Root Beer Float Pie

This is a cool and refreshing pie to serve at your summer barbecue. Although I make this pie for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I found this recipe on www.thedomesticrebel.com and I have made a few adjustments to the recipe - starting with the graham cracker crust.

It is so simple to make!


Ingredients:

crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

7 tablespoons of melted butter

filling:

3/4 cup root beer

1/2 cup milk

1 small box of  instant vanilla pudding

1 teaspoon root beer extract

1 container (8 ounce) Cool Whip, room temperature

Directions:

First the crust must be made.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine the crust ingredients and press them firmly into a pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. If you have the time the homemade graham cracker crust really makes the pie awesome!

Tip: I make a ton of graham cracker crumbs in my food processor all at once and keep the extra graham cracker crumbs in a large jar so that I always have graham cracker crumbs in my pantry.

Let the pie crust cool completely. If you want to skip this step you can buy a graham cracker crust at the grocery store. No judgement here!

In a large bowl combine the root beer, milk, pudding and root beer extract. Whisk until everything is thick and combined. 

Tip: I found the root beer extract at both Michael's and Hobby Lobby in the cake/candy making aisle.

Once the mixture is thick and combined add the room temperature Cool Whip and stir until everything is combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust and put into the freezer for at least 8 hours or overnight.

After at least 8 hours in the freezer take the pie out and decorate with whipped cream and cherries.

I like to use the maraschino cherries with the stems.

The leftovers can be stored in the freezer! Let me know if you make this recipe! I make it all the time  because it is one of my family's favorite desserts!

Pineapple Cookies

I made these Pineapple cookies over a 2 day period. I made the sugar cookies on Saturday night.

I used the Williams Sonoma sugar cookie recipe.  But Todd wants me to change the recipe and use pineapple extract instead of vanilla. So I am going to try that next time I make these cookies and post my revised recipe.

On Sunday morning before we went Jet Skiing - I frosted the cookies with the green stems and pineapple in a golden icing.

When we got home I melted some chocolate and put it into a zipper top bag. I twisted the chocolate onto one corner and sniped off a teeny tiny hole. I made diagonal lines in both directions and added the little dot into the tiny squares. 

When we came home from 5 o'clock mass the cookies were set and I was able to stack them! 

Red, White and Blue Fruit Tart

Ingredients:

Crust:

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Fruit:

raspberries

blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the crust ingredients until it starts make a dough. Press the dough into a tart pan and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 12 minutes.

Once the tart shell comes out of the oven let it cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Then combine the filling ingredients with a hand mixer or immersion blender. Once the filling is smooth spread it over the the cooled crust.

Starting with the outside start the fruit design. 

Store the fruit tart in the refrigerator. Take the tart out 15 or 20 minutes before serving. 

To serve cut into pizza slice wedges. The fruit tart will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Happy 4th of July! And God bless America!

Red, White and Beautiful m&m Flowers

These little flowers are so cute on top of a cupcake or ice cream and they are also sweet little party favors when packagedphane bag.

Supply List:

Red, white and blue m&m's (purchased at Target)

Square shaped pretzels (purchased at Ralph's)

White choclate tabs (purchased at Micheal's)

Paper plates


Directions:

Set 5 or 6 prezels on a paper plate. Ser a white chocolate tab on top of each pretzel.

Microwave for 30 seconds. Then start making the m&m's into a flower design. Try to place all the m's face down.

These m&m's can be made in all different colors! They are so fun and easy to make.

Happy 4th of July! And God Bless America!

Felt Bumble Bees for Meals on Wheels

Supply List:

Yellow felt

White felt

Black felt

Egg or oval  shaped cookie cutter

Black Marker

Small black seed beads

Black embroidery thread

Yellow embroidery thread

Needle

Scissors

Directions:


Trace the egg/oval cookie cutter onto the yellow felt and curt out two ovals for each bee.

Then on the front oval use black embroidery thread to sew on two  beads for eyes then sew a smile and two lines.

Make a template for the wings and cut out one set of white felt wings for each bumble bee.

Cut super thin black felt strips.  Cut 1-inch pieces of the black felt strips. Each bumble bee will need two 1-inch pieces.

Set the wings between the two felt ovals and add the two pieces of thin black felt.

Thread the needle with yellow embroidery and using a running stitch start sewing around the yellow felt ovals making sure to adhere the black atenae. 

Once all the pieces have been cut it is super easy to sew everything togather. 

Bee Happy! Bee fun! Bee helpful!