American Flag Coasters

Materials:

American Flag Coasters

4-1/4x4-1/4 inch ceramic tile(s)
4x6 inch American flag(s) 
4x4 inch felt square(s)
Mod Podge
Mod Podge clear acrylic sealer
Scissors
Paint Brush
Ruler 

 

Directions:

- Carefully remove flag from stick taking care to damage as little of the flag as possible (I used a staple remover and scissors).
- Trim the flag in a straight line to remove the damaged fabric from removing the stick.  
- Measure 4 inches from the side of the flag with the blue and stars and cut off the excess (about 2 inches).
- Apply a thin coat of Mod Podge to the tile, center the flag on the tile, then coat thinly with Mod Podge. I had some trouble with my flags wrinkling as they dried so I just periodically checked them and carefully lifted a corner and smoothed out any air bubbles until they were completely dry.
- Apply two coats of Mod Podge clear acrylic sealer (waiting 15 min. between coats). 
- Measure and trim felt (if necessary) to 4x4 inches and affix to back of the tile (I used a hot glue gun). 

Flip it!

- I have made coasters using scrapbook paper and other fun fabrics!  
- You could print pictures and make coasters of family, friends, or pets!

Watermelon Slushie

 Recipe makes about 2 - 12 oz. servings

Ingredients:

4 cups frozen watermelon chunks

1 can Fresca (or other lemon lime soda)

Directions:

- Cut watermelon into chunks and freeze until solid; at least a few hours

- Blend can of Fresca and watermelon chunks in a blender until smooth

Flip it!

- Use any kind of your favorite frozen fruit that might be good with lemon lime soda!

- Use more or less fruit to make it taste more or less fruity!

4th of July Tin Can Windsock

 

 This project was super easy to make... the part that took the longest was waiting for the spray paint to dry!  I followed the directions below except I used I red ribbon instead of twine for the hanger and I used pre-cut fabric stars and attached with hot glue instead of stickers.  Fun, easy, and festive project!

Tin Can Windsock Tutorial 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons of half and half

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/3 cup flour

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Wilton's Chocolate Melts

Directions:

- Cream together butter and sugars.

- Add milk and vanilla.

- On a low speed gradually add the flour.

- Mix in 2/3 of the mini chocolate chips.

- Use a small (2 tablespoon scoop) to portion out bites.

- Place on a wax paper lined baking sheet.

- Freeze the bites for about an hour.

- Meanwhile melt chocolate melts according to package directions.

- Re-shape chilled bites into tight balls.

- Coat each bite with chocolate.

- If desired, drizzle additional chocolate on top and sprinkle with remaining mini-chocolate chips.

Flip it!

- Use sprinkles instead of chocolate chips to decorate!

- Use colored candy melts for different holidays!

Oreo Easter Bunny Cookie

Ingredients:

Wilton's White Melting Candies
Marshmallows
Pink Jelly Beans
Pink Colored Sugar Sprinkles
Black Edible Marker
Oreos

Directions:

- Cut pink jelly beans in half for the bunny's nose.
- Cut marshmallows in half, then dip the sticky part in pink colored sugar sprinkles
- Melt white melting candies according to the package directions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Dip each Oreo in melted candy and place on the parchment paper
- While still wet, add a jelly bean nose and marshmallow ears
- When completely hardened, use edible marker to make the eyes

Easter Basket Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1- 1 lb. package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• Colored sugar sprinkles
• 1 tub (12 oz.) whipped frosting
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• Green food coloring 
• Jelly Beans (I used Starburst brand)
• Licorice string
• Cooking spray

 

Things I did slightly differently:

• I made my dough balls about 2 Tablespoons each
• I used whipped frosting
• I added more green food coloring to the coconut to make it darker
• I used snack size Twizzlers Pull n' Peel so I didn't have to do any cutting (I was able to find pastel colors in the Easter section at Wal-Mart)

Link:Directions for Easter Basket Cookies

Butterfly Cupcakes

Directions:

- Prepare your favorite type of cupcake
- Frost each cupcake (I used a pastry bag to make the spiral)
- Take two mini pretzels and push them into the frosting at a slight angle, leaving just enough room to put the Mini M&Ms in the middle
- Gently place 4 Mini M&Ms of the same color between the pretzels for the body and a brown M&M just above the pretzels for the head

Tip:

- If you are having trouble finding the Mini M&Ms in the baking aisle, look by the candy at the check out area, they are usually sold in tubes there.

Flip it!

- Use any type of cupcake or frosting!

Easter Egg Wreath

Materials:

- Foam wreath (I used a 12" green foam wreath)

- Plastic Easter Eggs (I used about 60)

- Hot glue

- Matching ribbon

Directions:

- Glue Easter Eggs first around the inside of the wreath, then along the outside, then fill in the middle.

- Use  ribbon to loop around the wreath then tie in a bow to hang.

Flip it!

- Use a variety of different sized eggs!

- Mix in Easter grass or other fun decorations!

 

Easter Peep Candle Holder

 

Simply line up peeps around the edge of a vase and add a tea light.  

The key for me was not taking the individual peeps apart; just leave them together and they will stand up more easily!

I actually made this vase/candle holder by spray painting a red candle holder I got from Goodwill and added a vase (also from Goodwill) with transparent E6000 industrial strength adhesive.  I use it all year round to decorate by filling it with different things depending on the season or upcoming holiday!

Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt 
42 Peppermint Kisses

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes 
- Mix in egg and vanilla until well blended
- On a low speed, beat in flour, cocoa and salt until blended
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place on a non-stick baking sheet about 2 inches apart
- Bake for 12 minutes
- Meanwhile, unwrap the Peppermint Kisses
- If you want the kisses to melt down (as shown in the picture), press a kiss into each cookie as they come out of the oven.  If you want the kisses to maintain their kiss shape, wait about 3 minutes before pressing a kiss into each cookie.

Flip it!

- Try using peppermint extract instead of vanilla!
- Use your favorite type of kiss!  (I have found the Peppermint Kisses to only be available around Christmas time.)
- Roll each dough ball in sugar before baking for a glittery effect!

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients:

- Ritz Crackers
- Peanut Butter
- Wilton's Melting Chocolates
- Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

- Spread peanut butter across one cracker (as much or as little as you like) then add another cracker on top to create your cookie.
- Melt chocolate according the package instructions.
- Dip one half of each sandwich in the chocolate and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  
- Let the chocolate harden entirely (I put them in the refrigerator to speed up the process).
- Dip the other half of each sandwich in the chocolate to cover the rest of the cookie and replace on the parchment paper.
- Add sprinkles before the chocolate hardens if you like.

Flip it!

- Try Nutella instead of peanut butter!
- Try white instead of milk chocolate!
- Use different sprinkles depending on the occasion!

Salami, Feta, and Green Olive Appetizer

Ingredients:

8 oz. Salami
8 oz. Feta Cheese
36 Green Olives

Directions:

- Slice the salami into 36 slices.
- Cut the Feta into 36 cubes.
- Drain the green olives if necessary.
- Assemble the appetizer by putting one olive, one block of cheese, and one slice of salami on each toothpick.

Flip it!

- Use any combination of your favorite meat, cheese, and olives!

S'more Bites

Ingredients:

- Graham crackers
- Mini-marshmallows
- Wilton's chocolate melts
- Vegetable shortening (optional)
- Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

- Melt chocolate according to package directions.  If the chocolate seems too thick for your preference add a small amount of vegetable shortening until it is the desired thick/thinness.
- Break graham cracker sheets into fourths along the perforated lines and place on parchment paper.
- Dip half of a mini-marshmallow and place on a graham cracker fourth (the chocolate will "glue" the marshmallow to the cracker).  Repeat until you have 3 marshmallows on each graham cracker.
- Drizzle chocolate onto each cracker in your desired pattern.  I used a squeeze bottle which made this step very simple.
- If desired, add sprinkles before chocolate drizzle hardens.

Flip it:

- Make for any occasion by changing up the color of the sprinkles!
- Try using cinnamon graham crackers!
- Try using chocolate or other flavored marshmallows!
- Use any color or flavor of Wilton's melts to decorate!

Chocolate Cake Bites

Ingredients:

- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 1 tub chocolate frosting
- 1 bag Wilton's chocolate candy melts
- 1/4 cup shortening (optional)
- Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

- Bake cake according to package directions.  (I bake mine in two 9-inch round pans.)
- Let the cake cool completly.
- In large bowl, break up cakes into small crumbs (I use my hands).
- Mix in the frosting until all the cake is throughly coated.
- WARNING... this is going to get messy!  Portion out a heaping tablespoon (or your desired bite size) and roll into a ball.
- Place the bites on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
- Chill in the freezer for about 45 minutes.  If you don't have the freezer space I have just used the refrigerator for longer. 
- With about 10 minutes left of chill time, melt candy melts according to package directions.  I always add about 1/4 cup of vegetable shortening to make the chocolate a little thinner and more workable.
-  Remove from the freezer and reshape any messy bites into a tighter ball.
-  Using a skewer, dip the bite into the chocolate, tap off any excess, and replace on parchment paper.
- Once you have all the bites dipped, cover the skewer hole with a small amount of melted chocolate (this is what gives the dripped look).
- Let the chocolate cool just slightly and add the sprinkles if desired.
- Cool completely. 

Flip it!

- The same recipe can be used to make cake pops as well.  Follow the same directions, just dip a lollipop stick into the chocolate (this will "glue" the stick into the ball) then dip the ball into the chocolate, again tapping off the excess.  Stand in a glass filled with rice to dry (or something else to weigh down the glass so it doesn't tip)!
- Use any different combination of cake and frosting!
- Use any different color of candy melts for different occasions.  Dip in one color, drizzle in another!
- Use sprinkles to decorate for different occasions!

Southwestern Chip Dip

Ingredients:

1 package Trader Joe's Steamed Lentils (17.6 oz.)
1 container Trader Joe's Black Bean and Roasted Corn Salsa (12 oz)
1 bag Trader Joe's Organic Corn Chip Dippers
 (Feel free to use your own favorite variety of lentils, salsa or chips!)
 

Directions

- Mix lentils and salsa together... that's it!
- Serve with chips.

Flip it!

- Serve with tortilla chips instead of corn chips!
- Use as a filling inside a tortilla!