Category: Recipes

4th of July Rice Krispie Pops

Post author By vickybarone
Post date June 23, 2016
1 Comment on 4th of July Rice Krispie Pops

This post contains affiliate links. If purchased, I will receive a commission.

4th of July Weekend is almost here! To celebrate the red white and blue, we made some tasty treats. These Rice Krispie Treat pops are dipped in melted chocolate and decorated with patriotic colors! Here’s how to make your own:

Supplies: Rice Krispie Treats (you can buy these from the store, but homemade are SO much tastier!), candy melts in white, blue, and red, wax paper, a cookie sheet, Ziploc sandwich bags, and striped paper straws.

The supplies above contain affiliate links. If purchased, I will receive a commission.

Directions:
1. Melt candy melts in the microwave (each color in its own bowl) according to directions on package.
2. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.
3. Insert paper straws into each Rice Krispie Treat.
4. When the chocolate is melted, dip a Rice Krispie Treat into one of the colors. You may need to use a spoon to spread the chocolate onto the Rice Krispie Treat. Set on wax paper and dip the next treat until all are covered.
5. Scoop the remaining chocolate into Ziploc bags and cut one corner. Squeeze the chocolate out of the bags in a zig-zag or striped pattern on the treats!
6. Let the chocolate harden (you may need to pop these in the fridge for a few minutes!) and serve!

You can find even more 4th of July treats and DIYs right here. And don’t forget to follow Vicky Barone on Instagram!

Tags 4th of july, america, candy melts, DIY, memorial day, patriotic, recipe, red white and blue, rice krispie treats, rice krispies

Recipes

Boozy Lemonade Slushies

The weather is finally heating up and we are finding the most delicious ways to cool down. Today we’re sharing a frozen lemonade drink that requires just TWO ingredients…

If you’d like these drinks to be kid-friendly, then they’ll only require ONE ingredient!

Here is what you’ll need:
– Bottled lemonade. You can make it fresh if you’d like, but we bought a bottle of Simply Lemonade to make it easier (plus it’s delicious!).
– Vodka. We used plain vodka, but try flavors like blueberry, cherry, or raspberry!
– An ice cube tray (or two!).
– A blender.
– Lemon slices, paper umbrellas, and paper straws to garnish.

Directions:
1. Pour lemonade into ice cube trays and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.
2. Remove lemonade cubes from tray and place in blender.
3. Add vodka to your liking! (This step is optional!)
4. Blend.
5. Garnish.
6. Serve!

So deliciously refreshing. What are your plans for the Summer? We’d love to hear!

Tags boozy, cocktails, drink, drinks, ice cubes, lemonade, summer

DIY Recipes

Sand Castle Cake

Post author By vickybarone
Post date May 31, 2016

Happy Tuesday and welcome back from the long weekend! Memorial Day may be over, but we want to keep these Summer vibes going with a beachy dessert! This DIY Sand Castle Cake is a breeze to put together and can be customized so many different ways!

Ingredients: 2 boxes of white or yellow cake mix, one container of vanilla frosting, one sleeve of graham crackers, and four round cake pans in varying sizes (we used 9″ 8″ and 6″).

Directions:
1. Combine cake mixes, one box at a time. Pour into cake pans two at a time. Bake according to directions.
2. When the cake is cool, place the largest layer onto a cake plate and cover the top with frosting.
3. Add the following layers of cake from largest to smallest, spreading a generous amount of frosting on each layer.
4. Place graham crackers in a sturdy Ziploc bag. Use a rolling pin or a glass jar to crush the crackers.
5. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs onto all frosting that is visible to create a “sand” look.
6. Finish with paper umbrellas!

(We had a little umbrella-happy assistant help us with this one 😉 )

You can even make an entire beach scene! Gummy peach rings make great inner tubes, and Teddy Grahams make great beach-goers! The possibilities are endless. How will you decorate your Sand Castle cake?

Tags beach, cake, DIY, sand castle cake

Recipes

Red White & Blue Dessert Kabobs

Post author By vickybarone
Post date May 27, 2016

Happy Friday! We have the perfect dessert to share with you today, just in time for Memorial Day weekend! These red, white, and blue dessert kabobs are super easy to put together, so delicious and festive, and about 50% healthy. 😉

Ingredients: wooden skewers, donut holes, marshmallows, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries.

Directions:
1. Wash all fruit and pat dry.
2. Cut strawberries in half (this is optional, but a few full strawberries on the kabobs make them pretty heavy).
3. Add the berries, marshmallows, and donuts to the wooden skewers creating a pattern of red, white, and blue!
4. Enjoy!

We hope you all have a wonderful, fun, safe, and happy Memorial Day weekend!

P.S. We are hosting a giveaway on Instagram! Check it out and enter to win a framed mini canvas!

Tags dessert, donuts, fruit, marshmallows, memorial day, memorial day weekend, recipe

Recipes

Frozen Sangria

Post author By vickybarone
Post date May 25, 2016

The weather is finally heating up and it feels like Summer is right around the corner. We know exactly what we’ll be sipping on the next few months…Frozen Sangria! You only need TWO ingredients to make this deliciously refreshing treat! Here is how to make your own…

Ingredients: a bottle of sweet wine white (we used Moscato), and a bag of frozen mixed berries.

Directions: Mix ingredients in a blender, adjusting the portions as necessary to create the consistency you prefer. Serve in glasses with pretty straws and beat the heat!

Doesn’t it look gorgeous? We can’t wait to make this super simple recipe all Summer long.

Enjoy responsibly! 😉

Tags cocktail, frozen, sangria, slushie

Recipes

Happy 10th Birthday, Cooper!

Post author By vickybarone
Post date May 17, 2016

I can’t believe my first boy is 10. Meet The Cooper Dog (Cooper T. Dog Esquire). He is my first boy. My fur baby. He hangs out with me all day and keeps me company. He has been featured on a number of my cards and is generally a good sport whenever there is a treat involved. Those big brown eyes pretty much know exactly what I’m thinking. He’s quick with a kiss and a cuddle and tries to sit on my lap because he thinks he’s a small dog. He knows when I’m feeling down and won’t leave my side if I’m hurt or need comfort. He is my very best friend.

As is tradition, I made Cooper a doggie birthday cake to celebrate! Here is the recipe I used if you’d like to make one. I also created personalized cake toppers (and his little birthday hat sticker!) using Places for Faces!

Happy Birthday, buddy! I love you with all my heart!!

Tags Birthday, cake doggie cake, cooper, cooper dog, happy birthday cooper, places for faces

Recipes

Funfetti Fudge

Post author By vickybarone
Post date April 15, 2016

It’s Fri-YAY! To celebrate, we whipped up a batch of Funfetti Fudge! This recipe is super simple to throw together and the end result is a decadent treat you won’t want to put down.

Ingredients:
1 14oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup Funfetti cake mix
2 cups white chocolate candy melts
sprinkles

Directions:
1. In a microwave safe mixing bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, the cake mix, and the candy melts.
2. Put bowl in microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat until smooth and candy melts are melted.
3. Line an 8×8″ cake pan with aluminum foil. Spray with non-stick spray (optional).
4. Gently fold in sprinkles and immediately pour into the cake pan.
5. Top with more sprinkles.
6. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Cut into squares, or bite-sized pieces and enjoy!

We hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Check us out on Instagram and let us know what you’re up to!

Tags affiliate links, dessert, fudge, funfetti

Recipes

Chocolate Dipped Fruit Pops

Post author By vickybarone
Post date April 12, 2016

Are you experiencing April showers today too? Spring’s return has been lovely, but we can’t wait for the May flowers to arrive! While you’re inside experiencing rainy days, we have a chocolaty snack recipe you can make in no time…

Ingredients: fresh fruit, candy melts, and lollipop sticks.

Directions:
1. Clean and dry the fruit. Peel and cut bananas and kiwi into 1/4 inch slices. Remove stems from strawberries.
2. Insert lollipop sticks into fruit.
3. Melt chocolate candy melts in the microwave according to directions.
4. Dip each piece of fruit into the melted chocolate and place on a wax paper lined baking sheet.
5. Place baking sheet in the fridge for 15 minutes to set chocolate.
6. Enjoy immediately!

What a sweet way to combat those rainy day blues! Enjoy!

Tags cake pop sticks, chocolate, dessertsd, dipped, fruit, fruit pops, recipe, snacks