Easter Egg Coloring With Kool Aid

581855_524286950955004_516662018_n

2 env.  (0.13 to 0.16 oz. each) KOOL-AID Unsweetened Drink Mix, any red color (try Cherry, Black Cherry, Strawberry or Tropical Punch flavor)
2 env.  (0.14 oz. to 0.15 oz. each) KOOL-AID Unsweetened Drink Mix, any orange color (try Orange, Mango or Peach Mango flavor)
2 env.  (0.13 oz. to 0.23 oz. each) KOOL-AID Unsweetened Drink Mix, any yellow or green color (try Lemonade, Piña or Lemon-Lime flavor)
2 env.  (0.22 oz. each) KOOL-AID Unsweetened Drink Mix, any blue color (try Mixed Berry or Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade flavor)
1/2 cup  water, divided
1-1/2 doz.  hard-cooked eggs, cooled
MIX contents of 2 (same-flavored) KOOL-AID envelopes with 2 Tbsp. water in 6- to 8-oz. container; stir to dissolve drink mixes. Repeat in 3 separate containers with remaining KOOL-AID envelopes.
PLACE eggs on cooling rack in sink; rinse eggs with tap water.
SPOON KOOL-AID mixtures, 1 at a time, over wet eggs to create tie-dye patterns. Repeat with remaining eggs.
POUR a little tap water over each egg to set colors. Use tongs to transfer eggs to paper towel-covered baking sheet to dry. Rinse sink immediately as needed.
——————————————————————————————————————————————
How to Make Solid-Colored Easter Eggs
Pour contents of 1 envelope of each KOOL-AID color into separate 10- to-12 oz. container. Add 2/3 cup water to each; stir to dissolve drink mix. Use spoon to place 1 hard-cooked egg in each cup, keeping egg submerged until desired color is reached. Continue with remaining eggs. Let dry as directed above.
Special Extra
Place assorted rubber bands around hard-cooked eggs before dipping in cups of KOOL-AID mixtures; let dry completely before removing rubber bands. For a two-tone effect, dip the dry colored eggs again in a lighter-colored prepared KOOL-AID.
Substitute
Experiment with other KOOL-AID flavors for different color patterns.

Home Made Doggie Bisquits

d

These are a healthier choice for your doggie -doggie treats bought from a store are usually sent here from a foreign country that has no standards for what is put into the treats. Home made allows you to know what has been put into the recipe to keep your doggie from having chemicals and unhealthy leftovers from the processing of animal meat.

2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons dry milk
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 cups brown rice flour *
1 teaspoon dried parsley (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.

In large bowl, whisk together eggs and pumpkin to smooth. Stir in dry milk, sea salt, and dried parsley (if using, optional). Add brown rice flour gradually, combining with spatula or hands to form a stiff, dry dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface (can use the brown rice flour) and if dough is still rough, briefly knead and press to combine.

Roll dough between 1/4 – 1/2″ – depending on your dog’s chew preferences, – and use biscuit or other shape cutter to punch shapes, gathering and re-rolling scraps as you go. Place shapes on cookie sheet, no greasing or paper necessary. If desired, press fork pattern on biscuits before baking, a quick up-and-down movement with fork, lightly pressing down halfway through dough. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully turn biscuits over, then bake additional 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely on rack before feeding to dog.

* Brown rice flour gives the biscuits crunch and promotes better dog digestion. Many dogs have touchy stomachs or allergies, and do not, like many people I know, tolerate wheat.

Makes up to 75 small (1″) biscuits or 50 medium biscuits

Cookies Shaped Like Easter Baskets

150402_633368540010381_921416405_nUse your favorite sugar cookie recipe and divide cookie dough into at least four equal portions and use a separate food color to dye each section of dough.

Spray inside of mini muffin pan with cooking spray.

Place a small amount of dough into each well and bake according to your sugar cookie recipes directions but watching to make sure they don’t burn.

When cookies are removed from oven and while cookies are still warm make an impression into them with your thumb to make the inside of the basket.

Be careful to make sure you are not putting your thumb into a cookie that is too hot so you don’t get burned. When cookie is completely cooled pipe icing into the cookie well after you have removed cookies from mini muffin pan.

Place jelly beans, M&M’s, chocolate chips etc into the icing.

Sprinkle coconut if you like around candies that were inserted. At the end use a section of string licorice to make a handle for the basket.

Great for parties, kids school functions including bake sales and can be placed on small plates around a party gathering to provide a sense of Easter decorations.

St. Patrick’s Day “Lucky Charms” Cupcakes

537551_451625448243934_1125038107_nFound on Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/HolidayCentral

Lucky Charms Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 box white cake mix
3 eggs
¾ cup sour cream
¾ cup milk
1/3 vegetable oil
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup finely crushed Lucky Charms
(cereal pieces only, no marshmallows)
25 drops green food coloring

Marshmallow Buttercream
4 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup room temperature unsalted butter
1 (13 oz) container marshmallow fluff

Optional: Green sprinkles
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with liners.
In a large bowl blend cake mix, eggs, sour cream, milk, oil, and vanilla extract.

Mix in drops of green food coloring until desired color is achieved.
Mix in finely crushed Lucky Charms crumbs until combined.
Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full with batter and bake 18-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.
Take cupcakes out and let cool completely.

In a medium bowl beat room temperature butter with an electric mixer.

Add two cups of the powdered sugar, the vanilla, and the marshmallow fluff and mix until smooth. Continue to add the powdered sugar, a half cup at a time, mixing between each addition.
Pipe onto each cooled cupcake. Top with green sprinkles and a Lucky Charms marshmallow
(do not top with Lucky Charm marshmallow until ready to eat).

Tip: Marshmallow buttercream may become difficult to mix.
If it becomes too stiff, stop adding powdered sugar and finish mixing by hand.
–The Lucky Charms will get mushy and loose their crispness if they remain on top of the frosting too long before eating.

Magic Jelly Beans

555114_478480305534822_1906957858_nAs the weather gets nicer outside I am dieing to get out and garden. I found this great little planting treat on Face Book on $5-10 Dollar Meals- Cheap Eats. Grab a handful of Jelly Beans and plant them in the garden with your children. Have them water them thoroughly and talk to them about planting and how something that starts from seeds can grow and provide us with food to eat. Do tell them though that these Jelly Beans are a fun magical experiment and that if they plant them and nourish them carefully something might grow that they will love. In a couple of days after you see them watering and caring for their magical beans – when they are not looking – take the beans out and “plant” a huge lollipop. They learn something about the process of gardening, doing a little work pays off and may want to help more in the garden.

\