Happy Independence Day!

Here are some yummy treats we've made to celebrate this special day!

Red, White & Blue Firecracker Cake:

Ingredients:

• 1 box white cake mix (plus ingredients on the package)
• Red food coloring
• Blue food coloring
• Container of white frosting

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325 F. Generously grease a fluted tube cake pan or a bundt cake pan. 
2. Make cake batter as directed on box.. 
3. Pour 1 cup of the batter into small bowl; stir in red food color until well mixed. 
4. Pour another cup of the batter into separate bowl; stir in blue food color until well mixed.
5. Pour the red cake batter into bottom of pan. Now pour the remaining white batter over the red batter in the pan. 
6. Carefully pour blue batter over white batter. 
7. Bake as directed on box. Cool cake. 
8. Place cooling rack over cookie sheet. Turn pan upside down onto cooling rack. Cool cake completely, about 30 minutes.
9. When the cake is cool, divide the frosting evenly into three microwave-safe bowls. Microwave one bowl of frosting uncovered on high a few seconds until smooth enough to drizzle over cake. 
10. With a spoon, drizzle all of white around the cake in a striping pattern. 
11. Repeat microwaving second bowl of frosting until smooth. Stir in a few drops blue food color until well blended. Drizzle over cake, scattering frosting back and forth. 
12. Repeat with remaining bowl of frosting and red food color, making sure red, white and blue frosting's can be seen on the cake. 
13. Let cake stand at room temperature until frosting is set before serving

Red, White & Blue Layered Dessert:
 

Ingredients:

• Angel Food Cake (mine was pre-made/store bought from the bakery at our local grocery store)
• Whipped Topping 
• A box of vanilla pudding mix 
• Fresh strawberries (cut up into smaller pieces)
• Fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. Cut up the angel food cake into small square pieces. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the dry package of vanilla pudding mix with the whipped topping. Mix until well blended. 
3. Place a layer of the angel food cake squares into the bottom of your see-through dish. Next place a layer of fresh fruit. Top with a layer of the whipped topping mixture. Repeat layers.
4. Keep cool until you serve.

"Hamburger" Cupcakes:
 

Ingredients:

• 1 box of yellow cake mix (plus ingredients on the package)
• White frosting
• Green, yellow, and red food coloring 
• Chocolate frosting 
• Poppy seeds

 Directions:

1. Bake the cupcakes according to the directions on the package. 
2. After the cupcakes come out of the oven let them completely cool before frosting. 
3. Cut the cupcake in half horizontally. 
4. Divide the white frosting into three small bowls. Mix the green food coloring into one of the bowls of frosting. Mix the red food coloring into another one of the bowls of frosting. Mix the yellow food coloring into the last remaining bowl of white frosting. 
5. Using a knife spread the brown frosting onto the bottom top half of the cupcake (to look like a hamburger patty....see picture above). 
6. Drizzle the red frosting (to look like ketchup), the green frosting (to look like lettuce) and the yellow frosting (to look like mustard) on top of the brown frosting. Place the top half of the cupcake back on top. 
7. Using a small amount of melted butter or cooking spray lightly coat the top of the cupcake and sprinkle on the poppy seeds. 
8. Keep in a cool place until serving.

"Grilled" Brownie Cupcakes:
 

Ingredients:

• Boxed brownie mix (plus ingredients on the package)
• White frosting 
• Black food coloring 
• Red or orange sugar sprinkles 
• Caramel Creams
• Mike and Ike's candies 
• Toothpicks 

Directions:

1. Spray the cupcake pan with cooking spray. Fill the cupcake wells with two-thirds full of the brownie batter. Bake according to the directions on the box. Let brownies cool. 
2. In a small bowl, mix two drops of black food coloring with 1/4 cup white frosting. Transfer the frosting to a small baggie and cut a small section from the corner. Pipe grate lines onto each brownie. Let cool/set for about 20 minutes. 
3. Sprinkle the sugar sprinkles over the grate lines. 
4. Prepare the grill food as directed and place on top of the grill when done....
1. Kebabs: Mike and Ikes cut small and skewered with a toothpick 
2. Pork chop: a caramel cream, molded with fingers and black food coloring applied with a toothpick (for grill marks)
3. Hot dogs: a red Mike and Ike candies (could also use Hot Tamale candy) and back food coloring applied with a tooth pick (for grill marks)

Patriotic Wind Sock:

Materials:

• Red or blue construction paper
• Glue stick and/or stapler 
• Red, white, and blue ribbon 
• Silver star stickers
• Whole punch
• String, ribbon, or yarn  
• Scissors

Patriotic Yarn Wreath:
 

Materials:

• Floral wreath
• Red yarn
• White yarn
• Blue yarn
• white felt (for the stars)
• Hot glue (to glue the stars on the blue yarn)
• Ribbon (to hold the wreath up) 
• Scissors 

Firecracker Treats:

Materials:

• Construction paper (red, white, and blue)
• Metallic stars (I got mine from the Dollar Tree)
• Red, white, and/or blue tissue paper 
• String 
• Candy (to put inside)....we used tootsie rolls, Hershey kisses, and mints
• Glue stick or stapler
• Hot glue and glue gun (to glue the cone on top)
• Scissors