Ice Pop Recipes Cookbook Giveaway)

2013-05-15T04:00:00.000-06:00

School's just about out, summer is knocking on the door, and I think it's time to start preparing for those warm sunshine filled days! The kids will be out running through sprinklers, kicking soccer balls, riding their bikes, and raiding the freezer for ice cold treats. At least that's what I am suspecting at my house. "Mom, can we have a Popsicle?" Sound about right to you? Why not impress your kids with homemade ice pops? These creamy raspberry are sure to do the trick! (Keep reading, there's a giveaway for a fabulous cookbook with 199 more tasty ice pop recipes below.)

Raspberry Meringue Ice Pops, page 50, Berries

Makes about 22⁄3 cups (650 mL)

8 to 10 ice pops

Italian meringue is a cooked meringue, which has a thick, silky texture. It is often used as a base for European-style sorbets, but here I have used it in sweet and smooth ice pops.

Tip

You can replace the frozen raspberries with 21⁄2 cups (625 mL) fresh berries. Place in a saucepan over medium heat with 2 tbsp (30 mL) water and 1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar. Cook until berries are soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Electric mixer

Fine-mesh sieve

2 egg whites (2)

Pinch cream of tartar (Pinch)

2⁄3 cup granulated sugar (150 mL)

1⁄4 cup water (60 mL)

2 cups thawed frozen raspberries (500 mL)
(see Tip)

1. In a large bowl, using electric mixer at high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan over high heat, cook sugar and water until it reaches the large-ball (hard-ball) stage: 250° to 255°F (121° to 124°C) on a candy thermometer or when it forms a hard ball when a little is dropped from a spoon into cold water. Beating constantly, pour syrup in a thin stream into reserved egg whites. Beat at low speed until meringue is cool, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

3. Place sieve over a large measuring cup and strain raspberries, pressing down and scraping solids with a rubber spatula to extract as much pulp and juice as possible. Discard solids. Fold in meringue until thoroughly combined.

4. Pour into molds and freeze until slushy, then insert sticks and freeze until solid, for at least 4 hours. If you are using an ice pop kit, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

With this cookbook you will have enough recipes to keep fun frozen treats around all summer.

There's recipes suited for every taste... Creamy Mint Chocolate Swirl Pops, Apple Cider Ice Pops, Strawberry Pudding Less Drip-Ice Pops, as well as other less-drip flavors, Carrot Cake Ice Pops, and Roasted Peach Ice Pops. Let's not forget the grown-ups! With flavors like Watermelon Citrus Cooler Ice Pops, Fruity Rum Punch Ice Pops, and Whisky Sweet-and-Sour Ice Pops, all geared for adults, you'll be the hit of the neighborhood come barbecue season! And if you come back on Friday, I'm going to share one more tasty treat from this cookbook.

Would you like a copy of your own? I've got one up for grabs! Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway opens immediately (US and Canada only, please) and closes at 12:00 AM on May 22, 2013 . Winner will be announced here on the Rafflecopter form, contacted by email and has 48 hours to claim their prize by responding with their mailing information or another winner will be drawn. Good luck:)!
If you want to forgo this whole giveaway and purchase the cookbook for yourself, click here.
*Disclaimer, I received no monetary compensation for this giveaway. I did receive a cookbook for review, and all opinions remain my own. The link for purchase does include an affiliate link.

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Telegraph Bars {Lunchroom Bars, O'Henry Bars, and possibly my favorite, Gackle Bars}

2013-05-13T09:11:00.000-06:00

By now there is probably little question of why Crazy is part of my blog title. And if there is, this post is sure to clear things up a little. Many of you may already know that my husband doesn't really have a sweet tooth. There are a few simple treats that he enjoys, rice krispie treats, chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, Oreos, and Caramel Chex Mix. Oh and cheesecake, how could I forget cheesecake? He's really not big on cake, brownies, or pie. And he doesn't think nuts and chocolate mix which I will never understand. Every year around this time (we just celebrated his Birthday) I struggle finding the perfect dessert to make for him. He used to talk about these dessert bars that he enjoyed as a child - they were made by the lunch ladies from his school cafeteria. I had him describe them for me and couldn't find any recipes that sounded close to his description. He was from a small, like 500 people small, town in North Dakota called Gackle. I thought maybe his Grandma Eva, would be able to point me in the right direction. She gave me some good hints, but her suggestions included raisins, and as strong as he feels about nuts and chocolate never mixing, he feels even stronger about raisins. Period. What did I do? I called the school. I totally called my husband's elementary school. I talked with one of the lunch ladies who said she wasn't around back then and didn't really know what I was talking about but would leave a message for one of the older ladies who might know. I felt old. So old, it wasn't that long ago! And crazy, I mean who calls their husband's grade school cafeteria?!? But I waited a day or two and called back. She was there, she remembered my husband, she knew which recipe I was describing, and she had the recipe for me. They called them Telegraph Bars, but my father-in-law calls them O'Henry Bars. I think of them as Lunchroom Bars, and my kids, and the ladies at my husband's office call them Gackle Bars. Anyways, I was super excited! The only problem was that the recipe made a gigantic batch of cookies - you know enough to feed a cafeteria of kids in one of those super-sized cafeteria cookie sheets. I worked with the recipe and sized it down to a Texas sheet cake pan (17-1/2" x 12-1/2" x 1" deep) and made them as a surprise for his birthday. He was so surprised and thrilled at how they turned out. And yes, he thought I was certifiably loony when he found at that I actually called his school. We get a laugh about that every time I make them for him. Now I've even got it down to a jelly roll pan size (10 1/2" x 15 1/2" x 1" deep), which is about perfect because it's not very often we need that many of them. Are you wondering what in the world this treat is like? It's sort of like a frosted sandwich cookie bar with a gooey caramely center squished between graham crackers and topped with a chocolate frosting glaze. Might not sound like what you might choose for your birthday celebration (I usually picture a giant layered chocolate cake), but they are fun for after school treats and days when you want an easy treat, or not to actually have to bake something in the oven. But if it is something you want for your birthday treat, be my guest.
Telegraph Bars Recipe Adapted by Jasey's Crazy Daisy from Gackle Streeter School
*Note - If you are in a hurry or prefer to keep things simple, you can frost with your favorite chocolate frosting instead of making a homemade glaze.
Cookie Layer {For Jelly Roll Pan Size (10 1/2" x 15 1/2" x 1" deep)} 1 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons butter 1 1/4 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/4 cups crushed graham crackers whole graham crackers, enough to line the bottom and cover the top (all in all, about one box of graham crackers) Chocolate Glaze Topping 1 (12 oz.) pkg chocolate chips (about 2 cups) 1/2 butterscotch OR peanut butter chips, or just use chocolate if preferred 10 Tablespoons butter
Line jelly roll pan with whole graham crackers. You may have to break them into pieces around one edge. Set aside. Melt the brown sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla together in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add crushed graham crackers, continuing to cook and stir until mixed thoroughly and thickened. Pour over graham crackers and spread evenly. Top with graham crackers. Melt 2 1/2 cups of chips with 10 Tablespoons of butter by placing it in the microwave for 20 second intervals, stirring in between each. When smooth and creamy, pour over the top graham crackers. Pour from side to side, while you move down the bars to help in spreading the chocolate mixture evenly. Use the back of a spoon or a knife to finish spreading chocolate topping. Place in refrigerator until set. Cut into bars. Keep in refrigerator. Enjoy!
Do you have a favorite treat from your childhood? How far would you go to track down a special recipe?

Double Stuff Brownies {Cousins To The Oreo}

2013-05-06T04:00:00.000-06:00

My family is crazy about Oreo cookies, not only my kids and husband, but cousins, aunts, and uncles. I don't know about you, but my favorites are the Double Stuf and Cool Mint ones ~now those are heaven. The cream is actually my favorite part, unless I have a cold tall glass of milk to dunk them in. Honestly, without a glass of milk I really don't care for them that much. I may be crazy, but something magical happens when you dunk an Oreo cookie into a tall glass of cold milk. Are you a dunker or do you like them straight up? I know they are my hubby's favorite midnight snack. He's been know to indulge in some Oreo action once everyone else has gone to sleep. I buy the ones covered in White Fudge for him sometimes as a special treat. We all have those moments. The ones where we sneak in a little of our favorite treat hoping to go unnoticed and therefore un-shared... maybe in the pantry, maybe in the closet, or even behind the unsuspecting bathroom door. By now, most of you know that I have a weakness for brownies. And these babies are no exception! They are kin to Oreos, like a cousin maybe. They start with a fudgy layer of brownies that have chunks of mini Oreos baked right inside of them. Then they are topped with a layer of Oreo cream frosting, enough to be considered doubly stuffed, for sure. And if that weren't enough, next comes a smooth rich and creamy chocolate glaze. Double the cream, double, or even triple the chocolate (if you count the Oreos hidden inside the brownies), and therefore we have Double Stuff Oreo Brownies. Cookies and cream heaven! I'm not claiming they taste just like Oreos, because they aren't supposed to. They are better. Definitely reminiscent of their cookie cousin and completely dunkable, but able to stand alone, too. They are ridiculously insanely delicious. We're talking serious yum!

Double Stuff Brownies {Cousins With The Cookie We All Know And Love As Oreos} *Recipe by Jasey's Crazy Daisy
Brownie Layer 1 box of brownie mix, I prefer Betty Crocker's Dark Chocolate
Ingredients called for in directions on back of box
1/4 cup hot fudge ice cream topping 1 1/2 cups mini Oreos Oreo Cream Layer {adapted from Cookies & Cups}

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

3 cups powdered sugar

4 1/2 Tablespoons hot water

Chocolate Glaze 2 cups semisweet or milk chocolate chips, your preferance 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) butter
*Note - I like to line my baking dish with foil, leaving an inch or two overhang so I can pull the brownies out of the dish before cutting them. You can totally skip this step, but the brownies aren't quite as easy to get out of the pan.
Directions

Prepare brownie batter according to package directions, adding 1/4 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, unheated and straight from the jar using a mixer. Just before you are finished mixing the brownies, add the cookies and give them a few turns with the mixer to break them up a little. You don't to crush them to crumbs, just to chop them into a few pieces. (If you would rather, you could cut the mini Oreos into half by hand and stir them in). Make sure to follow the high altitude directions if you live at high altitude. Cool completely. When I'm in a hurry I pop them in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

While cooling, prepare Oreo cream layer. Mix shortening, vanilla, granulated sugar, powered sugar, and water in a mixer for two minutes. Spread over cooled brownies. Since I wanted this to be like Oreo cream, this filling is on the thicker side. It is easiest to spread if you drop it by the spoonfuls evenly over across the top of the brownies, spreading these spots together. If you can always add 1/2 Tablespoon of hot water to the mixture if you want it a little thinner. Place in freezer for another 15 minutes to prepare the cream layer for the glaze. You'll want it nice and cold so it is firm enough to withstand the warmth of the glaze as it spreads across the brownies.

Meanwhile prepare chocolate glaze. Place chocolate chips and butter in a microwavable bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between intervals, until mixture is smooth and creamy. Let sit for a few minutes to cool down. It will thicken just a bit. Pour over chilled brownies moving back and forth as you move across the pan to evenly spread the mixture. Use a spatula to finish spreading the glaze over the brownies. Place in fridge to help chocolate set. You don't want them too firm that they are difficult to melt, so if you leave them in too long, just set them out for a bit before cutting them. Cut into bars and enjoy!

If I was your mom, I would totally dig these for Mother's Day. Just saying...

If you like brownies, click here to check out my other brownie creations.

Grilled Shrimp with Avocado Butter and 200 Easy Mexican Recipe Cookbook Giveaway

2013-05-01T04:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Cinco De Mayo ~ well in a couple of days! But since it's almost here, I thought we'd begin our celebration with an easy Mexican recipe. Honestly, they had me at Avocado Butter!!! However, I love grilled shrimp, so I couldn't really go wrong. I'd love to grill a batch of these shrimp and serve them just as pictured, with a bucket of ice cold beer (at least for my husband, since I really don't like beer) and of course chips and salsa! Don't forget the chips and salsa! When we have dinner at any Mexican restaurant, they are my favorite part of the meal ~ the icing on the cake if you will. That might change once I taste this Avocado Butter though. I might have to trade my salsa for Avocado Butter! Which brings us to this fabulous cookbook.

I love this book because not only is it filled with easy recipes, for the most part it uses fresh ingredients. And by real I mean minimally processed without lots of things I can hardly pronounce. But it also gives suggestions for how to use quick ingredients, like prepared enchilada sauce, instead of making your own, if quick and easy is what you need. And we all have those times! I love the versatility this brings to the recipes. The other thing I love about this cookbooks is that it deconstructs, if you will, most of my favorite Mexican recipes. This means you have recipes for all the basics: tortillas, sopapillas, fillings, sauces, and salsas, and shows you how to put them back together into your favorite combinations. There are endless combinations for tacos, tamales, burritos, chimichangas, flautas, tostadas, enchiladas.... I think you get the point. There are even dessert recipes, like the Sopapillas de Fruit, my goodness, they look like heaven! So now you know how difficult it was to choose which recipe to share with you. I know my husband would have picked the Carne Asada, or Beef Fajitas, but like I said before, that darn Avocado Butter sealed the deal for me.

Grilled Shrimp with Avocado Butter, page 161

Makes 4 servings

Lightly marinated shrimp are simple but amazingly flavorful. Rich avocado butter adds a balance in texture and taste.

Tip: I like using a blend of spices to shorten my ingredient list. Creole seasoning has a combination of onion, garlic, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt and pepper. There are many good blends on the market, so you can find a favorite.

· Barbecue grill

· Food processor

· Four 10- to 12-inch (25 to 30 cm) flat metal skewers

Avocado Butter

3 avocados, cut in quarters or into chunks 3

2 clove garlic, minced 2

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 30 mL

2 tbsp olive oil 30 mL

Kosher or sea salt

Juice of 2 limes (about 1⁄4 cup/60 mL)

1 clove garlic, minced 1

1 tbsp Creole seasoning (see Tip, left) 15 mL

1⁄2 tsp cayenne pepper 2 mL

2 tbsp olive oil 30 mL

16 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined 16

1. Avocado Butter: In a food processor, combine avocados, garlic, lime juice and olive oil and process until smooth. Add salt to taste. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or for up to 2 hours.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk lime juice, garlic, Creole seasoning, cayenne and oil until well blended. Add shrimp and toss gently. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 2 hours.

3. Meanwhile, preheat barbecue grill to medium-high.

4. Remove shrimp from marinade and discard marinade. Thread 4 shrimp on each skewer.

5. Grill shrimp, turning once, until shrimp are pink and opaque, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter. Gently remove from skewers and serve with Avocado Butter.

Would you like to win a copy for yourself? We're trying something new this week. Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter this giveaway. a Rafflecopter giveaway This giveaway opens immediately (US and Canada only, please) and closes at 12:00 AM on May 9th. Winner will be announced here, and contacted by email and has 48 hours to claim their prize by responding with their mailing information or another winner will be drawn. Good luck:)! If you want to forgo this whole giveaway and purchase the cookbook for yourself, click here. Do you remember the 150 Best Desserts in a Jar, cookbook giveaway?
Congratulations to

Christina DApril 17, 2013 at 6:45 AM

I love using jars to decorate for the seasons and holidays...filling them with colorful beads,flowers, ribbons, and such. Now for desserts...yummy idea!

Congratulations, Christina! Enjoy your new book!

*Disclaimer, I received no monetary compensation for this giveaway. I did receive a cookbook for review, and all opinions remain my own. The link for purchase, does include an affiliate link.

Cinnamon Bear Chocolate Bark {Just like chocolate covered cinnamon bears, only better!}

2013-04-29T04:00:00.000-06:00

This spring has kind of been a bit crazy. If you've been a reader for awhile, you may know that my family went through a crazy ordeal last year. I sort of dropped off the face of the earth, or out of the bloggy world and have just recently been back at it. If you hung in there with me through it all, thank you. I haven't said much, and won't drag you through the details, but I ended up in the hospital {three hours away from my family} for nearly two months due to complications with a high risk pregnancy. Some of that time I was there before the baby was born, as she required constant monitoring, and some of the time after she was born recovering from my surgery and with her in NBICU, working hard to get her strong enough to come home. The last few weeks have been strange because there are dates, holidays, and events that connect with memories from the hospital and I find I am flooded with emotions as I relive parts of the experience. I think while it was all happening, I was in survival mode and didn't dare to think too much about what might have happened. And it could have been tragic. Now as things calm down and I reflect on the situation, the seriousness, and extreme risk I was facing, is right there in my face. I will forever be grateful to my husband, mom and dad, boys, and extended family for all that they did to keep my family together. I will never forget the team of medical professionals at the University of Utah Hospital, Women's Special Care Unit, for the care I received and also for everyone in the NBICU, who took care of my little girl. She's just turned one and I hope they all know how much their care means to us! I think of my doctors and nurses all the time, wondering how they all are and wishing them the best. I also think of my little girl's doctors and nurses, especially her primary nurses, Rebecca, Terri, Stephanie, Jane, Heather, and Denise. I wish they could see her now, and know how far she has come. While she is still tiny (14 1/2 pounds at 11 months), her spirit is fierce and she is happy. I think somehow she already knows that life is a gift and she is simply happy to be alive. We count our blessings everyday and will honestly never ever take a single moment with any of my children for granted. It's been an entire year. We made it. My family survived! Now it's time to party!!! Cinnamon Bear Chocolate Bark is the perfect treat to celebrate with! It's kind of a tribute to those who took care of us. One of our daughter's nurses, (hi, Terri!) loves chocolate covered cinnamon bears. Although it was an incredibly stressful and difficult journey, we made it with the support of those around us. This included our nurses and sharing bits and pieces of our lives along the way. Of course some of the details were on the serious side, but there were lighter moments as well. And this Cinnamon Bear Chocolate Bark is inspired from some of those moments. I created this treat as a tribute to Terri, and each and every other person who helped us along the way. From the doctors, surgeons, and nurses, to the people who took care of my meals, washed my laundry, and cleaned my hospital room. I wish I could hand deliver some treats to the hospital, but for now, this post, and my gratitude will have to do. Hopefully you were not only able to take something away from my story but will enjoy this treat too. I mean, who could resist those cute little bears swimming in their yummy pool of chocolate?
Cinnamon Bear Chocolate Bark *Recipe by Jasey's Crazy Daisy
2 (12 oz). pkg high quality chocolate chips, like Guittard's extra dark chocolate, semisweet, or milk chocolate 1 1/2 - 2 cups cinnamon bears
*Note - I would cut the 13-15 bears spread inside the bark in half. This would make it easier to break the bark into pieces once finished.
Melt chocolate as directed on package. Pour just enough chocolate over waxed paper to thinly coat the bottom, moving side to side across the pan. Spread with spatula. Set 13-15 bears on top of the chocolate evenly spaced. Pour the rest of the chocolate to cover bears, again moving side to side across the pan. Use a spatula to help spread the chocolate evenly over the bears, being careful not to move the bears too much. You don't want them to end up bunched all together. Gently press the rest of the bears into the chocolate. Spread them so they are evenly spaced all over the top of the chocolate. Place in fridge to set. Once set, break bark into pieces. I find that smaller pieces work best because large chunks could get soft and messy before you have a chance to finish them, depending on the type of chocolate you use. Enjoy!

PS - If this post makes it back to the University of Utah Hospital, I would love to keep in touch with you all. You can find me on Facebook and/or email me. And thanks again, without you my family would have been lost.

Six Teacher Appreciation Printable Gift Ideas

2013-04-24T04:00:00.000-06:00

Teacher's Appreciation week begins Monday, May 6! It's just around the corner so I rounded up a few ideas just in case you were looking for some simply fun ways to let those teachers know just how much you love them!

Thank You Beary Much

This Year Has Been A Latte Fun

Teacher, You're Dynamite

Thanks a Latte

Teacher, You're the Berry Best

Thanks for Helping Me Learn and Grow

Team Spirit Printables for Team Moms {Bring Some Cheer to Your Team Snacks, Sidelines, and Treat Bags}

2013-04-22T04:00:00.001-06:00

Spring has arrived and with it a new wave of activities for the kids. For my family it's soccer, but I know others have baseball, track, swimming, and many other events they partake in. We love keeping our kids physically active and value the social skills and hopefully the confidence they build with belonging to a team. As both a mom, and a coach, I am always looking for fun ways to build team spirit and model sportsmanship. Which is why I created this set of printables. I wanted to have an easy way to add a little cheer to our sidelines, and bring some pep to team treats. I have included two sets of printables. The first set is a little bit larger and is intended to be attached to craft sticks and used as signs for eager parents, grandparents, and siblings to rally together and cheer with.

I really hope they help set the tone by bringing positive energy to the event. I love it when participants get involved with the game, as long as they are encouraging. No one needs or wants to hear negative smack talk. It's draining and does nothing for the players or coaches. These tags are also great slipped into clear party treat bags, like the ones you can purchase in Walmart's party section, and filled with goodies to celebrate the end of your season or that big game!

The second set of tags is smaller and when punched with a 2-in scalloped punch makes dressing up game time snacks and treats a snap! Tie them around the neck of little water bottles, squeezable apple sauces, drinkable yogurts, granola bars, or cracker packages. They're a great way to let the team know you are cheering for them! While it's important to teach our kids to fuel up with healthy snacks, there are times to indulge a little.

You may want to bring an extra special treat for the "big game" or to celebrate the end of a season with. For those occasions, these mini-tags can be used as cupcake toppers. Just print them on tag board, attach them to toothpicks, and stick them into the frosting. Super fun! And what's more, if you don't have the time or desire to make your own cupcakes. Just ask your local grocery store bakery for some frosted cupcakes without any decorations other than maybe some sprinkles. It doesn't get much easier than that! Go Team Mom! I'd love for you to download these printables for your personal use. Would you please leave a comment below letting me know how you plan to use them? I'd love hearing your ideas, and knowing they are being used.

Team Spirit Printable {Sideline Cheer Sign and Treat Bag Tag by Jasey McBurnett (Jasey's Crazy Daisy)

Mini Go Team Printable {Cupcake Topper and Snack Tag} by Jasey McBurnett (Jasey's Crazy Daisy)

Pink Chantilly with Cranberries { and 150 Best Desserts in a Jar Cookbook Giveaway}

2013-04-17T04:00:00.000-06:00

Jars are everywhere these days. We are seeing them in our homes and gardens, and on our tables. Although I have seen some amazing decor jar projects on Pinterest, I have to admit some of my favorite uses include the fabulous recipes that have been created or adapted for jars. They are super cute and have a way of adding that little touch that makes everyone feel extra loved. And once in a while I think everyone needs a little extra love. When I received this cookbook in the mail, I was crazy excited.

It's right on trend and filled with all sorts of delicious recipes that fit jars perfectly. I had a difficult time choosing which recipe to share with you. Filled with recipes like, Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Pudding, Warm Salted Caramel Pudding, Banana Cream Pie Crunch, Rhubarb Trifle, Baked Chocolate Mousse, Banana Split in a Jar, and Peach and Mango Parfait, it's easy to see why. There's truly something for every occasion. And it is just in time for all those Spring celebrations we are planning - graduations, first communions, birthdays, weddings, and showers. I think it would be fun to make two or three recipes and create a dessert bar. It would be cute to tie coordinating ribbon around each jar, brown ribbon for Raspberry Coconut Fool, and pink for Triple Chocolate Creme. Call me Martha. Back to our recipe, this Pink Chantilly with Cranberries looks delightful! There's a raspberry variation that sounds just as tempting!
Pink Chantilly with Cranberries, page 201

Filled with antioxidants and loaded with vitamin C, cranberries are very healthful. However, we hear so much about their health benefits that we sometimes forget how truly delicious they can be. This recipe is certainly the simplest and one of the most beautiful ways to serve cranberries.

Tips

Make sure to use real maple syrup. Maple-flavored and other table syrups contain a lot of granulated sugar or corn syrup and do not cook the same way. It’s worth every penny to get the real thing.

Make this recipe just before dinner for a quick and happy treat.

• Four 8-ounce (250 mL) tall jars

• Blender

• Fine-mesh sieve

• Electric mixer

1 1⁄2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen 375 mL

3 tbsp confectioner’s (icing) sugar 45 mL

2 cups frozen cranberries, thawed 500 mL

1⁄2 cup maple syrup (see Tips) 250 mL

11⁄2 cups heavy or whipping (35%) cream 375 mL

1 tbsp granulated sugar 15 mL

1 tsp vanilla extract 5 mL

1⁄2 cup cranberry juice 125 mL

Mint leaves

1. In blender, purée raspberries and confectioner’s sugar. Transfer to a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl and press mixture through. Discard seeds and set raspberry purée aside.

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook cranberries and maple syrup, stirring often, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

3. In a large bowl, using electric mixer at high speed, whip cream, granulated sugar and vanilla until soft peaks begin to form. Beating constantly, slowly add cranberry juice and half the raspberry purée.

4. Spoon remaining raspberry purée into jars, dividing equally. Top with whipped cream mixture, dividing equally. Refrigerate for up to 30 minutes.

5. When you’re ready to serve, remove jars from refrigerator and top with cooked cranberries. Using a long spoon, mix delicately. Garnish with mint leaves and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Would you like a copy of your own? I've got one copy to giveaway to one of you! Just a little thanks for hanging out around here with me!

To enter this giveaway all you have to do is leave a comment under this blog post (Facebook and email comments won't count) answering this question,
"What is your favorite way to use jars?"
This giveaway opens immediately (US and Canada only, please) and closes at noon on April 24, 2013. Winner will be randomly drawn and contacted by email (be sure to leave your email address) and has 48 hours to claim their prize by responding with their mailing information or another winner will be drawn. Good luck:)!
If you want to forgo this whole giveaway and purchase the cookbook for yourself, click here.

Do you remember the Super-Duper Cupcakes cookbook giveaway? The winner is

AnneApril 7, 2013 at 11:54 AM. who said,

"Great giveaway. I have made a name for myself as a cupcake girl, because I love making them for kids and parties."

*Disclaimer, I received no monetary compensation for this giveaway. I did receive a cookbook for review, and all opinions remain my own.

You're the "Berry" Best Teacher Appreciation Free Printable and Gift Idea {Also Perfect for Girlfriends, Crossing Guards, Coaches, Pretty Much Anyone}

2013-04-15T04:00:00.000-06:00

It's time to let those teacher's know how much you love them! Sometimes all it takes is a little something simple to let others know how much they are appreciated. I love turning fairly ordinary treats into something special just by adding a cute sentiment and a ribbon or two. They're my favorite kind of treats to give, mostly because they make it so easy to brighten someone else's day! Just in case you are looking to spread happiness to a girlfriend, coach, crossing guard, or anyone else, I have included a generic printable to fit pretty much anyone you would like. I also love these tags because they are so versatile ~ there is a berry version of just about everything! You can attach the tags directly to your candy package, or totally jazz things up! It would be fun to put together a gift bag with pancake mix and berry flavored syrup, fill a basket full of scones and berry jam, whip up some of these Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Strawberries, or even make one of these candy jars, only "berry" themed instead of "beary".

After you download the tags, print them onto tag board, punch them out, and attach to your berry themed gift! If you don't have a scalloped shape punch, just use a glass or something to trace a circle with and cut them with scissors.

I'd love for you to download and use these printables for your personal use. In exchange, would you please leave a comment below letting me know you did so or how you plan to use them? It would be great to hear that they are being used!

For other teacher appreciation ideas, click here.

Berry Best Teacher Printable by Jasey McBurnett (Jasey's Crazy Daisy)

You're the Berry Best Printable by Jasey McBurnett (Jasey's Crazy Daisy)

Red Licorice Chocolate Bark

2013-04-08T04:00:00.000-06:00

I bet you didn't know that April 12th, is National Licorice Day! Did you? I didn't either, until I Googled it hoping it was a true holiday so I had a fun reason to share this with you. Can you believe it is a real day!?! I think since it's almost here, this is the perfect recipe to share. It's kind of a crazy one, but I don't suppose that surprises anyone. And it is so fitting because I created this treat for my dad, who might just define crazy. He's just that sort of guy. He likes to eat HARD licorice. In fact, finding an old rock hard stash of licorice would totally make his day. And he loves to eat chocolate with his licorice. Switzers, is his all-time favorite licorice, but it is nearly impossible to find around here. Which brings us to a debate as old as time. Red Vines or Twizzlers? If he is eating soft licorice he prefers Red Vines but if it is hard it's a toss up between Red Vines and Twizzlers. I'm not sure what the science behind his reasoning is, something about being sweeter when soft?!? What's your favorite? Anywhoo, I created this treat way back in February as a Valentine's Day treat for him. I used the darkest chocolate I could find, to suit his tastes, again the whole sweetness thing bothers him, and Red Vines Bites because they are already cut into bite sized pieces and weren't completely hollow like the regular Red Vine Twists are. I thought they would work better, maybe stay chewier. I just couldn't wrap my mind around using the black pieces, but use what you think you would like. It was the perfect treat for him!
Red Licorice Chocolate Bark *Recipe by Jasey's Crazy Daisy
2 (12 oz) pkgs of high quality chocolate, like Guittard's extra dark chocolate, semisweet, or milk chocolate 2 cups licorice bites, or chopped licorice twists
Melt chocolate as directed on package. Pour just enough chocolate over waxed paper to thinly coat the bottom, moving side to side across the pan. Spread with spatula. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup licorice on top of the chocolate keeping them evenly spaced. Pour the rest of the chocolate to cover licorice, again moving side to side across the pan. Use a spatula to help spread the chocolate evenly, being careful not to move the licorice too much. You don't want them to end up bunched all together. Gently press the rest of the licorice into the top of the chocolate spreading them so they are evenly spaced all over the top. Place in fridge to set. Once set break bark into pieces. Depending on the type of chocolate that you use you may find that smaller pieces work best because large chunks get soft and messy before you have a chance to finish them. I didn't have too much problems with this bark, but when I use sweeter chocolate, I've noticed it does tend be a little softer. Yum!

Butterfly Beauty Cupcakes: Using Candy to Create Darling Butterflies on Your Cupcakes {and Super-Duper Cupcakes Cookbook Giveaway}

2013-04-03T04:00:00.000-06:00

***Giveaway Closed***

While I love the sunshine and hope that Spring brings, craziness follows close behind. With Spring comes graduation celebrations, bridal showers, weddings, soccer, several birthdays, and our son's first communion this year. I love festive celebrations accompanied with great food. When time's scarce, I look for simple no fuss yet fabulous options. My favorite options are those that are easy for the kids to help with, which is why I really like this book! It is filled with fabulous ideas for making cupcakes (scratch, from a mix, or even store bought) over-the-top cute, that will look as great as they taste. It's full of cake and frosting recipes and decorating techniques simple enough the kiddos can help, that won't break the bank, and don't require any sleep deprivation. I'm in. All in. What about you? Would you like to see one of my favorites?

Butterfly Beauty

Have a beautiful butterfly flutter onto your cupcake.

You need:

Cupcakes

Green frosting

2 candy slices, one yellow and one pink

Black licorice string

1 tiny jelly candy

2 fruit-shaped candies

Spoon

Knife

Scissors

Instructions

1. Frost the cupcake with the green frosting:

• Drop a spoonful on top of a cupcake.

• Use a knife to spread the frosting to the edges of the cupcake.

2. Cut the yellow and pink slices in half with scissors. Cut two short
pieces of black licorice string.

3. Place the yellow slices on top of cupcake in the center to form
the butterfly’s lower wings.

4. Place the jelly candy and the fruit-shaped candies between the wings to form the butterfly’s body. Place pink slices to the sides of them to make the other set of wings. Place the two pieces of black licorice on top of the body as antennae. Try this with different colored candies—you can’t go wrong.

Isn't that darling? I can just picture these sweet cupcakes at one of my daughter's parties. I also think they would be fun to take to my son's preschool to celebrate spring with, they just learned about butterflies and their life cycle! And yeps, I've got one copy up for grabs for one of you!
To enter this giveaway all you have to do is leave a comment under this blog post (Facebook and email comments won't count) answering this question,
"When planning a party, what is your favorite crunch-time tip?"
This giveaway opens immediately and closes at noon on April 10, 2013. Winner will be randomly drawn and contacted by email (be sure to leave your email address) and has 48 hours to claim their prize by responding with their mailing information or another winner will be drawn. Good luck:)!
If you want to forgo this whole giveaway and purchase the cookbook for yourself, click here.
Do you remember the Crazy About Pies, cookbook giveaway? Congratulations to

April @ PolkaDots n' PinkySwearsMarch 21, 2013 at 2:38 PM, who said

"I love a good sweet potato pie!"

*Disclaimer, I received no monetary compensation for this giveaway. I did receive a cookbook for review, and all opinions remain my own.

Buffalo Chicken Lasagna

2013-04-01T04:00:00.000-06:00

My family loves all things Buffalo Chicken. I have seen chicken wing pasta recipes out there, but they bugged me. Carrots?! Tomato Sauce!? Peppers?! All tasty, but not with buffalo chicken, not so much. I couldn't even bring myself to add celery into the mix, although I did serve it on the side. Blue cheese.... well most people I know either love it or hate it. I love a good blue cheese salad dressing, but melted in my lasagna, I just didn't know about that. So I served it on the side as well, those who like it were free to sprinkle some on, those who don't just ate it as is. If your family loves blue cheese, you could sprinkle it over the top of your lasagna before baking it. I might try this on half of mine next time, but everyone loved it just as it is so I'm hesitant to change it too much. I'm told it was addictive. If you decide to give it a go with blue cheese, I'd love to hear how it turned out.
Buffalo Chicken Lasagna *Recipe By Jasey's Crazy Daisy
8 cups shredded baked chicken, about 5 good sized breasts. 9 lasagna noodles 1 (8 oz) brick cream cheese (1/3 fat) 3/4 cup Frank's Buffalo Wing Sauce 1 cup ranch dressing 2 cups pepper jack 2 cups Colby Jack 2 cups Monterey Jack
*Note ~ I season 5-6 chicken breasts with salt and pepper and bake them, preparing the noodles and sauce while my chicken bakes. In a pinch you could use rotisserie chicken from the deli, or any left over chicken you may have.
Prepare lasagna noodles as directed. Make sure to keep them on the al dente side so they don't become too soft and mushy after baked. Drain and rinse well with cold water to help keep them from sticking together. Meanwhile, whisk cream cheese, wing sauce, and ranch dressing together in a saucepan over low heat until smooth and creamy. Give it a good stir every few minutes. While waiting for the sauce to come together do some prep work: preheat oven to 350 degrees, spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray, place shredded chicken in a large bowl, and combine pepper jack, Colby jack, and Monterey jack cheeses together in a large ziplock bag. When your sauce is smooth and creamy pour over chicken and mix until well coated. Place three lasagna noodles side by side in the bottom of your 9x13-inch pan. Spread half of the chicken mixture over the top. Sprinkle about 1/3 of cheese mixture (about 2 cups) on top of chicken. Repeat: noodles, chicken, cheese, noodles, cheese. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes. Take foil off and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until bubbly and starting to brown. Remove from oven and let rest for a minute or two before cutting into squares and serving. Enjoy!

Scotch Shortbread (Grandpa's Favorite}

2013-03-25T04:00:00.000-06:00

Of all the blessings in my life, my grandparents are among the biggest. They have always been my biggest fans, believing in me with unfailing confidence and knowing that I can achieve what ever it is that I dare to dream of. What a different world we would live in if we all had that kind of support. Faith, love, determination, ambition, and generosity are among the qualities they have modeled and passed down through the years. Today, we celebrate my grandfather's birthday. 92 years, now that's a lot of love. In all the years I can remember, I don't recall ever hearing him speak badly about anyone. That's just the kind of man he is. We live in a small town where mostly everyone knows everyone, and we've been here for generations (my kids are the fifth). Which is pretty amazing when I stop to think about it. Anyways, people always ask about him when we are out running errands and often express their admiration for his kindness and generosity. He is a man who has always lead by example. He's brought so much joy to those around him and we always celebrate his day with his favorites: chicken and dumplings, plain orange Jello, and his all time favorite coconut cake - served with a mountain of whipped cream. While trying to figure out the perfect gift, I remembered a conversation that I once had with him. He was telling me about the time he spent overseas during the war.

That's Grandpa, on the left. @jaseyscrazydaisy.com

He said, "... which is where I first had my very favorite cookies, Scotch Shortbread. And if anybody could make them, it would be you," again with that confidence. I often think if I was ever in trouble, I would be lucky to have him in my corner. He would move mountains for me if necessary. This confidence and his love for sweet things, especially these cookies, is how my quest for the perfect Scotch Shortbread came to light. I have read many recipes, some use granulated sugar, some powdered sugar, and some use a mixture. The butter to flour ratio differs from recipe to recipe, as does the vanilla extract. Even the types of butter, salted versus unsalted varies. I don't know if I can really claim any one reference for this recipe, as it resulted trial and error, however, I can send you to Williams-Sonoma, for the method I prefer to use. A lot of shortbread cookie recipes call for cutting cold cubed butter into a flour and sugar mixture using a party blender, but I prefer this method the best. I think it is a pretty darn good recipe, and my tasters seem to all agree. Come back and let me know what you think.

Scotch Shortbread

*By Jasey's Crazy Daisy, method from Williams-Sonoma

4 sticks butter, softened

3/4 cups granulated sugar, plus 1 Tablespoon more for sprinkling

1/4 cup powdered sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 3/4 cups flour

*Note - Sometimes I substitute one teaspoon of almond extract for one teaspoon of the vanilla extract to change things up. Either way is good, it just depends on what I'm in the mood for.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on high speed until fluffy and pale yellow. Add the 3/4 cup granulated sugar and the powdered sugar and continue beating until the mixture is no longer gritty when rubbed between your thumb and finger. Scrape down the sides of the bowl at least once during creaming to blend the ingredients evenly. Beat in the vanilla.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed or stir with a wooden spoon just until blended.

Using floured fingertips, press the dough evenly into an ungreased small jelly roll pan. Sprinkle evenly with the 1 Tbs. granulated sugar.

Bake the shortbread until the edges are golden, about 25-30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately use a thin, sharp knife to cut the shortbread into strips 3 inches by 1 inch. Use a toothpick or the tines of a fork to decorate the shortbread with a pattern of dots. Let the strips cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes before transferring them to the rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

What are your favorite treats to give as gifts?

Buttermilk Pie with Peach Sauce {& Crazy About Pies Cookbook Giveaway}

2013-03-20T04:00:00.000-06:00

**Giveaway Closed**

When I was in high school, I remember sitting in a booth at Village Inn, with some close friends, and a slice of pie. Yum. At Christmas time I loved the Candy Cane Pie and in the summertime I'm pretty sure I loved anything berry. Those are wonderful memories full of friendship and laughter. My grandfather says, "As long as the companies good, you can't go wrong." I'm pretty sure he's right, but it sure helps when the food's good too, especially the dessert. And because I have always loved pie, you can imagine how excited I was when I found this cookbook in my mailbox. It's a beautiful cookbook, kind of a superstar when it comes to all things pie. There are tips and tricks for making the perfect fillings, crusts, and toppings, a pie maker's toolkit, and over 150 recipes of all kinds. Seriously, there is a pie recipe perfect for about any occasion you can think of. Everything from sweet to savory, traditional to exotic, New Years through Christmas, and for all hours of the day. Not only does this book include recipes for your classic fruit and custard pies, it has recipes for deconstructed pies, blueberry ravioli pies, mini tarts and individual pie bars, and breakfast hand pies. The only problem I have had with this book is choosing which recipe to share with you. I couldn't decide between the Banana Cream Pie with Candied Walnuts, Rhubarb Pie with Graham-Flour Crust, Salted Caramel Ice Cream Pie, Roasted Sweet Potato Marshmallow Pie, or the Chicken Empanadas with Yogurt Kiwi Dipping Sauce (those Blueberry Raviolis are pretty tempting too.) Every time I open the darn thing, I find another pie I think I just have to make. I was all geared up to share the German Chocolate Pie until I came across Buttermilk Pie with Peach Sauce. Peach Sauce?!?! That's some serious yum we're talking about. So Buttermilk Pie with Peach Sauce it is. If these recipes tempt you as much as they do me, you can purchase your own copy by clicking here, that is if you don't win one for yourself (keep reading).
Buttermilk Pie with Peach Sauce Reprinted with permission from Crazy About Pies © 2013 by Krystina Castella, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

makes one 9-inch single crust pie
Buttermilk Pie is right up there with pecan, sweet potato, and Key Lime as favorite flavors in the canon of Southern Hospitality pies. If you aren't familiar with buttermilk pie, you can think of its sugary top and creamy custard as resembling a large creme brulee. Serve it on its own or with peach sauce on the side.
Crust Small Batch Butter Crust (see below) 1 egg white, lightly beaten Buttermilk Pie Filling 3 large eggs 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups buttermilk 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon grated orange zest 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 Tablespoons confectioners' sugar Peach Sauce 3/4 cup water 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon ginger 3 large fresh peaches, peeled, sliced, and cubed (about 2 cups)
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch pie pan. 2. Roll out the pastry disk on a floured surface into a circle about 1/8 inch think and 12 inches in diameter. Drape the dough over the pie pan, allowing the excess to hang over the rim. Press the dough into the bottom edges, and trim the excess to a 1/4-inch overhang. Fold the overhang over the rim and decoratively crimp the edge. Prick the bottom with a fork. Top the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Blind-bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust is partially baked. Remove the paper and weights and brush the crust with egg white. 3. To make the filling, combine the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light. Add the flour, buttermilk, butter, vanilla, orange zest, and salt, and beat until blended. Pour the filling in to the crust. 4. Set the pan into the water bath and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes, or until the filling is puffy in the center. Do not worry if the filling cracks or shrinks a bit. Remove water bath and pie from oven and cool on a rack for 2 hours. When ready to serve, sprinkle the top with confectioners' sugar, then slice and put on serving plates. 5. To make the sauce, bring the water, sugar, and cornstarch, and ginger to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the peaches and boil for two minutes. Cool slightly, then spoon some of the sauce over or alongside each slice on the plate.
Basic Butter Crust 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar Pinch salt 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes (1 stick) 3 Tablespoons cold water
1. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. 2. Using a pastry blender, or your fingertips, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the water a little at a time, tossing with a fork until the dough sticks together. If necessary add more water a little at a time. 3. Pat the dough into one or more flattened disks (whatever is called for in the recipe), wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for thirty minutes before proceeding as directed in the recipe.
Anyway it's sliced, this pie is bound to be de-lish. And it gets better! I have a copy of this cookbook up for grabs for one of you!
To enter this giveaway all you have to do is leave a comment under this blog post (Facebook and email comments won't count) answering this question,
"What is your very favorite kind of pie?"
This giveaway opens immediately and closes at noon on March 27, 2013. Winner will be randomly drawn and contacted by email (be sure to leave your email address) and has 48 hours to claim their prize by responding with their mailing information or another winner will be drawn. Good luck:)!
If you want to forgo this whole giveaway and purchase the cookbook for yourself, click here.
*Disclaimer, I received no monetary compensation for this giveaway. I did receive a cookbook for review, and all opinions remain my own.

Tagalong Brownie Cookie Bars {Tagalong Brookies}

2013-03-18T04:00:00.000-06:00

Peanut butter and chocolate. And brownies. And Girl Scout Cookies. What do all these have in common? Classics. They are all classics. They belong together. Like peanut butter and jelly, only chocolate. Right? They were made to be together. Simply fabulous. Do they taste just like a Tagalong cookie? Nope. And I never claimed that they did. What do you get when you cross a cookie with a brownie? A Brookie! That's where they are different. I never met a Girl Scout who sold brownies and these cookies are part brownie. Maybe that's what I should have called them, Brownie Stuffed Tagalong Bars. Or Tagalong Brookies. What about Chocolate Peanut Butter Brookies. Any way you slice it, they sound pretty good. Don't you think?

Tagalong Brownie Cookie Bars *Recipe By Jasey's Crazy Daisy
Shortbread Cookie Crust Layer 1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 powdered sugar 2 sticks butter Brownie Layer 1 box of brownie mix, I prefer Betty Crocker's Dark Chocolate
Ingredients called for in directions on back of box
1/4 cup hot fudge ice cream topping Peanut Butter Layer {Look familiar? It's one of my favorite frosting recipes.}

2 sticks butter, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (don't use the natural kinds that you have to stir, or the old-fashioned brands)

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate Glaze 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) butter
*Note - I like to line my baking dish with foil, leaving an inch or two overhang so I can pull the brownies out of the dish before cutting them. You can totally skip this step, but the brownies aren't quite as easy to get out of the pan.
Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all crust ingredients and mix with mixer until coarse pea-sized lumps form. Press evenly over the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, prepare brownie batter according to package directions, adding 1/4 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, unheated and straight from the jar. Make sure to follow the high altitude directions if you live at high altitude. Pour over shortbread crust and bake as directed, until a toothpick comes out nearly clean with only a few crumbs remaining. Cool completely. When I'm in a hurry I pop them in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

While cooling, prepare peanut butter layer. Beat butter and peanut butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and beat until mostly moistened. Scrape bowl and beat at medium-low until fully combined. Add vanilla and beat at medium until fully incorporated. Increase speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, scraping bowl occasionally. Spread over chilled brownies. Place in freezer for another 15 minutes to prepare the peanut butter layer for the glaze. You'll want it nice and cold so it is firm enough to withstand the warmth of the glaze as it spreads across the brownies.

If you like brownies, click here to check out my other brownie creations, some of them are "brookies."

Lucky Leprechaun Magic Rainbow Seeds {St. Patrick's Day Printable Treat Bag Toppers}

2013-03-11T04:00:00.000-06:00

Hello friends, I'm sure you know that leprechauns store their pots of gold at the end of rainbows. Everyone knows that, but what most people don't know is that leprechauns actually grow rainbows. Which is why they are such wonderful hiding places. Do you know of anyone who has ever found a pot of leprechaun gold? Exactly! That's because leprechauns are the only creatures that truly understand how rainbows work. Their special seeds bring us one step closer to unlocking the magical mystery behind those colorful arches. When a leprechaun has a pot of gold to hide, he simply waits for the very first drops of a new rain, spreads the seeds over fertile ground, and sprinkles them with a pinch of fairy dust. At that precise moment, the magic is just right and a rainbow springs from the ground. To hide his pot of gold all he has to do is simply slide over the rainbow and leave his pot safely at the other side. While we may not be able to grow rainbows, part of these seeds' charm is that they taste delicious - magically. So while we may not know when the first drops of a new rain hit the ground, and most of us don't have any pixie dust, we all love a good treat. Unless we plan on capturing a leprechaun {more on leprechaun traps here} and tricking him into making a rainbow for us, we might as well enjoy these magic seeds. It will probably be the closest we ever get to touching a rainbow or its pot of gold.

Lucky Leprechaun Magic Rainbow Seeds
*by Jasey's Crazy Daisy

These are really fun because you can use just about anything to fill them with. Lucky Charms would be fun to leave on the table for a breakfast treat in a sandwich sized bag, or you could use the snack size bags and fill them with Skittles, M&M's, jelly beans, mini fruit flavored marshmallows, or even candy coated sunflower kernels. There are so many rainbow colored candies (Gobstoppers, Dots...) and cereals (Trix, Froot Loops...) out there you are bound to find something perfect for your tastes! If you have other ideas, I'd love for you to tell us about them in the comments.

To assemble treat bags:
Fill treat bags with your favorite rainbow colored yummies. Download treat bag toppers. Print on white tag board. Cut toppers out. Fold in half and use double sided tape or a staple to attach them to sandwich or treat size ziplock bags. Share with friends. Enjoy!

I didn't get any pictures of the back of the toppers, but if you look below, you can see that it gives a quick explanation of what exactly Lucky Leprechaun's Magic Rainbow Seeds are all about.

Lucky Leprechaun Seeds Treat Bag Topper Printable by Jasey McBurnett (Jasey's Crazy Daisy)

What will you use for your rainbow seeds?

Key Lime Pie Rice Krispie Treats

2013-03-08T09:34:00.001-07:00

Since we are all anxiously waiting for spring to arrive, I thought I would share a fun new treat. If you like Key Lime Pie, I think you are going to love these treats! They are mildly sweet, tart and tangy, and chewy just like all rice krispie treats should be. Did I mention they are drizzled with white chocolate and sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs? Total yum! And they are green so if you are looking for something fun to make for Saint Patrick's Day, this may just be the recipe for you.
Key Lime Pie Rice Krispie Treats *Recipe By Jasey's Crazy Daisy
6 cups rice krispie cereal 6 Tablespoons butter 2 (10 oz) bags Key Lime Marshmallows, you can find them at Wal-Mart zest of 2 limes 1/2 cup white chocolate chips 1- graham cracker, crushed
Note ~ I use 6 cups cereal to make sure they are extra soft and chewy. Depending on your preference, you may decide to add up to 1 extra cup of cereal. I would mix everything together and decide from there.
Spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray. Measure 6 cups of rice krispies and set aside. In a large microwave bowl, melt butter, marshmallows, and lime zest together in the microwave. Microwave for 90 seconds, stir, and repeat until mixture is smooth. Add krispies to marshmallow mixture and gently stir until evenly coated. Press mixture into prepared pan. Place white chocolate chips in a ziplock baggie. Place in microwave for 20 seconds. Take out and knead to mix. Repeat until chocolate is melted. Cut off a small piece of the corner of the bag and drizzle over bars with. Sprinkle with crushed graham crackers. I usually place them in the fridge to hurry the process (but if you leave them too long, you will have to let them sit out to soften before cutting). Once chocolate has set, cut into bars and enjoy.

Leprechaun Traps ~ Carnival Edition {With a Free Printable}

2013-03-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

If you haven't started planning your leprechaun trap yet, you'd better get started! It's almost time to catch those leprechauns!!!! My oldest son just finished his. He did an awesome job designing it. He decided to go with the classic box and bait trap, but cleverly disguised it as a Leprechaun Carnival. Totally fun! He created a "Hit the Bulls-eye" game and placed the bulls-eye perfectly so that when one of those sneaky little green men hit it, the ball knocks the Lego support down and GOTCHA, the cage falls and traps him. He didn't forget the bait either, green Mike & Ikes and Sugar Babies, green, gold, and sweet, which make them perfect for attracting leprechauns. If you aren't sure how to design your own trap, we've talked about it before, but don't mind helping you out with the tricks we have learned through our trapping experience. Here's what we know:
First - Leprechauns love GREEN! In order to lure them to your trap, you must use green. It reminds them of the rolling green hills from their Ireland home that is so far away!

Second - Leprechauns are pretty CLEVER, so you have to be tricky. We like to hang signs that say things like, "Leprechauns Welcome" or "This is not a trap!" You can download them here if you would like to use them. We have even tried to make ours look like a little Leprechaun home.

Third - Just like any magical creature, leprechauns love sweets. So leave a treat of some kind. We like to leave a little crumb of bread with honey. Really anything sweet works, but you know how much the little green men like gold things, so honey seems to be a good choice.

Fourth - you must make your trap. There is something about a trap from the store that tips them off. They seem to smell those traps from miles away. They won't even get close. And every trap has to be different or else they get suspicious! Anything you make works though! Try Legos, shoe boxes, oatmeal cartons, nets... anything! How will you trap yours?

Fifth - BAIT! You have to leave bait. What do you use for bait? Why GOLD, of course! Again, anything seems to work. The shinier the better! We have tried pennies, gold ribbon, sprinkles, honey, confetti... be careful though! Don't use anything very valuable because, if that rascally leprechaun escapes, and chances are he will, he just might take your beautiful golden bait with him! Now, we have been lucky and our leprechaun has always left chocolate gold as a treat for us (even though they are tricky, a leprechaun is honest and fair and won't take your gold without leaving something to trade with.) We have found gold wrapped coins, rolos, and even peanut butter cups. I have been told they sometimes leave a trail of green glitter or gold dust. They've been known to turn our milk and even our toilet water green. And one year, he even left a tiny green footprint behind with a note that said, "Ha! Ha! Fooled you again!"
We saved the signs that we made for our traps just in case you wanted to use them. We are going to leave a trail made with them and candy bait to lead the leprechauns to our traps.

Leprechaun Trap Signs by Jasey McBurnett (Jasey's Crazy Daisy)

We'd love to know about your experiences with leprechauns. The more we learn the better chance we have of catching one. Hopefully this is our year! Good luck to you! Did you know Leprechauns can grow rainbows? Read about their magic seeds and how to create your own St. Patrick's Day treat bags here.

Fluffer Nutter Fudge {Three Ingredients}

2013-02-24T20:35:00.000-07:00

Do you remember our last encounter with fudge? Well this is another product of my runaway brain. And even though sometimes random and crazy, at least it's a yummy random and crazy! If my kids weren't totally obsessed with peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches, I would still love the silly things, or rather the memory of them. Before I had my kids, I used to teach at a small private Catholic school and my students LOVED these sandwiches. We didn't have a cafeteria at that school, so we all ate together in our classroom, which is how I learned about their obsession with peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches. I had never actually tried one and really wanted to see the look on their faces when I unpacked one of their beloved Fluffer Nutters from my lunch. I remembered to buy the marshmallow cream at the store, made my sandwich, and packed it off to school. Just as I was about to make the great reveal, one of my students, hello Ann, announced that she had forgotten her lunch. I offered her mine. I'm not sure what she thought I'd have packed (surely something gross), but the look on her face when she discovered that she had scored a Fluffer Nutter was priceless. My students couldn't believe her luck -or that their teacher had packed their very own Fluffer Nutter, and then gave it up! I assured them crazier things had happened. Anyways, as I mentioned before my kids love Fluffer Nutters, seriously crazy for them, and I have to tell you they totally dig this fudge!
Fluffer Nutter Fudge Recipe by Jasey's Crazy Daisy
1 (10 oz.) package of peanut butter chips 1 (16oz.) can vanilla frosting 1/2 cup Marshmallow Bits, plus more for sprinkling
Spray an 8x8-inch square pan with cooking spray. In a large microwave bowl, melt chips in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds. When smooth, stir in frosting. Working quickly, stir in marshmallow bits. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle additional marshmallow bits over fudge. You may have to press them gently into the fudge with the palm of your hand to get them to stick. Place in fridge until set. Cut and enjoy!
*Note, I like to use a disposable 8x8-inch square pan. It pulls right off the fudge making it super easy to cut. You could also line a regular pan with foil. Which ever you choose, you'll want to use cooking spray.

If you like fudge, check out these recipes too!

CAT in the HAT Jello Splat {Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss}

2013-02-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

In about a week's time, on March 2nd, readers across America will celebrate Dr. Seuss' Birthday! If magic exists, I believe it resides in books and therefore I always try to put a little extra fun into this day with the hopes of encouraging my children to find that magic. In the past I have sent treats, likes these Seussa Paloosa Cupcakes and Green Eggs and Ham Candy Pretzel Treats, for my son's class to enjoy. One of my family's favorite Seuss books is The Cat in the Hat Comes Back. In this story, once again the mischievous cat is up to no good as he unleashes a spot, or splat, of red that refuses to come clean from Sally and her brother's home. The adventure unfolds as the children and that cat follow the spot as it splats from their mother's dress to the snow outside trying to make it disappear. To help celebrate Seuss's big day, I thought it would be fun if kids could enjoy their very own CAT in the HAT Splat. Remember to take care and open it with caution, because you would hate for the splat to start jumping around your home or school staining your things red. Let's go have some fun with books!
Cat in the Hat {Jello} Splat *by Jasey's Crazy Daisy
I love finding simple ways to make a statement and it doesn't get any easier than this. All you have to do is print, cut, and tape these tags to the top of JELLO cups. I usually like the sturdiness of tag board, but regular paper works well here because it isn't a stiff and doesn't pop of as easily so use what you like. Again, click here to download these tags.

Click to download

Variations: Jello Jigglers could be cut into fun splat shapes using scalloped, or blossom cookie cutters. This would be a little more cost effective than the store bought cups.
Red play dough, store bought or homemade, attached with this tag in a treat bag would be super cute also AND the kids could even help make it. In my book, this means double the fun! (Silly Putty would probably work too.)
Another way that I try encouraging a love for reading is by having Books and Brew Dates with my kids. You can read more about that here. If you are looking for more ideas to celebrate Dr. Seuss' Birthday, here is a picture of those Green Eggs and Ham treats that I mentioned before.

And finally, I'll link you up with the book that inspired these treats

I'll be back on Monday to share my son's favorite new treat. In fact, we are making some this afternoon. In the meantime, why don't you snuggle in with your favorite book. What is your favorite book?

Melted Snowman Puddle Cookies {A Food Craft}

2013-02-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

My five year old is going to start kindergarten next year, full day kindergarten. I don't think I even need to tell you how I feel about that. But I will tell you that I want his memories of staying at home to be fun and filled with happiness and joy. We spend our time taking nature walks, having book dates, playing figures, building Legos, and making cookies - as well as other fun things. We made these Snowman Puddle Cookies today. Aren't they fun? He is so proud of them. It breaks my heart to think my little buddy is going to be away for the entire day next year. For now I'm not going to think about it. I am going to enjoy every last minute I have with him, hug him and snuggle him and celebrate the little person he is growing to be. And I suppose I will enjoy having an excuse to make cookies instead of cleaning my house in the meantime.
Melted Snowmen Puddle Cookies *Recipe By Jasey's Crazy Daisy
*Note - 12 Oreos come in a package and we made 16 cookies with one package of almond bark. You can either use a couple from the second box, go a little heavier on the almond bark making more of a puddle and use only one box of cookies, or go crazy and melt an extra package of almond bark to finish up the second box. I suppose it depends on how many snowmen you want to end up with.
If you cannot find White Fudge Oreos don't sweat it. I like them because I didn't want to have to worry about the cookies peeking through but after making these I think they would probably work with other cookies too. You could use regular Oreos, Golden Oreos, or even Nilla Wafers.
Reses's Peanut Butter Cups, the kind that come in the bag, not the big flat ones Mini M&M's Mini chocolate chips Orange sprinkles, we just picked them out of the assorted pack Pull 'N' Peel Twizzlers Stick Pretzles 1 or 2 boxes of White Fudge Covered Oreos 1 lb. white almond bark
Cover your working surface with waxed paper. In order to make sure that your almond bark doesn't set too quickly, get all your candy ready to work with. These are great jobs for your kids to help with. Pour some of the chocolate chips and M&M's into little bowls so they are easy to get to. Sort sprinkles, just pick out some orange for the noses and place them into a small bowl. Unwrap peanut butter cups and peel your licorice (into three strands of three). Break pretzels into half and put them into a bowl. The bowls keep everything separated and from rolling off the table, and also easier to pass. Spread Oreos over waxed paper. Make sure there is enough room between them for the puddle, hats, scarves, and arms. Melt almond bark according to directions. Spoon almond bark over cookies. Use the back of the spoon to spread the almond bark across the top of the cookies so it puddles around them. You will want more puddled around them then on the top because if too much remains on top, your fixings will slide out of place. Make your snowman's face using chocolate chips and M&M's for the eyes and mouth, orange sprinkles for the nose, peanut butter cups for the hat, licorice for the scarf, and pretzels for the arms. I would spread the almond bark over the cookies as I worked one at a time, or as the kids need them, rather than all at once because once it is on the cookies it sets up rather quickly. I kept a damp rag close by so that I could wipe my hands when needed to keep things tidy, my kids preferred licking their fingers :). Turn the radio on, relax, make some cookies and create a few memories while you're at it. Enjoy!
Click here for other food craft ideas.