Reeds

Ingredients

12 mini vanilla cupcakes baked in blue paper liners
1/4 cup granulated sugar
5 candy spearmint leaves
1/2 cup canned vanilla frosting
Neon blue food coloring
1/4 cup blue decorating sugar

Directions

1. Spring the granulated sugar on a clean work surface. Roll out the spearmint leave to a scant 1/4-inch thickness, using additional sugar as necessary to prevent sticking. For the reeds, cut the flattened candies into zigzag grass shapes with clean scissors.

2. Tint the vanilla frosting blue with food coloring. Spread the blue frosting on top of the mini cupcakes. Place the blue decorating sugar in a small shallow bowl and roll the edge of the cupcakes in the sugar. Insert several pieces of the cut spearmint leaves into the frosting as reeds.

Source:What's New Cupcake?, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010

Flamingos

Ingredients

12 mini vanilla cupcakes baked in white paper liners
1 cup pink candy melting wafers
12 thin pretzel sticks
12 large pink jelly beans
6 banana-shaped candies (Runts), halved crosswise
1/2 cup pink decorating sugar
1 cup canned vanilla frosting
Black food coloring

Directions

1. Line a cookies sheet with wax paper. Place the pink candy melting wafers in a 1-cup glass measuring cup. Microwave for 10 seconds to soften, stir, return to the microwave, and repeat until the candy is smooth. about 1 minute total.

2. For the necks and head, hold the end of the pretzel stick and tip the measuring cup; dip the stick into the melted candy to cover almost completely. Allow the excess candy to drip off back into the cup. Transfer the coated pretzel stick to the wax paper. Dip one end of a jelly bean into the melted candy and attach to the coated end of the pretzel at an angle to make the head. Repeat with the remaining pretzels and jelly beans. For the beaks, dip the cut ends of the halved banana candies into the melted candy. Attach to the other end of the jelly bean to make the beak. Refrigerate until set, about 5 minutes.

3. Spoon the remaining melted candy into a small ziplock bag; do not seal the bag. Reheat in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds if necessary. Press out the excess air and seal. Place the wing templates on a cookie sheet and cover with wax paper. Snip a small (1/8-inch) corner from the bag and pipe the outline of the wings, then fill in with melted candy. Tap the pan lightly to smooth surface. Repeat to make 12 sets of wings. Refrigerate until set, about 5 minutes.

4. Place the pink sugar in a shallow bowl. Tint 1 tablespoon of the vanilla frosting black with the food coloring. Spoon into a ziplock bag, press out the excess air, seal, and set aside. Spread the remaining vanilla frosting on top of the mini cupcakes, mounding it slightly in the center. Starting on the edge, roll the cupcakes in the pink sugar to cover completely.

5. Gently peep the chilled flamingo head assemblies and wings from the wax paper. Insert the pretzel stick all the way into each cupcake close to one side. Press the wings into each cupcake on either side of the neck. Snip a very small (1/16-inch) corner from the bag with the black frosting and pipe dots of fronting for the eyes and a line on the banana candy to mark the tip of the beak.

Source:What's New Cupcake, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010

I made these for my friend Travis' 22nd birthday at his house. He asked me to make him cupcakes for his birthday and of course I said yes! It was myself, Travis, Randy, and Jayson. They were actually really easy to make, not hard to all!

M&M's Miracle Cookies

Ingredients

1 egg
1 cup reduced fat creamy peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup M&M’S® MINIS® Milk Chocolate Candies

Directions

Place egg, sugar, peanut butter and vanilla in a mixing bowl and blend. Mixture will be stiff. Add M&M’S® MINIS® Milk Chocolate Candies. Drop by well-rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are brown. Remove from oven. Cool. Makes 24 small cookies or 18 larger cookies.

Source

Tasty Tuna Burgers

Ingredients

1 12 oz. can white tuna, drained
1 1 oz. packet dry zesty Italian salad dressing
1 tbs. lemon juice
2 egg, hard-boiled, chopped
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
1 8 oz. carton sour cream
6 kaiser rolls
6 slices Swiss cheese

Directions

In bowl, combine tuna, salad dressing, lemon juice, eggs, pickle relish and sour cream; mix well. Spread over bottom of rolls and place cheese slices over each roll. Place on baking sheet and broil just until cheese begins to melt. Cover with top of roll and serve immediately.

Source: Best Burger Cookbook, Mud Puddle Books, 2007.

Grilled Peaches

Ingredients

3 tablespoons white sugar
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons freshly ground black peppercorns
2 large fresh peaches with peel, halved and pitted
2 1/2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Directions

1) In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the white sugar, balsamic vinegar, and pepper. Simmer until liquid has reduced by one half. It should become slightly thicker. Remove from heat, and set aside.

2) Preheat grill for medium-high heat.

3) Lightly oil the grill grate. Place peaches on the prepared grill, cut side down. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the flesh is caramelized. Turn peaches over. Brush the top sides with the balsamic glaze, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer the peach halves to individual serving dishes, and drizzle with remaining glaze. Sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese.

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Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon Sugar Butter

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch salt
4 ripe peaches, halved and pitted
Canola oil
Mint leaves, for garnish

Directions

In a small bowl add the butter and stir until smooth. Add the cinnamon sugar, granulated sugar and salt and mix until combined.

Heat grill to high. Brush peaches with oil and grill until golden brown and just cooked through. Top each with a few teaspoons of the butter and garnish with mint leaves.

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Peach Cream Cheese

Ingredients

1/2 diced and peeled peaches
8 oz. package of cream cheese
1 tbs. powdered sugar

Directions (for peeling a peach)

1) Bring a pot of water to boil (enough to submerge the peach fully - see note).
2) Using a slotted spoon, dip peach for 30-45 seconds.
3) Transfer immediately to a waiting ice water bath (again, enough to submerge peach fully).
4) You should now be able to easily pull the skin off with your hands. Some people prefer to use a paring knife, but I prefer hands. 5) You can also give it a quick rub with a dishtowel or paper towel. If the skin does not come off easily, repeat the process.

Source

Directions (for cream cheese)

Start with 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature. Whip the diced and peeled peaches with the 1 tablespoon powdered sugar.

Source

Easy Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cup milk
2 - 3 cup fresh peaches, sliced
3/4 cup sugar

Directions

Mix together the flour, one cup of sugar, salt and baking powder; add milk. Pour in 8 x 12 inch glass baking dish. Mix peaches and 3/4 cup sugar and pour over batter. Bake 45 minutes in 350 degrees fahrenheit. Serve hot or cold, with ice cream, if desired.

Source: The Best Basic & Easy Recipes of Savannah, Dixie Post Cards & Souvenir Sales, 2000.

We went peach picking this passed weekend an we got so many peaches! We need ways to use them all before they spoil!