Country Home Kitchen: Issue 9, Volume 1

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june CONTENTS

4 Editor’s Letter

Come with us behind the scenes of “Country Home Kitchen” and get a behind the scenes view of the ideas behind this issue.

5 Ask the Baker

6 Quick Tips in the Kitchen 8 Ice Cream Sandwiches

Say goodbye to the packaged ice cream sandwiches and say hello to homemade! You won’t believe what you can do with these fun summer treats.

By Dennis Weaver

16 Patriotic Desserts

There is no better way to celebrate the 4th of July than with some delicious red, white and blue desserts. What are you going to bring to your 4th party?

By Casey Archibald

26 Summer Parties for Kids

Don’t let the kids be bored at summer parties this year. Check out these clever ideas to keep them entertained.

35 Gourmet S’mores S’mores for prom? Check out how these traditional treats can be taken to the next level. S’mores are not just for camping weekends!

By Casey Archibald

39 Cheese & Fruit

Cheese and fruit often go well together and can be great for a romantic evening in. But what kinds of cheeses should you buy? We are here to help.

By Dennis Weaver

48 A Twist on Muffin Tins Mexican salads are all the rage. And they are perfect for summer. They are a wonderful mixture of beans, cheese, tortillas and more.

By Alice Osborne

52 Multi-Toned Frosting

Sometimes one color is just not enough. Learn how to make frosting roses on your cupcakes and how to make them more than one color. Patriotic cupcakes are all the rage, but we like these best.

By Dennis Weaver

By Casey Archibald

31 Limeades & Lemonades

Nothing is as refreshing as a tall glass of lemonade or limeade. Check out these unique recipes.

By Casey Archibald

Country Home Kitchen President

Dennis Weaver

Authors

Dennis Weaver Casey Archibald Alice Osborne

Editor

Casey Archibald

Copyrighted by The Prepared Pantry

Illustrators

Macey Dally Suzanne Peterson

Baker

Kelli Tracy

Marketing and Advertising Perfect Point Marketing Michael Johnson Katie Harris

editor’s letter PATRIOTISM ROCKS. Right now we are all about the red, white and blue. We had fun developing some 4th of July treats and it seemed to get everyone at The Prepared Pantry feeling a little patriotic.

Our focus for this issue of “Country Home Kitchen” stems from families. The 4th is a time when families get together and enjoy one another’s company in the great outdoors. The kids ride their bikes, Dad lights off a few bottle rockets and Mom talks with her friends over some delightfully frilly summer drinks. At least that’s what we’re envisioning.

We wanted to include the kids in this issue, so we decided to write an article that has nothing to do with food, but everything to do with the kids having a blast this summer. We feel that it is important to keep the little ones entertained so they have a great 4th of July too. Since they may not be too excited about hanging around and chatting with the adults, check out our “Summer Parties for Kids” article for ideas about how to keep them busy. That way you can enjoy the party too, without being distracted by bored kids! You deserve some time with your friends this summer as well.

And for you we’ve provided an abundance of ideas for summer snacking. There is not only a variety of patriotic treat ideas, but great recipes for lemonades and limeades, gourmet s’mores and homemade ice cream sandwiches. We think the ideas will be fun for the whole family.

So spend some time with your family this summer. Food is a fun part of that, but nothing can replace the memories that are made, especially while the kids are out of school.

Have a great 4th of July!

ask the baker What can I substitute for cornstarch in my cooking?

What is something I can make with my girlfriend?

Flour is an obvious substitute for cornstarch, but it will not provide you with that same glossy sheen in your sauces that cornstarch will. However, arrowroot starch will provide you with the glossiness, and have a thickening effect similar to cornstarch. You can substitute the same amount of arrowroot that you would normally use of cornstarch, but you will need to cook it longer.

If you are cooking together as something to do for a fun evening in, we suggest something that is unique, but simple so you can still talk. We think crepes are a really fun idea for a date night or for a Saturday breakfast together. Pannekoeken is also a fun one. They are very versatile and you can cater them to your taste. Make them from scratch or try our crepe and pannekoeken mixes.

Is it true that bone-in chicken breasts taste better than boneless chicken breasts?

Can I bake desserts with olive oil?

Yes. As a general rule, meat that is cooked with the bone in will be much more flavorful and juicy.

Keep in mind though, bone-in meat takes longer to cook than boneless. Sometimes it can even take twice as long.

I under-baked my cake and I have already frosted it. Is there anything I can do?

Make cake pops! Cut out the under-baked parts from the middle, then mix the rest—icing, cake and all—in a bowl. Then roll into cake balls, put them on lollipop sticks and dip them in chocolate and sprinkles. No one will ever have to know your cute pops started as an accident.

We don’t recommend it. Olive oil has a strong flavor that can clash with the other flavors of your dessert.

If you recipe calls for oil, use vegetable or canola oil. If you don’t like those options, you can even try sunflower or coconut oil. They will add extra flavor to your dessert, but coconut and sunflower will go with almost anything and not clash as badly has olive oil.

Will my spaghetti sauce stay good if I freeze it?

Yes. It will start to lose flavor after about six months, but spaghetti sauce is a great thing to stick in the freezer if you made too much. We suggest freezing it in serving sized packages or containers. You should never reheat things more than once, so if you freeze your sauce in separate containers you avoid waste.

quick tips

Use baby oil on stainless steel Buff stainless steel with a small amount of baby oil. It will prevent streaks from appearing and it will make your kitchen appliances shine like they are brand new.

Use the bottom of a mug to sharpen knives

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You know that rough part on the bottom of a mug? You can use that to sharpen your kitchen knives! If you don’t have a knife sharpener or can’t find it, this is an easy alternative. Keep your knives sharp because they will take less effort to cut through food. The easier things are to cut, the less likely you are to have an accident.

Clean as you go There is nothing worse than spending hours cooking and then spending several more cleaning. Try to clean up as you go. If you keep a bowl or a grocery bag handy to put food scraps in as you go, it can cut your cleaning time by a lot.

Cook bacon in your oven This is a great method of cooking bacon because you don’t have to watch it the whole time like you do when you cook it in a pan. Also, it turns out perfectly every time. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place your raw bacon strips in rows on the sheet. Place the sheet in a cold oven and then turn it on to 400 degrees.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until crispy.

Make your oven spotless If your oven is anything like our ovens, there is a layer of nasty in the bottom. Start by pouring a thick layer of baking soda all along the bottom.

Spritz the baking soda with white vinegar. Close your oven and let it sit for a half an hour. The vinegar will cause the baking soda to bubble and will start breaking down that crusty layer. Use a copper scrub sponge to scrape the bottom of the oven. Rinse with a rag soaked in water.

Use an apple slicer for potato wedges Making potato wedges? Use an apple slicer to cut your potatoes into nice, uniform wedges. When your wedges are all about the same size, it makes

cooking a breeze because they will all be ready at the same time.

Use marshmallows to soften brown sugar Slip a couple of marshmallows into your container or bag of brown sugar. The marshmallows will help keep your brown sugar moist.

Use empty ketchup bottles for pancake batter Clean out an empty ketchup container and pour your pancake batter inside. The batter will dispense into perfectly round pancakes and you can close the cap and keep the batter for another morning.

Use tongs to squeeze lime or lemon halves If you need fresh lime or lemon juice for a recipe there is a better way to squeeze out the juice than using your hands.

Slice the fruit in half. Place one half between the handles of a pair of tongs. Hold the lime face-down over your bowl and squeeze the tongs together. Voila! You have fresh lime or lemon juice and you get the most out of the fruit.

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fell in love with ice cream sandwiches as a kid. After school and before the bus came, my friends and I would wander over to the neighborhood grocery. As I recall, I only bought two things: little fruit-filled pies and ice cream sandwiches. The ice cream sandwiches were vanilla ice cream with chocolate cookie wafers.

The wafers were soggy and sticky. I didn’t care. Today, I know that you can make much better ice cream sandwiches than you can buy.

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How to Make Ice Cream Sandwiches The first ice cream sandwiches that I made were crude affairs; scoops of ice cream squished between cookies.

They worked. But the cookies were too hard and the ice cream not packed densely enough. Sadly, the ice cream tended to squish out. They still tasted good but were a bit of a mess.

This method works best if: • You don’t put two much ice cream between the cookies.

• You squish the cookies together, compressing the ice cream.

• You choose cookies that are soft • You freeze the sandwiches after assembly.

Later I used sugar cookies and cut them into rectangles so they looked more like the ice cream sandwiches that I found in the stores. They were fun. It was even more difficult to compress the ice cream. Without the ice cream compressed, it seemed to melt much more quickly.

Then I discovered the tool to make ice cream sandwiches. It makes much nicer sandwiches. It does two things: 1) It cuts the baked cookies to the right size and shape 2) It compresses the ice cream and cookies together so that you have a nice firm, hard, sandwich.

Discover this ice cream toolfor yourself You can use any ice cream you want. Softer cookies work best.

Sugar cookies are perfect if your recipe makes softer cookies and if you under-bake them slightly.

Or you can use our sugar cookie mixes.

We have several cookie mixes including raspberry lemon, key lime and chocolate.

I’m still in love with chocolate.

But banana nut ice cream paired with the banana cookies is good too. Raspberry cookies are my other favorite.

Many mixes come with frosting packets. That’s okay. Drizzle

frosting over the completed sandwiches or dip your sandwiches in the frosting to coat one end of each sandwich.

If you buy the ice cream sandwich tool...

You don’t have to buy the tool, but it’s worth it. It comes with a parchment paper template that shows you how to roll the cookie dough to perfect dimensions so you have no drop, no waste, and you get the maximum number of cookies possible.

Buy the tool one time, save the template, and use it over and over with a variety of mixes and recipes.

The tool has a sharp-edged cutter.

You’ll be suprised at how creative you can be.

Usually, the cookies are cut after they’re baked so that they are exactly the right size to fit in the sandwich maker to be pressed together with the ice cream. You can cut the dough before the cookies are baked, but even with sugar cookies that don’t spread much the baked cookies will need to be trimmed just a bit to fit in the tool Don’t worry; the tool will trim the edges so the cookies fit.

matching cookies with ice cream flavors and maybe dipping them in chocolate or frosting them.

Three Ways to Make an Ice Cream Sandwich

This method uses the slick ice cream sandwich maker tool to make uniform and professional-looking ice cream sandwiches. The tool cuts a sheets of cookies into uniform rectangles. A cookie is placed in the tool, ice cream is spread on top of the cookie, and second cookie is placed over the ice cream. The tool then compresses the ice cream and the two cookies together.

You can make ice cream sandwiches three ways. Any way you choose, you can make far better ice cream sandwiches than you can get at the convenience store.

You can get creative mixing and

We’ll show you all three ways and give you the advantages of each so you can choose the way that is best for you.

Method 1: Making Ice Cream Sandwiches with an Ice Cream Sandwich Maker

Method 2: Making Ice Cream Sandwiches with the Sheet

nine minutes or until done. Dark pans will bake more quickly than light pans.

This method uses two sugar cookie sheets with ice cream frozen between the sheets. The sheets are then sawed into individual sandwiches using a serrated knife.

Let the cookies cool in the pans on a rack. Once cool, lift one of the sheets from the pan and set it on a cooling rack. Leave the other in the pan.

The sugar cookies are baked in pans lined with parchment paper. After the cookies are cooled, they are lifted from the pans by grasping the edges of the paper. You can use nearly any sugar cookie recipe or mix. We use our sugar cookie mixes in flavors like Cherry Vanilla, Chocolate Fudge, Wild Raspberry, Lemon Cream and Key Lime.

Our sugar cookie mixes are perfectly sized to make a 9 x 13-inch sheet.

You can use the frosting mix comes with the mix to decorate or frost you ice cream sandwiches.

What you’ll need: • sugar cookie mix or recipe • 2 baking pans, 9 x 13 if you are using our mixes but other pans may accommodate other mixes or recipes • ice cream • parchment paper or aluminum foil Step one: Make the sugar cookie sheets Mix the cookie dough according to the package instructions. Roll the dough into two parchment lined pans to a thickness of just less than 1/4-inch. It is easiest to do this with a pastry roller or pony roller. For this cookie mix, two 9 x13-inch pans were perfect.

Save any leftover dough to make sugar cookies. Bake the cookies for

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Step two: Put ice cream between the two sugar cookie sheets Soften the ice cream on the counter until it is no longer hard. Spread the ice cream with the back of an ice cream spade or spatula. For a 9 x13-inch pan, nearly a quart of ice cream is the right amount. Place the pan with the cookies and ice cream in the freezer.

Place a plastic cutting board over the second cookie sheet on the rack. Grasping the cutting board and cooling rack together, invert the cookie sheet onto the cutting board.

Peel off the parchment paper. You will now have a cookie sheet upside down on the cutting board. Replace the cooling rack, hold the cutting board and rack together, and invert.

You will now have the cookie sheet on the rack right side up.

Carefully slide the second cookie sheet off the rack onto the frozen ice cream. Gently press the cookie onto the ice cream. Place the pan with the cookies and ice cream into the freezer until solid.

Step three: Cut and finish the ice cream sandwiches Remove the pan from the freezer. Lift the cookie and ice cream sheet from the pan by grasping the edges of the parchment paper.

Use a ruler to determine cut lines.

Score lines in the cookie where you want the cuts to be. Use a stiffbladed, serrated knife to saw the sheet into ice cream sandwiches

returning each to the freezer once cut. If the ice cream starts to soften before all the cuts are made, refreeze the ice cream.

You may want to dip your ice cream sandwiches in melted chocolate coating one end. As you remove the ice cream sandwiches from the chocolate, you may want to dip the soft chocolate end in sprinkles or other decorations.

cream sandwiches are not as neat and professional-looking.

You need some solid cookies like gingersnaps or snickerdoodles, not dainty cookies, to absorb the moisture and not come apart when you bite into them. Our favorites are Brownie Sugarsnaps, Gingersnaps, and Pennsylvania Dutch sugar cookies.

What you’ll need:

You may also chose to frost the top of your ice cream sandwiches and sprinkle the top.

• cookie mix or recipe

Method 3: Making Ice Cream Sandwiches Using the Cookie Cutter

• ice cream

This method is the simplest and requires no tools, but without a form to hold the ice cream in and a tool to uniformly cut the cookies and compress the ice cream, the ice

• a baking pan

• parchment paper or aluminum foil Step one: Bake the cookies Bake the cookies according to directions and let cool. Make the cookies the same shape and size.

Match cookies in pairs and set aside.

Step two: Prepare the ice cream Line a 9 x13-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper.

The ice cream needs to be softened enough to squish into the foil or parchment paper-lined pan. If you let it get too soft, ice crystals will form. If you use a spatula or the back of an ice cream spade, you can squish the ice cream into a layer while it is still frozen. Smooth the ice cream into a 1/2-inch thick layer.

Refreeze the ice cream.

Step three: Cut the ice cream and assemble the sandwiches Once the ice cream is frozen hard, remove the pan form the freezer.

Lift the ice cream from the pan by grabbing the edges of the foil or paper and lifting.

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Cut round circles of ice cream using a cookie or biscuit cutter. Place each ice cream circle between a cookie pair. Press them firmly together and refreeze.

First we experimented with ice cream sandwich flavors. Then we discovered that we could decorate and frost them.

The frosting becomes harder, not sticky, in the freezer.

You can melt chocolate and drizzle the chocolate over your ice cream sandwiches.

You can dip them. You can decorate them with sprinkles, either on top of the ice cream sandwiches or press the sprinkles into the ice cream or even decorate the edges.

Now you have another way to make cool treats for the summer. But your family will probably want them yearround.

Don’t have a mix or recipe? Try this one:

Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies 1/2 cup semi-sweet baking chocolate chips 1 Tablespoon butter 1 cup butter 1 cup powdered sugar 1 dash salt 4 large egg yolks 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour ice cream 1. Melt the chocolate and one Tablespoon butter in the microwave.

Set aside.

2. Cream the remaining butter and powdered sugar together. Add the salt.

3. Add the four egg yolks, beating

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after each. Add the vanilla and the chocolate.

4. Add the flour in three parts, beating after each addition.

5. Scrape the dough onto a large sheet of waxed paper. Pat the dough into a square or round log. Wrap it in waxed paper and smooth the edges into a uniform log. Refrigerate the log for at least an hour.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the dough into 3/16-inch thick slices. Place them on an ungreased

baking sheet. Bake for eight to ten minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.

Make Patriotic Ice Cream Sandwiches Using our Raspberry Cheesecake cookie mix to make the cookies, we filled them with vanilla ice cream and rolled the outside of them in patriotic sprinkles.

These would be great for a 4th of July party or barbeque.

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he 4th of July is filled with memories for most people. For me, the memories that flash through my mind include the time when I accidently shot a bottle rocket at my high school boyfriend (don’t worry, he was fine), when I went out on my good friend’s boat to the middle of Lake Washington to watch fireworks, and when I rode my bike with my cousins at our annual family 4th party.

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The 4th is coming and it’s time to make new memories with these fun and delicious red, white and blue treats. It’s gotten me in a patriotic mood, and we hope it does the same for you!

Patriotic Popcorn This delicious popcorn can be adapted to any occasion with a simple change of the colors and flavors. But we were trying to be festive, so we chose to stick with the red, white and blue theme.

There are two ways to create patriotic popcorn. One has sprinkles, and the other has dye and flavor.

Top Tips for Success with Every Batch There are really only three secrets to making candy popcorn: Use a thermometer, be careful not to let the sugar crystallize, and add baking soda.

But we’ll give you more.

• Use a thermometer to ensure accuracy and cook your candy coating to 235 degrees but do not exceed 245 degrees Fahrenheit. (Boiling time should not exceed 3 minutes). If it’s undercooked it’s too sticky; if it’s overcooked it’s too hard.

• Don’t let it crystallize. Make sure to

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scrape the sides of the pot often while the sugar is dissolving in the liquid.

• Even one sugar crystal added to the syrup will cause the whole batch to crystallize, making the syrup gritty and dull in color. Your candy popcorn won’t be as pretty or tasty if it crystalizes.

• If you’re wondering why we have included baking soda to our candy popcorn recipes…well here’s why: Baking soda helps aerate the caramel which makes it easier to eat when it is cooled. Be careful, after you add the baking soda, the syrup will quickly get very frothy. To prevent it from bubbling over, keep stirring.

• If you plan on making several different flavors/colors of popcorn do them all in separate batches. If you were to separate the mixture

after cooking a large batch and add color/flavor to each, the mixture will have cooled too much and you will not achieve the right temperature for making candy popcorn.

• The flavor added in these recipes should be added last. The flavor becomes less potent the longer it stays in the heat. The syrup should be poured over popcorn immediately after stirring in the flavor.

• When you’re pouring the syrup mixture into your bowl of popcorn, DO NOT scrape the pan. There are sugar crystals stuck to the bottom of the pan that may crystallize your entire batch of candy popcorn.

Once you’ve mixed your candy syrup with the popcorn, place it on wax paper. Flatten the candy popcorn with a spatula and let cool. Once it has cooled break off into desired portions.

French Vanilla Popcorn French vanilla is a very sweet vanilla and it makes a very tasty popcorn.

It also comes out more of a white color than caramel popcorn does.

Yields 14 cups of candy popcorn 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 1/4 cup white corn syrup (Karo) 1/8 cup water 1 cup granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons French vanilla flavor patriotic sprinkles (red, white and blue) 1. Pop the popcorn kernels. Set aside in 2 large bowls.

2. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a medium sauce pan.

3. Add the corn syrup and water.

Stir.

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4. Add the sugar. Make sure not to let any sugar stick to the edges of the pan. If one grain of sugar is left undissolved, it can cause the whole batch to crystallize.

quickly as the mixture begins to bubble. Once bubbly and frothy, remove the pan from heat.

5. Bring to a boil and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 235245 degrees (we suggest using a candy thermometer). It is important for the mixture to reach this temperature, if it doesn’t the candy will not harden properly.

8. Pour the syrup over the popped popcorn in both bowls. Fold into the popcorn until evenly coated.

6. Add the baking soda and stir

7. Add the flavor and mix in.

9. Once the popcorn has cooled slightly, sprinkle with the patriotic sprinkles, to taste until evenly coated.

Baker’s Note: This recipe can also be doubled successfully. If you would like a richer caramel, substitute another 1/2 cup brown sugar for the granulated sugar

For the Colored Popcorn Follow the directions as above, but make three batches or divide the recipe into thirds. When you get to step seven, add flavor and food color to the mixture. Exchange the vanilla

for a different flavor depending on which color you are working on.

Make one batch blue, one red and leave the other white. It’s more fun if you flavor the popcorn to match the color. For example, try flavoring the blue batch with blueberry and the red one strawberry. Sans the sprinkles at the end of the recipe. You can serve your patriotic popcorn side by side, or you can mix the three flavors together while the popcorn is still warm.

honeymoon budget on the flight and the room, we lived on the strawberries while we were there. I didn’t mind.

White Chocolate Covered Strawberries with a touch of 4th of July

2 cups white chocolate melting wafers or chips 1 Tablespoon Crisco 15-20 strawberries blue or red food dye

Chocolate covered strawberries are one of my absolute favorites.

My husband and I went on our honeymoon to Hawaii and we were surprised to get to our room and find a long row of chocolate covered strawberries that looked like little tuxedoes waiting for us. Since we blew all our

With a little blue or red dye and some sprinkles, chocolate covered strawberries make a perfect 4th of July treat.

Blue Tipped Strawberries Makes 15-20 Strawberries

1. Wash and dry the strawberries.

2. Melt the chocolate in a microwavesafe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring between each one. Add the Crisco into the bowl and continue to melt. When the chocolate is smooth it is ready for dipping.

3. Dip the strawberries about half way up in the white chocolate then dip the tips in blue sugar. Place the finished strawberries on a piece of parchment paper on a flat surface.

Serve when dry.

Decorative Strawberries Makes 15-20 Strawberries 2 cups white chocolate melting wafers or chips

1 Tablespoon Crisco 15-20 strawberries blue or red food dye 1. Wash and dry the strawberries.

2. Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring between each one. Add the Crisco into the bowl and continue to melt. When the chocolate is smooth it is ready for dipping.

3. Dip the strawberries most of the way up in the white chocolate.

Place the finished strawberries on a piece of parchment paper on a flat surface.

4. Drop 1-2 drops of blue or red food dye into the remaining chocolate and stir until the desired color is reached.

5. Using a fork or a Ziploc back with a hole cut in the corner, drizzle the colored white chocolate back and forth along each of the white chocolate covered berries. We finished ours off with tiny chocolate stars. Serve when the chocolate has hardened.

Sprinkled Strawberries Makes 15-20 Strawberriesies 2 cups white chocolate melting wafers or chips 1 Tablespoon Crisco 15-20 strawberries blue or red food dye 1. Wash and dry the strawberries.

2. Melt chocolate in a microwavesafe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring between each one. Add Crisco into the bowl and continue to melt.

3. When the chocolate is smooth and ready for dipping, drop 1-2

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drops of red or blue food dye into the chocolate and stir.

4. Dip the strawberries most of the way up in the dyed white chocolate.

Immediately roll the berries in patriotic sprinkles. Place the finished strawberries on a piece of parchment paper on a flat surface. Serve when the chocolate has hardened.

Flag Cake

Red Cake Layers (ingredients) 1 Prepared Pantry Vanilla Babycakes mix, made according to mix 3-4 drops red food color

Blue Cake Layer (ingredients) 1 prepared pantry vanilla babycakes mix, made according to mix 3-4 drops blue food color 3 tablespoons white star-shaped candy sprinkles or similar

White Cake Layer (ingredients) 1 Prepared Pantry Vanilla Babycakes mix, made according to directions (but only use egg whites, not the yolks) 3 tablespoons white star-shaped candy sprinkles or similar

Frosting and Sprinkles (ingredients) 1 Vanilla Buttercream Frosting mix, made according to directions patriotic sprinkles, to taste

For the Red Cake Layers 1. Heat oven to 350째F. Grease or spray two 8-inch round pans. Place 8-inch round piece of parchment paper in bottom of each pan. Grease the parchment paper.

2. Make the cake according to the directions on the package. Add in the

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3. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around sides of the pans to loosen them. Remove the cake from the pans onto cooling racks. Remove the parchment paper from the cake and let it cool completely.

4. Once cooled, even the tops of the cake layers by trimming off the rounded tops using a bread knife or a cake leveler. Cut both of the layers in half horizontally to make 4 thin red layers. In 1 of the layers, cut a small round piece out of center using 4-inch biscuit cutter. Set the red round aside for a later use.

The outer edge can be saved for another use.

For the Blue Cake Layer 1. Heat oven to 350째F. Grease or spray one 8-inch round pan. Place an 8-inch round piece of parchment paper in bottom of the pan. Grease the parchment paper.

2. Make the cake according to the directions on the package. Add in the blue food color and mix thoroughly.

Fold in the white sprinkles.

Spread the batter into one pan. Bake according to directions until done.

3. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around sides of the pans to loosen it. Remove the cake from the pan onto cooling racks. Remove the parchment paper from the cake and let it cool completely.

4. Once cooled, even the top of the cake layer by trimming

off the rounded tops using a bread knife or a cake leveler. Cut a small round piece out of center of the cake using 4-inch biscuit cutter. Save the round piece for another use.

For the White Cake Layers 1. Heat oven to 350째F. Grease or spray one 8-inch round pan. Place an 8-inch round piece of parchment paper in bottom of each pan. Grease the parchment paper.

2. Make the cake according to the directions on the package, but only use egg whites from the eggs and toss the yolks. Spread the batter into the pan. Bake according to directions until done.

3. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around side of the pan to loosen it. Remove the cake

from the pan onto a cooling rack.

Remove the parchment paper from the cake and let it cool completely.

4. Once cooled, even the top of the cake layer by trimming off the rounded top using a bread knife or a cake leveler. Cut the layer in half horizontally to make 2 thin white layers. In 1 of the layers, cut a small round piece out of center using 4-inch biscuit cutter. Set the white round aside for a later use.

The outer edge can be saved for another use.

To Assemble the Cake 1. Place one of the whole red cake layers on a cake stand.

2. Spread about a 1/3 cup of the frosting on the top.

3. Add one of the whole white cake layers and spread 1/3 cup of frosting on top.

4. Top that layer with the second whole red cake layer and spread about 1/3 cup of the frosting on top.

5. Next, top with the blue layer.

Spread an even, thin layer of frosting along the cut edge of the “hole” of blue cake layer. Gently insert white 4-inch cake round into the hole inside the blue cake layer.

Top it with frosting and then add the red 4-inch cake round on top.

6. Frost the cake as you would any layered, round cake along the top and sides.

7. Sprinkle the top of the cake with patriotic sprinkles, if desired. Store

in the refrigerator. Best if served soon after baked.

Trifle We loved making this trifle because it was easy. We also used the scraps from our flag cake (above) to create the trifle. So if you have multiple events to go to or a lot of people to serve treats to, this is your recipe combined with the flag cake above.

1 Vanilla Babycakes mix, made according to directions 1-2 drops of red food color 1-2 drops of blue food color whipped cream (see recipe) strawberries, washed and sliced blueberries, washed

1. Make the cake mix according to the directions. Divide the batter in half. Use the red food color to dye one half of the batter and the blue food color to dye the second half. If the 1-2 drops of dye aren’t enough add some more.

2. Cook the cake in two 8-inch round pans according to directions, until done.

3. Let the cake layers cool and then cut into 1-inch chunks using a bread knife. It’s okay if the chunks are a little messy or uneven, it will look beautiful in layers.

4. In a trifle dish layer half of the blue chunks in the bottom of the dish. Top

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½ cup cranberry juice ¼ cup ice cubes red or blue Pop Rocks 1. Pour the Pop Rocks onto a plate.

Wet the rim of the glass with a little water and dip the rim into the Pop Rocks so they stick.

2. Carefully pour the cranberry juice in the bottom of a glass. Make sure the drink with the highest sugar content goes on the bottom. Add the ice.

with a layer of whipped cream, and then a layer of blueberries.

5. Next, place a layer of red cake chunks, followed by a layer of whipped cream and a layer of sliced strawberries.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the top of the trifle dish is reached.

7. Make sure the top layer of the trifle is whipped cream, then top with strawberries and blueberries in a design for a professional look.

For the Whipped Cream 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 Tablespoon meringue powder 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla flavor 1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2. Beat/whip until high peaks

Fireworks Drink Makes one serving (one glass) ½ cup blue Gatorade ½ cup white, piña colada flavored Sobe

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3. Then add the piña colada Sobe, or the drink with the second highest sugar content. Pour slowly and carefully so it doesn’t mix too much with the cranberry juice.

4. Slowly add the Gatorade, or the drink with the lowest sugar content.

Enjoy!

Surprise Cupcakes If you use patriotic colors these cupcakes are fantastic for the 4th of July, but they are also great for other events as well. I had a friend

who used this as a “gender reveal” for her unborn baby. She placed pinkcolored sprinkles inside the cupcakes to announce that she was having a girl.

1 vanilla babycakes mix, made according to directions red or blue cupcake liners sprinkles or Sixlets Buttercream frosting (recipe below) Red or blue food color (optional) 1. Make the cupcake batter according to the directions on the package and pour the batter into a muffin tin that is lined with the cupcake liners. Bake in the oven at the temperature and for the amount of time that is indicated on the directions.

2. When the cupcakes are done make sure they are completely cooled before inserting anything into the center. To insert the “surprise,” they cannot be holding in any heat in the center.

3. Using a professional cupcake corer or a melon baller, scoop out the

middle of the cupcake, making sure not to go all the way to the bottom.

Discard the cake from the middle, the “core.”

4. Fill the hole you just created with patriotic sprinkles or red, white and blue Sixlets.

5. Using a piping bag and desired tip, pipe red white or blue frosting onto each cupcake.

Baker’s Note: If you choose

to use Sixlet candies, you may want to warn guests that there is something inside before they bite into them, that especially goes for small children who could choke.

Feel free to play with other candies in the center of the cupcakes like poprocks, chocolate chips, or other yummy goodies.

Fire Cracker Prezels pretzels rods white melting chocolate or white chocolate chips red or blue food color patriotic sprinkles Pop Rocks black licorice rope 1. Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second intervals until it is completely melted.

2. Stir the chocolate between each interval.

3. Add the red or blue food color until the desired color is reached.

Stir in the color.

4. Dip the pretzel rods in the

chocolate, leaving enough space at the bottom for people to hold onto with their fingers.

5. Lay the dipped pretzels onto a piece of parchment paper on a flat surface.

6. Quickly, before the chocolate hardens, sprinkle the rods with the patriotic sprinkles as well as the Pop Rocks.

7. Snip pices about a ½-inch long of the black licorice rope and attach to the top of each rod on the soft chocolate. If the chocolate is too hard, dip one end of the rope into the bowl of warm chocolate to glue it onto the pretzel rod.

8. Let the chocolate harden and serve.

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hat’s worse than a bored kid? A bunch of bored kids. Don’t let the munchkins get bored while the adults enjoy long conversations over fresh glasses of lemonade.

If there are kids at the party, it has to be a kid party. If the kids aren’t engaged, they’ll distract the adults and the party will be less than perfect for both.

Glow-in-the-Dark Since the 4th of July is on its way, glow-in-the-dark parties are all the rage. And kids love anything that glows in the dark. They’ve all seen the necklaces and the glow sticks.

So give them something new to enjoy.

Long-Lasting Glow Bubbles This is great for any glow-in-thedark party, but we think it is perfect for the 4th of July. It can be hard for the little ones to wait until the fireworks start, so give them an activity like this one to keep them entertained.

Below is the recipe for these fantastic bubbles. If you aren’t having a summer party when it’s dark, just leave out the glow-in-thedark paint. The corn syrup in this recipe really makes for long-lasting and giant bubbles. The kids will love it. ½ cup corn syrup 1 cup dish soap 3 cups water ½ cup glow-in-the-dark paint Bubble wands 1. Mix all ingredients in a bucket or large bowl. Dip bubble wands into

the mixture and blow on the wand until bubbles form.

beverages or other contents meant to be digested.

Glow-in-the-Dark Balloons

Rock Lights

Before you blow up balloons for the kids to play with, activate glow sticks and insert them into the balloons. Then blow them up for some glow-in-the-dark fun! These are great floating in a swimming pool at night—they create a nice effect.

Speckled Jars Pour a few Tablespoons of glowin-the-dark paint into a mason jar, or cut open an activated glow stick and pour the contents into the jar. Cover with the lid and shake until the contents are splattered all around the inside surface of the jar.

Viola! You have a great way to light up the path to the party or just set around the lawn.

Glowing Ring Toss Purchase glow-in-the-dark necklaces. Place a stake in the ground and have the kids stand a marked distance away from the stake and try to throw the necklace rings around the stake.

Nighttime Bowling Fill ten clear, empty bottles with water. Make sure any labels are removed. Activate ten glow sticks, cut the ends off and pour the contents of each into the ten bottles. Place the caps on the bottles and shake them until the contents are completely mixed.

Set them up like bowling pins and bowl using a brightly-colored ball.

Discard the bottles after use. Do not reuse the bottles to hold any

The kids can help with this one!

Paint rocks with glow-in-the-dark paint and place them throughout the party area for some fun lighting.

Black Lights Black lights are almost essential for a glow-in-the-dark party. Have all the kids wear white so they glow in the dark too. All the glowing projects will show up even better with black lights and the kids will love it.

FUN WITH WATER Water can keep kids entertained for hours. If you are having a summer party during the day, a backyard water park is a great way for the kids to keep cool and occupied.

Tricycle Car Wash Sprinklers are a great way to cool off into the summer, but we think it’s fun to take things a step further.

Set up a little “trike wash” for the kids to ride their trikes or bikes through. Set up some sprinklers on either side of your “wash” and hang water-soaked car wash sponges so the kids have to ride through them. You can also hang towels at the end of the route. If you are really creative, build a box structure with PVC pipes and connectors and drill holes in them. Then run a hose in the bottom so water pours out of the holes. We love this tutorial posted by Zinqui Handmade Tutorial.

Water Bombs Water balloons are a lot of fun, but

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they aren’t the only form of aquatic ammunition that can be used for summer water fights. Spongebombs are a great way to cool off— and they make awesome ammo too. All you have to do is cut colored sponges into thin strips and tie them in the middle with string. Then soak them in water and fire! We love this water bomb tutorial by The Chic.

Slide Extension Have a play set? Extend the slide using a tarp or plastic. Then run water down the slide and onto the tarp for some water slide fun!

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Creative Swings There can be more to swings than sitting down and pumping your legs. Try these homemade variations of the traditional swing for a day of endless summer fun.

Skateboard Swing This is an easy one to make. Simply drill two holes on both sides of a skate board (four total), remove the wheels, and use rope to hang it from the branch of a sturdy tree. Only

hang the swing several inches from the ground so falls don’t turn into catastrophes. You can add wooden dowels for handles on either side of the swing. We adore this fabulous tutorial by Little Bit Funky.

Pallet Swing This is similar to the skateboard swing, but instead, use a sturdy wooden pallet. Paint or decorate it if you’d like. Drill holes in the corners of the pallet and hang it from a sturdy branch. Use the skateboard swing instructions (in the link above) to see how to hang.

Art is Fun Outdoor Chalk We all know how fun it is to play with chalk in the driveway. But what about on the fence? Don’t worry, this idea won’t require you to whitewash later this summer. Hang or lean a large chalkboard against your fence and let children express themselves with chalk.

That way, you can enjoy your iced lemonade on the porch with your friends and keep an eye on the kids.

Homemade Slime 1 8oz container of Elmer’s glue food coloring (any color) 1 ½ cups water 1 teaspoon borax powder 1. Dissolve the borax in ½ cup of water.

2. In a separate bowl, combine an 8oz container of Elmer’s glue (clear or white) with the same amount of water. (We simply filled our glue container with water once we had emptied it into the bowl, then shook it and dumped it in).

3. Add food color to the glue mixture. You can also add sparkles and/or confetti.

4. Slowly add the borax mixture to the glue mixture, mixing as you go along. Eventually you will have slime! Store in a zipped bag to keep moist.

Homemade Play Dough 1 cup white flour ¼ cup salt 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1 cup water 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil 3 drops food color 1. Combine the flour, salt and the cream of tartar in a saucepan over medium heat.

2. Slowly stir in the water, oil and the food color. Stir constantly until a ball begins to form.

3. Remove from the heat and cool.

While it is cooling, knead the play dough well until it is no longer lumpy.

4. Store in a zipped bag.

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Top tips for kid-friendly parties: Pick a safe place. Avoid sites next to the river or a busy road. Survey the site ahead of time if necessary, to make certain there are no overlooked hazards. If parents are busy chasing little kids away from that intriguing river, no one will have a good time.

Pick a kid-friendly place. At our last reunion, a big, old tree saved the day. With multiple trunks sprawled about like giant arms, the kids spent hours crawling around that tree without ever getting six feet off the ground. The smaller kids never tired of the swing sets. Sand boxes and lawn toys keep kids occupied.

Plan food for the kids. Those casseroles and salads are great for grownups but plan on hot dogs, jello, and chicken fingers for the little guys.

Organize kid food separately. You’ll do a better job of it if you think in terms of two separate menus. The pizza, chicken fingers, and jello go on a kid-friendly table. Set up a separate dessert table for the kids with cupcakes, cookies, and pudding.

Don’t forget the teenagers. Pay attention to dynamics. Teenagers love to hang out and talk, but if the mix isn’t right or there aren’t enough kids of similar age groups, you’ll need to figure something else out. Of course, pizza always works.

Plan activities for the kids. Bring things for them to do—butcher paper and crayons that the kids can spread out on the picnic tables, lawn darts, colored play dough are all great. (We have a greatplay dough recipe that makes a batch large enough for parties). For more ideas, visit some of the birthday party sites on the internet.

Take turns with kids. Kids are going to need some adult supervision and it is more efficient to organize activities and to divide and conquer. Maybe Aunt Mary can take the kids over to the swimming pool, Uncle Harry can take the little ones on a nature walk, and Cousin Bob can get some kites going.

Plan an activity. Give the kids something to look forward to. Hire a clown to make an appearance. A magic show is a real hit. Or have a treasure hunt for candy and toys.

Consider hiring help. This may be the best solution. Find someone who is great with kids, maybe two people, and hire them to come to the party. They can entertain the kids, keeping them safe and happy, while the parents enjoy adult company.

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here is something about citrus that is so refreshing, and just says “summer.”

We came up with a handful of delightful limeades and lemonades that will have your taste buds wanting more. These aren’t your traditional lemonades on ice—we have everything here from watermelon lemonade to Brazilian limeades. Take your pick and say hello to a refreshing summer.

Limeades & Lemonades Cherry Lime Rickey

1. Heat cherry juice, sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium heat for about five minutes. Stir in the lime zest and juice. Simmer until the mixture is slightly thickened, about five minutes.

2. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, pressing on solids to extract the liquid. You should end up with about 2 1/2 cups syrup. Discard the solids. Refrigerate the syrup until completely cool, at least 30 minutes or up to 1 week. To serve, combine each serving with 3/4 cup club soda and 3 Tablespoons syrup in tall, icefilled glasses.

3. Garnish with lime slices

Brazilian Limeade Makes 4 servings 2 limes ½ cup sugar 3 Tablespoons sweetened condensed milk 3 cups water 1. Wash limes thoroughly. Cut off the ends and slice into eight wedges.

Place limes in a blender with the sugar, sweetened condensed milk, water, and ice.

Makes 13 servings maraschino cherries (and juice) 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup water 4 teaspoons grated zest and 1/2 cup juice from 4 limes (It took 4 limes to get the 1/2 cup juice but I only used the zest from 3 limes – it was plenty)plus one more lime for garnish club soda, chilled Ice

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2. Blend in an electric blender, pulsing 5 times. Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove rinds. Serve over ice.

Lavender Lemonade Makes 6 to 7 servings 1 tray ice cubes ¼ cup dried lavender 2 cups boiling water ¾ cup white sugar 9 lemons 6 cups cold water or to taste 1. Place ice cubes into a pitcher.

Place the lavender into a bowl, and pour boiling water over it. Allow to steep for about 10 minutes, then strain out the lavender with a mesh strainer and discard. Stir the sugar into the hot lavender water, then pour it into the pitcher.

2. Squeeze the juice from the lemons into the pitcher. Top off the pitcher with cold water, and stir. Adjust lemon juice or sugar if desired.

Watermelon Lemonade Makes 6 servings ½ cup white sugar 4 cups cubed watermelon 3 1/2 cups cold water ½ cup fresh lemon juice ice cubes.

1. Place the watermelon into a blender. Cover, and puree until smooth.

2. Strain out the watermelon through a fine mesh strainer.

3. Bring sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a saucepan over mediumhigh heat until sugar dissolves,

about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in 3 cups of cold water and the lemon juice.

5. Place the ice into glasses and scoop 3 Tablespoons of watermelon mixture over the ice in each glass, then top with the lemonade.

6. Stir before serving.

Peach Lemonade Makes 8 servings 2 cups water 1 cups coarsely chopped peaches 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 peach, pitted and sliced ice 1. Combine the water, the coarsely chopped peaches and the sugar in a medium saucepan over mediumhigh heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes. Place peach mixture in a blender; let stand for 20 minutes.

2. Continue to blend until smooth.

Pour mixture into a large bowl.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

3. Press the peach mixture through a mesh strainer over a bowl, reserving the liquid. Discard the solids. Stir in the lemon juice. Place about 1/2 cup ice in each glass. Pour about 2/3 cup of lemonade into each glass. Garnish the glasses with the peach slices.

Cucumber Limeade

Makes 8 servings

1 cup sugar 1 Tablespoon lime zest, plus 1 cup lime juice 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish 1 cucumber, halved and sliced 2 cups sparkling water, chilled 1. In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, lime zest and 1 cup of water to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves (about 6 minutes).

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mint leaves. Let the mixture cool for at least 30 minutes.

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2. Strain the lime syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher.

Add the cucumber and lime juice; refrigerate for at least an hour.

3. Just before serving, add the chilled sparkling water. Serve over ice and garnish with the mint leaves.

Strawberry Lemonade or Lemonade Slush Recipe Fresh is always better. If you have a food processor or blender, here is a great way to convert a couple of lemons and a tub of strawberries into a wonderful, fresh beverage.

Makes 6 servings

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice ( approximately two lemons) 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 cups strawberries a few drops red food coloring ice 1. Puree the lemon juice, sugar, and, strawberries together in a blender or food processor. Add the food coloring.

2. Add the ice cubes one at a time and process until smooth. (If you are using a blender, you can remove the round handle from the lid and drop the ice cubes in the blender one at a time).

3. Continue adding ice cubes until the mixture is diluted to the desired taste.

4. Add more sugar for a sweeter drink.

Baker's Notes: If you add enough ice you will have a slush. If you desire a more frozen beverage, place the blender jar in the freezer and in a half hour, scrape the forming crystals from the sides.

Repeat if desired.

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id you know that s’mores can be a delightful treat in settings other than a fire side? Kelli, our test kitchen cook, made gourmet s’mores for her daughter and friends for their prom date dessert.

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She strung lights throughout the pergola that arches over her deck, provided personal-sized Sterno fuel burners for each couple, and set out an array of marshmallows, cookies and different kinds of chocolate.

You can get creative with s’mores, but here are some ideas to get you started.

Instead of plain graham crackers, try using cookies instead. We loved using our Pennsylvania Dutch Cookies the best, but the Raspberry Cheesecake cookies were also a hit. Below is a list of our top suggestions: • Pennsylvania Dutch Sugar Cookies • Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies • Cinnamon Burst Snickerdoodle Cookies • Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps • Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies • Butterscotch Pecan Crunch Cookies

How to Hold a Gourmet S’more Party like Kelli’s

• IWe had a fun time scanning the chocolate section of our grocery store for ideas. Almost any chocolate will do, but below are some of our favorites to get you started.

• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

First, set up a long table outside. If your party is made up of couples, provide a small burner or a Sterno fuel can for each couple and set up chairs so they can sit across from one another and share a flame.

• Cookies ‘n Cream Hershey’s Bars • Carmellos • Heath Bars • Snickers • Nutella • Symphony Bars

The Marshmallows We found some obscure marshmallow flavors that were fun to play with. The favorite were by far the toasted coconut marshmallows. They were gone in a hurry. Here are some more for you to try. You can find many of these in your local grocery store.

• Toasted Coconut Marshmallows • Strawberry Mallows • Blueberry Mallows • Marshmallow Cream • Choco Mallows • Cinnamon Bun Mallows • Sugar Cookie Mallows • Peeps

Kelli used Sterno fuel cans for the couples to roast their marshmallows over the top of. To make them look more formal, she removed the labels and wrapped them in decorative scrapbook paper.

She provided several trays of cookies, graham crackers, chocolates and marshmallows for the couples to choose from. They roasted their marshmallows with wooden skewers.

Overall, it was a beautiful night and gourmet s’mores made it one that Kelli’s daughter and her friends would remember forever.

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Six Great Snacking Cheeses to Serve with Fruit

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ecently, Manwaring Cheese just moved down the street from us and we love it! They are in a quaint little location and they offer so many kinds of cheese for their customers to try. It inspired us to cover several different kinds of cheeses that we love—especially ones that go well with fruit.

Sometimes the simple foods are the best…and on many occasions, there is nothing better than fresh fruit and cheese. It makes a party better, it makes a great mid-afternoon snack, it’s a wonderful appetizer, and it goes well in a packed lunch. But there are so many cheeses to choose from. We’ll help. In this article, are our favorite cheeses to serve with fruit—apples, grapes, pears, and more.

Asiago Asiago is hard and pungent. It is a strong-flavored cheese that is used often in cooking and baking. The flavor is almost a cross between a sharp cheddar and a parmesan. We like it paired with tart, hard apples like a Granny Smith. Like many cheeses, also goes well with plums and tart grapes.

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Edam

Edam is another mild, buttery cheese.

It is a close cousin to Gouda, but has a little firmer texture and nuttier flavor. It is slightly sweet. It is a universal cheese that goes well with sweet or a tart fruit, though we think it balances very well with red grapes.

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Gruyere We absolutely love gruyere. It is nutty and rich without being pungent. It has a medium-firm texture and is often creamy colored, sometimes with eyes. There is quite a difference in flavor from brand to brand. We think it is the perfect cheese to go with apples.

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Havarti

Havarti is smooth and buttery. It is a very mild cheese with a soft texture and is creamy, and near-white in color. It works especially well with sweet fruits like Honeycrisp Apples or a pears. The mild flavor of the cheese compliments rather than overpowers the delicate flavor of the sweet fruit.Â

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Jarlsberg Jarlsberg has holes in like Swiss, though it is a harder cheese. It has a deeper, nuttier flavor and a nuttier flavor than Swiss. We like it with tart apples and plums.

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Muenster

Muenster has a mild flavor that mellows with age. It is a near-white cheese with an orange, edible rind. It is often used in Mexican dishes. We like it with grapes and sweet apples.

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inding new uses for standard kitchen appliances and tools is such a delightful pursuit, and this time we share an idea that you’ll wonder how you ever lived without. The familiar theme? Using muffin tins for baking muffins, biscuits, butterflake rolls, and cupcakes. The new twist? Using muffin tins for baking individual-sized main course meals and a dessert.

Cups ‘o dinner is what we call them, and whether it’s a healthy take on pizza, delicious scalloped potatoes, unforgettable chili rellenos, or mini cherry pies, you will be impressed with not just the gourmet taste of each recipe, but how unique this presentation is!

2 teaspoon minced garlic 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped 1/2 cup diced tomato 1/2 cup diced bell peppers 1 cup chopped pepperoni slices (1/2 of a 7 oz bag) 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon dried crushed oregano pizza sauce for serving Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix together all ingredients, except pizza sauce, in a medium mixing bowl.

Distribute mixture into a greased muffin tin, filling each cup to the top; press down gently to compact. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Heat pizza sauce and top each pizza cup with sauce when serving; garnish with extra shredded mozzarella cheese.

QUINOA PIZZA CUPS Makes 18 cupcakes 2 cups cooked quinoa 2 large eggs 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese; extra for garnishing 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

SCALLOPED POTATO CUPS Makes 12 potato cups 6-8 medium red potatoes, well scrubbed 12 Tablespoons butter 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 to 3 scallions, diced fresh rosemary or thyme 12 Tablespoons half n’half salt and pepper to taste Bake your potatoes at 400°F for about 18 minutes; potatoes should be firm.

Set aside and let cool till they can be handled, then slice. There’s no need to peel them.

Place 1/2 Tablespoon butter in each mold of a muffin/cupcake pan, then a slice of potatoes, a pinch of salt and pepper, then cheese, scallions & fresh herbs. Repeat layers, potato, salt & pepper, cheese, scallions, and herbs until all cups are filled. Top each cup with another pad of butter; finish by drizzling each cup with 1 Tablespoon half n’ half.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until cheese is melted and potatoes are browned.

Alternatively, use The Prepared Pantry’s Idahoan boxed scalloped potatoes to make things go faster.

CHILI RELLENO CUPS Makes 18 chili relleno cups

For the Beef Mixture:

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1 pound extra lean ground beef or turkey 1 cup chopped onion 2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chilies 1 Roma tomato, diced 1/2 teaspoon chili powder or taco seasoning salt and pepper to taste 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar of Pepper Jack cheese, or combination of both, divided Prepare muffin tin by spraying well with cooking spray. In large pan, brown ground beef. Add chopped onion, diced green chilies, tomato, salt, pepper and chili powder. Cook until onions are tender. Remove pan from heat and stir in 1 cup shredded cheese. Divide mixture into muffin tins.

Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

For the Egg Mixture: 3/4 cup of non-fat milk 1/8 cup of flour 2 beaten eggs salt and pepper to taste 1 shake of hot pepper sauce sour cream fresh cilantro Preheat oven to 365 °F. Mix all ingredients until smooth. Pour over ground beef cups until each cup is topped. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until eggs are set and tops are golden brown.

Remove from oven and while pan is hot, run a knife around the edges of each cup to loosen. It’s best not to remove the rellenos until they have cooled. These freeze well. Serve immediately with sour cream and fresh cilantro.

CHERRY PIE CUPS For the Pie Crust 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes 1/4 cup ice water 1 egg 1 Tablespoon vinegar Mix the water, egg, and vinegar; set aside. In a food processor, combine the flour and the salt; pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds. (This process can be done by hand using a pastry blender). As machine is running, add water/vinegar mixture in a slow, steady stream. Mix until dough holds together, no longer than 30 seconds.

Turn dough out onto large piece of plastic wrap. Top dough with another

large piece of plastic wrap and roll until you have a large round flattened disk. Roll disk up and refrigerate overnight (or at least 1 hour). This dough can also be frozen for up to 1 month; when ready to use, thaw in refrigerator prior to rolling.

For the Pie Filling 2 bags pitted pie cherries (approximately 80 cherries or 2 pounds), unfrozen 1/2 cup sugar Juice of half a lemon 3 Tablespoons water, divided 2 teaspoons cornstarch In medium saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and 2 Tablespoons water. Bring to a boil and cook on medium low for approximately 15 minutes. As the mixture is cooking, combine in a small bowl 1 Tablespoon of water and cornstarch. Add the cornstarch mixture to the cherry mixture and bring to a boil once again. Remove

from heat. Place sheet of plastic wrap atop the cherry filling and allow to cool completely.

When ready to assemble cherry pie cups, preheat oven to 375°F and remove dough from refrigerator; cut circles of dough large enough to sit in muffin tin and come up the sides of each cup. The lid of a cottage cheese carton makes the perfect size circles.

Butter muffin cups and place dough in each. Add pie filling to top of cup; top each cup with more circles of crust (this time cut by using a drinking glass), or dough strips to create a lattice. Eggwashing the tops of each cup prior to baking will give a nice sheen. Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is crispy and golden brown.

To make these pies go a little faster, use The Prepared Pantry’s Justadd-water Pie Crust mix and the premade cherry filling.

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rosting that has more than one color is beautiful, and making it is surprisingly easy.

It's sure to make your cupcakes look like they came straight from a professional bakery.

It is also a great method of frosting cupcakes for the 4th of July.

There are a few methods to make multi-toned frosting. Pastry chefs use a spatula to pack one side of the pastry bag with one color of frosting, another side with a second color and then the last side with another color. Alternatively, they do this with two colors instead of three.

We thought that seemed a little tricky to make even swirls, so we filled two or three small pastry bags with different colors of frosting. We closed the ends with a twist-tie, snipped the ends, and placed the smaller bags into a larger pastry bag mounted with our favorite star tip. We closed the larger bag with another twist tie. When we squeezed the bag, we had a beautiful blend of colors.

To Make Flavored Frosting Regular buttercream frosting is good, but it's not great until you add flavor. Imagine luscious yellow and white swirls of lemon flavored frosting on a lemon filled cupcake, or how about caramel favored frosting over a Bavarian cream filled cupcake. Simply add one teaspoon of the flavor of your choice to your buttercream frosting.

Color your frosting according to the flavor with Americolor food coloring for bright, vibrant colors.

With the two-toned frostings, you might want to try mixing flavors.

Just don't get too crazy, as the flavors may not always go well together. Perhaps try cherry mixed with vanilla, or maybe banana

mixed with brown sugar. The possibilities are nearly endless.

as the other method, only it starts in the middle and swirls to the edge.

How to Form a Frosting Rose

With a star tip, the folds of the frosting lay over each other to form a perfectly placed flower.

Traditionally, when we frost cupcakes, we begin on the outside edge of the cupcake and circle around towards the middle. This creates a high mound of frosting with a curled tip. Today, we wanted to try something a little more delicate and elegant for some of our cupcakes; a rose.

Creating a rose formation on top of a cupcake is done exactly the same

Lightly dust the frosting with some sanding sugar, and your rose will sparkle.

Consider Using a Square Cupcake Pan This is one sure-fire way to catch the attention of your friends and family.

We've been having a ball with this

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square cupcake pan in our test kitchen.

It works well for not only cupcakes, but cheesecakes, brownies, cornbread, and even square dinner rolls.

Don't worry about the liners; round ones work just fine. With its weldedlink construction, this pan allows for better air circulation, and therefore a more even baking for each cupcake.

Our Favorite Buttercream Frosting We love buttercream frosting, and we've been experimenting with different types. We make our frosting from our buttercream frosting base, and we've found the trick to perfect consistency is to use half butter and half shortening.

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The shortening gives it a smooth consistency and keeps it from melting, but the butter maintains the luscious taste.

Try Making Patriotic Cupcakes Patriotic cupcakes are perfect for holidays like the Fourth of July and Memorial Day. They also make fun treats for scout meetings, or any other patriotic activity.

Simply swirl blue and red frosting on a white cupcake and sprinkle a few blue and red jimmies on top.

Or you can do red white and blue frosting like we did. You can get really creative with a star tip to make the frosting look like fireworks, or try poking mini flags in the cupcakes for a little more patriotic flair.

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