July 4th Ideas

This recipe was created by a teenager too, not me, another teenager.

America's Independence Day (Fourth of July, July 4th) is coming up soon which means there's going to be a lot of red,white, and blue around here...along with fireworks! I'm going to have a great seat for the fireworks this year...in an airplane flying over our nation's capital on my way to visit Grandma!!!



There's no way I could make ALL of these desserts but here are some ideas...

Searched Pintrest for "Easy 4th of July recipes" and this image came up at least 6 times.

Amazingly impressive, but it takes some time.

Easy and great for kids of all ages, even if you're a kid at heart. 

I was recently interviewed on one of our family friend's blogs, Around the Table. The usual subject is family meal times, but this interview talks about our family at mealtime, chores, and how I started this blog. You should check it out!!!

 

GB2- God Bless, Go BAKE!!!

1 Step Orange Bread

Alright everyone, pay close attention to this post. I'm about to perform a magic trick! Are you ready? I'm going to make a loaf of bread without even using a hint of yeast, nope not even an ounce.  Do you think I can do it? Well, I did and lucky for you this magician shares her secrets...most of them.

Actually, to be technically correct this is from my Great-Grandmother Johnson and I assume she won't mind if I share her recipe with you all. 

The Ingredients
Notice the oranges picked fresh from our backyard! =)

For this trick, politely ditch the cards and get your whisker out.

It's starting to look like dough.

Try not to cut your hands. =0

Fresh orange peel!

And to make the trick look extra pretty throw in some orange slices. 

 I successfully performed my first "magic trick!" I've been having some fun with punny jokes lately, maybe a little too much fun. I really have to stop telling jokes like that because after awhile they aren't that funny. Anyway, I'll stop with my corny jokes and give you the recipe.

Adapted from: Great Grandma Johnson's recipe

Ingredients:
2 eggs beaten
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 T. melted shortening
2 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 cup nuts
1 grated rind orange
2/3 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:
Mix and put in greased loaf pan, let stand 20 min. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour, cool for 5 minutes. Pour on glaze, optional.

Glaze: (optional)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

In heavy quart sauce pan, mix glaze ingredients. Heat to boiling, remove from heat, cool no longer than 30 min (do not over cool, or else glaze will harden).

GB2- God Bless, Go Bake!

Red, White, and Blue Parfaits

Do you know that part of you, you know the adventurous part, ready to do anything at any time? The part that wants to jump out of an airplane or go skydiving...OR...that adventurous part that wants to make a parfait. Trust me it was exciting!

The Ingredients

We're on a roll here (no pun intended).

Plan B: I have no blueberry preserves in the house, so I mix up some stuff, and hope for a miracle.

This right here is a small miracle. When I'm in a rush (and hungry), I usually delete food items that I don't like and throw in what I do like into the recipe. The Results: Iffy.

This recipe was found in a Woman's Day magazine.
I used cream cheese instead of ricotta cheese.  It was a little strange, but I got used to the taste.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. blueberry preserves
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed
1/4 cup graham crackers crumbs
3 blueberries (garnish, optional)

Directions:
1. Combine cheese, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl. Spoon 1 Tbsp, preserves, 2 Tbsp. blueberries, half of the cheese mixture and 2 Tbsp. graham cracker crumbs into a parfait glass.
2. Repeat layers. Top with remaining preserves and blueberries.


I don't know about you guys, but I'd rather make this than go jump out of a plane, or I'd rather be a baker that tells the occasional punny/funny joke than go skydiving. 


In case you haven't noticed yet, I haven't posted anything in a week. =0 But I do have a very good excuse. I'm on a week(ish) long road trip and attended a wedding which was absolutely gorgeous, not to mention the scrumptious dessert at the reception!!! 

GB2 - God Bless, Go Bake!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Dessert

A couple of weeks ago my mother told me that my Philippine Lolo and Lola, where coming to visit us! But when you tell a girl someone is coming for lunch, then she'll usually ask why they're coming. And then when you tell her why they're coming, she'll usually ask when they're coming. And when you tell her when they're coming, she'll loudly declare that she must make a dessert. And when you tell her it must be a yummy dessert, she grabs her recipe, ingredients, and camera, and gets right to work. This is what happens when you tell a girl that her favorite (and only) Lolo and Lola our coming.

The Ingredients

Peanut Butter...the guest I gave this to HATES peanut butter,
but he was a good sport and finished everything on his plate.

This was by far the best part, for most of us that is. ;)

After a little convincing, we (finally) got him to eat it. Besides the occasional gagging when he got a big bunch of peanut butter, he loved it.

And when you tell people that they're going to be in a picture and they can
 make any pose they want to...they smile. At least most of the time.

In case you didn't get the little hints along the way, Lolo HATES peanut butter.

And of course when a girl is finished baking, she blogs about it...and shares little details about it too, like this is a perfect Father's Day dessert. It has lots of manly food like chocolate and peanut butter. Although it may be desirable for pregnant women too with all the chocolate involved!.

And here is the guide to making this, the recipe.

GB2- God Bless, Go BAKE!!!

Graduation Caps

Who would have thought that you could make such a cute
graduation cap out of candy?!?!
I think we have a new trend here!

Guess what? Did you know that there are some lucky people out in this world that are graduating? Yup this world...like there is any other world!?!? Anyway, what a great reason to celebrate after all of that hard work! (I finished junior high this year and I'm just a blink away from high school.) We should also celebrate the outfits too, I mean they are sort of cute and you only get to wear them once (or twice or maybe even 3 or 4 times) in a life time.  And why not make them once in your lifetime too, the edible version that is.

The Ingredients

Whoever thought that Reese's could make such a cute hat?
(No worries, I didn't know till about 24 hours ago either.)

My icing looks like a Hershey Kiss and my Reese's cup looks like the bottom of a cupcake.
(It's 10 P.M. and my imagination is...well, very unimaginable.)

You can tell I'm not a fashion adviser/color coordinator...I'm a baker,
although I wouldn't mind being a wedding coordinator one day.  I've already volunteered
to do the job for a number of people, but so far no takers.  I mean really, what's so scary about
a 14-year-old wedding coordinator? =)

Usually the stuff I make tastes better than it looks, but with this little creation it was the other way around. Prepare to be bombarded with ohhhs and ahhhs as you walk through the room with curious onlookers, wondering how on earth you made these.



Oh yes, and it might be helpful to have the recipe while making these. The recipe calls for any colors you would like to use, so I chose green because it was the graduate's school color and I added yellow and brown MMs because they seemed to match!

And because it's a special time of year, I have a special ending line...

God Bless, Go Bake, and God Bless the Graduates!!!

Proverbs 3:5,6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

This picture looks familiar, now where have I seen that before?

This is my third "chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bar recipe," but I'm still searching for the perfect chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars. Wait, hit the pause button please. Yes the one right next to play. I'm getting very tired of typing out chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars...it needs an acronym - CPBOB. Yes, I like that very much. Get ready to find out how to make CPBOB!

 I love it already. =)

The Ingredients (minus the watermelon in the background)

CPBOB is getting a makeover, actually I'm getting one too...

I'm getting glasses tomorrow!  8 )
That counts, right?

Tell me, what’s more fun that a humongous ball of dough?
They should sell these at the store, not sports balls, but CPBOBalls)

   A messy oven is a sign of productivity
 and I've been producing a lot in this oven the last few months! =)

Well, it's time to say goodbye to my 3rd version of chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars. I know some people out there must be sick of it, but me.... you can never get tired with these delicious ingredients. And who knows, third time's a charm right? But three is also a crowd. You know I might just have to make another CPBOB.

(Oh, and the picture above is just for fun.)

GB2- God Bless, Go Bake!!!

Butterscotch Blondies

.

A Mother-Daughter "Set Apart" weekend retreat.
 There was lots of good food and spiritual food as well!

Guess what? You know that thing that's been bugging me for awhile, you know...the thing. We're talking about the same thing right? Anyway, I don't want to say the word because I'm afraid I might catch it again. For those of you still don't know what the thing is, let's just say it rhymes with Driter's and clock. Do you know what it is??? But wait!!!! Don't say it because you might get it too, trust me you don't want it.

The Ingredients

Hold off with lubricating the pan, we're going to butter and flour it instead.

 

Pour the melted butter like a forecast of rain....I'm trying to come up with a metaphor.

Blondies go well with pretty much everything, especially blonde-haired people. Because this has become my official favorite practical dessert, I really like the fact that I'm a blondie eating a blondie, haha, get it?
That was really punny.

And here is the delicious recipe!!!

GB2 - God Bless, Go BAKE!!!