Frosty Finger Food

     To me a serving amazing food is one of the most important details to hosting a great party.  It's actually one of the first things I do.  Coming up with a menu that best goes with the party theme can be a challenge but one I love to face.  Since it is a Frozen theme party with a winter wonderland feel, the foods needed to be white.  I placed everything on a white platter or bowl to stick with the winter wonderland theme.  

     For the Snow pops I covered a box with silver snowflake wrapping paper, put some floral foam inside to stick the pop sticks into, then topped with some pearl gum balls.  The snowflake bowls I found at Target.  

     As for the food cards, I created them on PicMonkey, had them printed at Office Max.  Then glued them to some snowflake craft paper.  The stands are just styrofoam balls that I cut into halves, spray painted white, dusted with plastic snow.  Then cut a small slit into the tops to put the food cards into.

Here's what we enjoyed....

Turkey & Peanut Butter and Jelly Snowflake Sandwiches

White Cheddar Cheese Snowballs

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Snow Trees

Snowy Cheese Ball with Ritz Snow Flurries

Ranch Snowflake Pasta

Snow Covered Pretzels

Icy Kisses & Warm Hugs

Snow Cake Pops

Sugar Snowflake Cookies

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Frozen Hearts

Powdered Donut Hailstones

Bottled Melted Snow

Glacier Water Punch

     It was a pretty simple buffet, kid friendly and so yummy!  Can't wait to show you all the fun we had at the party.  Check it out tomorrow!

Snow Pops

     One of the first things that popped into my mind when coming up with a dessert menu for the Frozen party was some sparkly sprinkly yummy white cake pops!  So that's what I made for all the little princesses.  They were a BIG hit!

Recipe adapted from Divas Can Cook

What you need:

Any flavor cake, prepared according to box (I used a White Cake mix)

Vanilla Frosting 

2 packages melting chocolates (I used the Wilton Bright White Candy Melts)

Cake pop sticks (I found these at Hobby Lobby)

White sugar sprinkles

How to make them:

Make the cake according to the box instructions and let cool completely.

Then add the cake to a large bowl.

Crumble the cakes until it resembles fine crumbs.

Add in the frosting a little bit at a time until the cake is moist and can hold a ball shape, yet still slightly crumbly.

Use your hands to incorporate the frosting into the cake crumbs.

Use a mini ice cream scoop or melon baller, scoop out some cake, roll and shape into tight balls.

Roll the rest of the mixture into tight balls and place on a plate or a mini muffin pan.

Melt 2-4 oz of the melting chocolate in a microwavable safe bowl.

Dip the tip of a cake pop stick into the melted chocolate then insert it into the cake ball about half way, repeat with the remaining balls.

Freeze for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the decorating supplies.

Melt the remaining chocolate in a large microwavable bowl or cup (30 seconds at a time on 50% power, stirring each time after you take it out ), make sure you have enough chocolate to complete submerge the cake ball.

Remove the cake balls from the freezer.

Dip the cake balls carefully into the melted chocolate until covered.

Let the excess chocolate drip off, swirl and tap gently if needed.

Add the sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet (if hardens quickly).

Stick the decorated cake pop into a styrofoam block to finish setting.

Place into the refrigerator to speed up setting time, if needed.

When completely harden, set out to enjoy.

Can cover with a clear treat bag and ribbon to hand out as gifts or store them in a single layer in an air tight container or freeze them.

Enjoy!

Baking with MeeMaw

     After our little trip to Austin we went back to a normal schedule living at mom's house.  Well, on this particular day, MeeMaw decided she wanted to try her hand at making cake pops for the kiddos.  It was her first time to ever make them, you think she would've had a recipe, but nope.  She thought she could figure it out.....well, probably not the best idea, but she was on the right track. I recently tried my hand at making some Watermelon Cake Pops for National Watermelon Day and they were quite easy.  At least her and Liam had a great time decorating and eating them, even if they did fall apart.

Little Camden wanted to try some too!

Another fun day at MeeMaw's, actually the last one of this visit.

We were heading back home the next day...

Happy National Watermelon Day

     Throughout the year I try to find fun holidays to celebrate with the kiddos.  August 3rd marks the day to honor the juicy watermelon on National Watermelon Day!  I, personally, am not a fan of watermelon, or melon, or honeydew, or cantaloupe as a matter of fact.  But it doesn't stop me from coming up with creative ways to enjoy a "watermelon," even if it's Watermelon Cookies like I made last year, or these yummy Watermelon Cake Pops I made this year.  

Recipe adapted from Diva's Can Cook

 ** I usually make all my cakes & frosting from scratch, but for these I used a boxed cake mix and pre-made frosting **

What you need:

Any flavor cake, prepared according to box (I used the Duncan Hines Limited Edition Holiday Velvets Cake Mixes) **
Vanilla or Chocolate Frosting (depending on the cake flavor, I used vanilla)
2 packages melting chocolates (I used the Wilton Green Candy Melts)
Cake pop sticks
Sprinkles



How to make them:

Add the cake to a large bowl.  (If using two colors as I did, you will need two separate bowls)
Crumble the cakes until it resembles fine crumbs.
Add in the frosting a little bit at a time until the cake is moist and can hold a ball shape, yep still slightly crumbly.
Use your hands to incorporate the frosting into the cake crumbs.
Use a mini ice cream scoop, scoop out some cake, roll and shape into tight balls.  (I also put some mini chocolate chips into the center ball to act as "seeds" for my Watermelon Cake balls)
If using different colors, roll a smaller ball in one color then using the other color cake cover the ball entirely forming one large ball.
Roll the rest of the mixture into tight balls and place on a plate or a mini muffin pan.
Melt 2-4oz of the melting chocolate in a microwavable safe bowl.
Dip the tip of a cake pop stick into the melted chocolate then insert it into the cake ball about half way, repeat with remaining balls.
Freeze for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the decorating supplies.
Melt the remaining chocolate in a large cup, make sure you have enough chocolate to completely submerge the cake ball.
Remove the cake balls from the freezer.
Dip the cake balls carefully into the chocolate until covered.
Let the excess chocolate drip off, swirl and tap gently if needed.
Add the sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet. (it hardens quickly)
Stick the decorated cake pop into a styrofoam block to finish setting.
Place into the refrigerator to speed up setting time.
When completely harden, either cover with a clear treat bag and ribbon to hand out as gifts or
store them in a single layer in an air tight container or freeze them...or
ENJOY one now!

     Last year was our first celebrating National Watermelon Day, here are the Watermelon Cookies I made last year!  Everyone was so impressed by them and they tasted really good too!

If you're looking for some fun facts about watermelons to baffle your friends, check it out here!

HAPPY  WATERMELON DAY!