Raspberry Lemonade Punch - Single Serving

I confessed my love for punch yesterday. Today I’m sharing a single serving punch that my boys and I like to drink every now and then. This is the glass of punch you drink when there is no party – you just want a little fizzy drink.

Here is what you need-

• Raspberry Sherbet or Sorbet
• Frozen Raspberry Lemonade Concentrate
• Water
• Ginger Ale

In a pitcher I make the Raspberry Lemonade according to the directions on the can.

Fill your glass a little more than half full with the lemonade. Then add a scoop (or two) or sorbet.

Top it off with Ginger Ale.

Stir it around and start sipping!

We love this little treat!

Enjoy,

Party Punch–Recipe

One thing I love about parties is the punch! Seriously – I don’t remember a punch I didn’t like. Growing up my Aunt Jane made the best punch ever (and now that I think of it – I am going to ask her for the recipe!!). I looked forward to her punch and drank so much my belly hurt.

So naturally, I always have punch at the boys’ parties. At Mason’s Pirate Party I made the usual party punch. I adapted and changed a few things from a punch I found in an issue of Taste of Home.

Ingredients:

• 4 quarts of water
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 2 package of cherry kool-aid
• 1 can of orange juice concentrate (thawed)
• 1 can of lemonade concentrate (thawed)
• 1 46oz can of pineapple juice
• 1 liter of ginger ale

In a sauce pan combine 2 cups of water with sugar. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove and stir in kool-aid. Add remaining water and cool completely. (I usually let mine sit in the fridge overnight and I also pour a little into a Bundt pan to make an ice ring!)

Then when the kool-aid mixture is cooled combine OJ concentrate, lemonade concentrate and pineapple juice. Just before serving add ginger ale and stir-stir-stir! You may have to stir it a few times throughout the party because the concentrate settles to the bottom.

It is the best punch EVER!

Enjoy,

Death by Chocolate {My Way}

Instead of birthday cake for Mason’s party I made Death by Chocolate. I figured it would be fitting for a pirate party – death and chocolate in one? Just what every pirate wants to hear!

You will L-O-V-E this if you are a chocoholic!

You Need:

• Chocolate or Devil’s Food Cake Mix
• Oil
• Eggs
• Water
• (2) Instant Chocolate Pudding Mixes
• Milk
• Cool Whip – thawed
• Caramel Sauce

First - make the cake according to the directions on the box in a 9x13 pan. After it is done allow to cool.

Make the pudding and only use 1/2 of the milk it says to use on the box. Place in refrigerator until the cake has cooled.

In the bowl or dish of your choice layer 1/2 the cake. I break it up into chunks using my hands. Next layer 1/2 the pudding and then half the cool whip. After that drizzle caramel sauce over it. Then repeat the layers again 1/2 cake, 1/2 pudding, 1/2 cool whip, caramel drizzle! Refrigerate until ready to eat!

This is an amazing dessert! Unfortunately only half of this dessert disappeared at the party and now I’ve been tempted to eat the rest! Please excuse the ten pounds I will probably pack on by the end of the week!

Linking up here-

Cake Cookies on a Stick!

Today is my birthday so I wanted to share one of my favorite ways to eat cake! I love these cake cookies and eating them off a stick makes them that much more fun.

I can remember the first time I ever had these. I was about 10 or 12 and I was up at my grandmas lake house in Lake Mills, WI. I fondly remember we used a few different juice glasses to press the cookies and achieve different designs on the cookie.

Did I mention that this was before the recipe for cake cookies was printed on the side of the Pillsbury box? Luckily for me I am now able to recreate this sweet treat and a childhood memory.

To make cake cookies on a stick you will need-

• Pillsbury Funfetti cake
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup oil
• Popsicle/craft sticks
• Frosting (optional)
• Flour
• Drinking glass

In a bowl combine the cake mix, eggs, and oil. Then stagger your popsicle sticks out on a greased cookie sheet.

Roll one inch circles of dough in your hands and place on the end of each popsicle stick.

Stick a glass in flour.

Then use to press your ball of dough out into a flat circle. Glasses with designs on the bottom work well too as grandma taught me.

When they are all flattened place them in a 375 degree oven for 6-8 minutes. These are like sugar cookies – they go from done to burned in .2 seconds so keep an eye on them!

When they are done pull them out and let them cool on the pan for one minute. If you don’t let them cool than there is a possibility the stick will poke through the cookie and your cake cookie on a stick will be a cake cookie with a hole in the middle (and no stick!).

After they cool for a minute remove them and do it all over again!

Now you can let them cool completely and then apply frosting or eat them just how they are. I did frost mine for Mason’s birthday party …. pictures to come!

P.S. – I said it was my birthday so I am offering 50% off in my party printable shop this entire weekend to celebrate! Head over to Snowcone and Lollipop Designs and use the code ‘BIRTHDAY’ for your discount!!

Enjoy,

Golden Graham Goodness!

Do you like golden graham cereal? How about peanut butter? Possibly M&M’s? Oh boy do I have a recipe for you!

My high school sweetheart’s mom used to make these! When he went away to college she would give me a plate to take (for him – not me!) when I went to visit him. I had to restrain myself from eating the whole plate on the 3 hour drive. I would put them in the back seat so I wasn’t tempted. Once I think I ate the whole plate four of them before I arrived.

His mother and I still keep in touch, so a few months ago I asked her for the infamous recipe. (Like I really needed this sitting in my recipe box and starring me in the face!)

Thanks for sharing the recipe Gayle – this post is for you!!

You will need –

• 6 cups of golden graham cereal
• 1 cup of M&Ms
• 1 cup of peanut butter
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup

Mix corn syrup and sugar together in a saucepan.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and boil EXACTLY one minute.

Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter.

Then pour over cereal and M&Ms.

Drop this delicious mixture by the spoonful onto wax paper.

Allow to cool and then store for later…. if you can resist the temptation!!

Enjoy!

I’m linking up here-

There's still time to host a Cinco de Mayo fiesta!

Today is Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for “Fifth of May”), and across America, there will be parties.

Though Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely win against the French at the Battle of Puebla, Americans have adopted the holiday as a good excuse to indulge in Mexican food and margaritas. If you’re hoping to host your own last-minute Cinco de Mayo fiesta, here’s how to do it the 15-Minute Party Planner way.

When time is of the essence, send a quick invitation via e-mail. There are a handful of great electronic invitation sites with Cinco de Mayo designs. Even quicker than an e-invitation?  Sending a quick text or making a phone call.  While not the traditional way to invite folks to a party, no one will mind a last-minute invite to a Cinco de Mayo party!

For quick and easy atmosphere, turn up the speakers on your computer and listen to the timely “Cinco de Mayo Party” station on Pandora, a free online radio service. As for decorations, raid your home for tablecloths, napkins, and dishes that mimic the Mexican flag, which is primarily green, white, and red.

When it comes to food and drink try easy appetizers like chips and salsa or guacamole. Serve margaritas, Coronas, or Dos Equis and indulge in Mexican food for dinner. If you don’t have time to cook it yourself, consider calling a Mexican restaurant to preorder take-out for tonight’s festivities.

Olé!

Preparing for Easter Brunch – Part 2

Well PHEW! I’m finally done preparing for tomorrow’s brunch. It has been a busy few days of cleaning, egg hunts, decorating, and cooking!

Easter Bunny Butt garland is hung - CHECK

Tissue Paper Poms are hung – CHECK

Eggs were dyed – CHECK

Then turned into Deviled Eggs – CHECK (Recipe HERE!)

Cracker Dip was made – CHECK (Recipe COMING SOON!)

Lemonade was made – CHECK (Recipe from Country Farmgirl)

Chairs were finished – CHECK (Check out the FULL post HERE)

Carrot silverware was rolled – CHECK

Cinnamon Bun Chex Mix is made – CHECK (recipe HERE from Crazy Daisy)

One Easter Egg Hunt down – CHECK (and one mega Hunt to go!)

Floors were mopped, walls were wiped free of fingerprints, toilets were cleaned, carpets were vacuumed, and only one egg was broken during during the creation of this post :)

Now I’m off to prepare the PW Sleepin’ in Omelette before I hit the hay. All I have to do in the morning is put the Sleepin’ in Omelette in the oven and make the Monkey Bread!

Enjoy!