Simple Patriotic Foodie Designs

I wanted to share some ideas for adding fun and creativity to your holiday weekend!

My husband is retired from 20 years of military service, and our home is decorated in red, white & blue....all over the place.  Here's just a peek..

I have been given many nice things also. 

I love dressing up food for patriotic holidays too. (It's just a 'given' for this 'Better' Baker I guess!)

This is a simple idea I did a couple of years ago.

I baked a cake mix in a 9" X 13" pan, placed it on a cutting board and after frosting, I used small jelly belly jelly beans to make a flag.  A long pretzel rod makes for a good flagpole.  I used gel in a tube to make the USA.

Give it a try.....or a salute! 

(Hubby and I both get 'decked out' for these special holidays too, and when I've gone into church with my r,w & b scarf, earrings and purse, one of the dear older ladies salutes me. How fun!)

I've also baked a brownie mix in a cookie sheet or a pizza pan - it takes about 13 - 15 minutes to bake.  I topped it with a cream cheese/whipped topping mixture, then decorated with berries.  You can either make the star outline with blueberries or strawberries.  I added some glaze to the berries for one of these fun presentations.

Star Spangled Brownies 

ENJOY A FABULOUS WEEKEND OF FUN, FOOD, FELLOWSHIP AND FREEDOM!

Linked to Ingredient Spotlight - Strawberries

Weekend Potluck

Lemon Curd Bars

Three in One Recipe Day!

Three versions of a lemon bar - take your pick!

I had never tried lemon curd before now, but will definitely try it again!

A friend gave me a jar of it and so I used this easy recipe that I found at allrecipes.com for Lemon Curd Bars.

It was wonderful!! 

The lemon curd is tangy but not as much as I thought it might be...it made some awesome and tasty bars.  Good enough to share!

This recipe was quick and easy to make.

I easily mixed 4 simple ingredients - patted 2/3 of it in the bottom of the pan - covered it with the lemon curd, then added coconut and toasted almonds to the remaining crumbles, sprinkled it over the top and baked.

Soo....if you don't have lemon curd, but are hungry for some lemon bars, check out my dear friend Angie's recipe - at A'lil Country Sugar for Best Lemon Bars in the World, using everyday ingredients from your kitchen. I've made them too and they were truly OUT OF THIS WORLD!

This is my picture of them...I ran out of powdered sugar =(

LEMON CURD BARS

1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 (10 ozs) jar lemon curd
2/3 c. flaked coconut
1/2 c. toasted and chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 375. In large mixing bowl, cream the butter. Add flour, sugar and baking soda.  Mix until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Pat 2/3 of mixture into the bottom of a 9" X 13" baking pan (ungreased). Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove and let cool slightly. 

Spread the lemon curd over the baked layer. To the remaining 1/3 of crumb mixture, add the coconut and almonds.  sprinkle over the top of the lemon curd.

Lower temp to 350. Bake bars for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Enjoy every yummy bite!

I'm guessing if you want a different flavor, you could use any favorite jam instead of the lemon curd.  The crust is buttery and so delicious. 


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After I had this post typed up, I saw my sweet friend Betsy's recipe for Three Layer Lemon Bars at My Five Men .  This recipe has been a 'hit' (in the top #3!) at some linky parties so be sure you check it out also.  YUM-OO!!!!

Linked to Full Plate Thursday
Wonka Wednesday

Quick 'n' Easy Peanut Butter Chocolate Candy Pie

I saw this recipe on a calendar by Taste of Home and knew I would have to try it.

5 SIMPLE INGREDIENTS!!!!

(How could you possibly go wrong?)

Not long ago, my husband's siblings got together.  Hubby is the 5th of 10 children - 2 passed at a young age, and both parents were deceased before the age of 50. This group is close knit and they appreciate each other and the gift of life itself.

These local siblings love to get together a few times a year.  It's always a great night of fun, hilarious laughter, game-playing (Outburst!!), reminiscing and of course food.  (We ARE Baker's after all!)

I had had a busy day that day, and so I needed to make something quick to take along. (Beside my yummy egg salad sandwiches).

I had leftover peanut butter cups from cookies I'd made for a bake sale, so this was a great way to get them out of the pantry, and not (have) to eat them all myself!

This pie whips up in just a few minutes and only has to chill 15 minutes before cutting.

I know this is going to be a go-to dessert for me whenever I'm in a rush.

And everyone loved it.

I changed this up a little by doubling the pudding amounts, because I wanted a thick(er) pie.

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE PIE 

1 pkg. (6 ozs) mini peanut butter cups
1 cup cold milk
1 4-serving size instant chocolate pudding mix (I used sugar free...
(I know....there's candy in this pie, but it still cut back on the sugar...and you could use sugar free candy if you wanted - Reese's now makes sugar free peanut butter cups) 
1 8 ozs. tub frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 chocolate crumb crust (8")

Cut four peanut butter cups in half; coarsely chop remaining cups and set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft set.  Fold in whipped topping.

Fold in chopped peanut butter cups.  Spoon into crust.  Arrange halved peanut butter cups on top. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Yield: 8 servings.

THIS IS WHAT I DID: I mixed 2 sm. pkgs. of pudding with 2 cups of milk; folded in whipped topping. Before adding candies, I took out 1 cup of pudding (for later) then poured the candy-laden pudding into the crust.

Something to remember...sugar free pudding has a softer set

Linked to Melt in Your Mouth Monday
                    Sweets for a Saturday

Slow Cooker Chicken Mess

I was excited to find this (another!) delicious recipe from Lark's Country Heart.  She posts recipes weekly at a Lincoln County Central website.  See the recipe here.

This dish is easy and wonderful. As Lark says, this is what she would call a 'pantry meal' as you should have what you need in the pantry to make it - besides the chicken.

I love easy meals like this one!

And as you already know, I love cream cheese too.  For me, this is a fantastic combination of flavors.



This dish reminds me of poppyseed chicken, so I added the almonds on top.  I also served it over chicken flavored rice, just because I had a box that needed to be eaten. 

It was wonderful!

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN MESS

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 (8 ozs) sour cream

1 (10.5 ozs) can of cream of chicken soup

1/2 c. milk or water

1/4 c. finely diced onion

1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms (I used canned)

2 Tb. margarine

1 (8 ozs) cream cheese, cut into small cubes

salt & pepper to taste

4 c. cooked rice

Saute onions and mushrooms in butter until tender. Place chicken, sour cream, soup, milk and seasonings into slow cooker. Add sauteed veggies.  Stir until well coated. 

Cook on high for 4 hrs. or low for 6 hrs.

When there's 45 minutes of cooking time remaining, stir in cream cheese cubes.

To serve place cooked rice on plate and top with chicken mixture, then sprinkle with nuts if desired.

Linked to Whatcha Crockin' Wednesday

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*Note: you can use cooked noodles in place of rice if desired.

Linked to Whatcha Crockin' Wednesday

Kansas Cucumber Salad

credit: La Grande's Farmer's Market

Tis the season for fresh veggies...

and this is my favorite thing to do with cucumbers.

We found them recently on sale for 50 cents each - and they were large ones!

Hope you enjoy this quick and easy salad.  We eat it up quickly.  I also love serving it on top of fresh chopped tomatoes. The sauce goes great with that combination.

I've been making this recipe for many years, and think I found it in a Taste of Home magazine.  

Enjoy every crunchy bite!

KANSAS CUCUMBER SALAD

1 c. (lite) mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

1/4 c. sugar (I use Splenda)

1/4 c. vinegar

1/2 tsp. dill weed, optional

1/2 tsp. salt, optional

4 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced (4 - 5 cups)

3 green onions, sliced

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, dill and salt.  Add cukes and onions; toss. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. 

Yield: 6 - 8 servings

For variety - use half mayonnaise and half sour cream.

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Linked to Melt in Your Mouth Monday

Everyday Sisters Sharing Sunday

Gooseberry Patch Roundup

Gooseberry Patch Roundup - Picnics & Potlucks

GBP Roundup - Farmers Market Favs

Weekend Potluck