Rich Chocolate Sauce

Over brownie sundaes, ice cream, cakes, etc.  Homemade chocolate sauce is SO much better than any store bought brand I have had.  It is easy to make.  It also makes a great holiday gift!  This is NOT FUDGE SAUCE--this is runnier and thinner than your typical fudge sundae sauce.

Image from Here.

1 cup cocoa

1 cup sugar

2  12 oz cans evaporated milk

½ c. butter (1 stick)

4 tsp vanilla

-In medium sauce pan, whisk all ingredients over medium heat.  Simmer for 3-4 minutes.  Set aside to cool.  

-Store in glass mason jars in refrigerator. Reheat before serving.  This keeps for quite awhile in the fridge--all that sugar :)

**Vanilla Ice cream, peppermint crumbles, and this sauce are a great combo!

 

Bike Cake...and Birthday Party

FOR THE PARTY

Bike Races

Ride around in dirt/hills

Wash bikes

Teach how to fix flat tire

Teach how to put chain back on

Set up a bike scavenger or treasure hunt

FOR THE CAKE

9x13 chocolate cake

Create "hill" with cake scraps skimmed off top to make cake flat...

Frost with Dream Whip Pudding Frosting (use Chocolate Pudding)

Crush Graham Crackers for "sand" look

Crush Keebler Grasshopper cookies (or Oreos) for dirt mountain

PINK Tea Party

Tea Parties are always lots of fun for girls (and my boys like them too--although not a "pink" themed one!).  Get creative and have fun with your food and table settings.  Below are some menu/decor/favor ideas.

Menu Ideas:
Carrot Cake Squares with Pink Cream Cheese Frosting
Mexican Wedding Cakes with Chocolate glaze
Fruit Kabobs (strawberries/watermelon)
Raspberry yogurt covered pretzels
Mini cheesecakes with berry topping
Green Salad
Mini Nilla Wafers
Mini Blueberry Muffins
Ham and Cheese Puff Pastry Spirals
Blood Orange Soda from Target

Decor:
pink flowers
pink table cloths
pink, clear, and white dishes
pink bows tied on glasses
pink napkins

Favor:
Cellophane bag filled with pink items such as: notebook pen, stickers, calculator, nail file, twizzler nibs, etc

Dress attire: Pink!

Candy Bar Present

This is an idea that can be versatile for anything from birthdays to Christmas to a fun Thank you. Simply take a king-sized candy bar and wrap it in fun paper embellishing in any way you wish.

Birthday Bike Cake

Cakes can be rather intimidating...but this is a SUPER forgiving child's birthday cake and it tastes great!  I love Dream Whip frosting.  If you've never used it, it is tasty and fluffy.  It has more of a similar taste/texture to whipping cream.  

We made this for my son's 5th Birthday party. For the party, the boys' spent a couple of hours riding their bikes in the dirt and on paved roads. We also had a few races!

9x13 chocolate cake

Create "hill" with cake scraps skimmed off top to make cake flat...

Frost with Dream Whip Pudding Frosting (use Chocolate Pudding)

Crush Graham Crackers for "sand" look

Crush Keebler Grasshopper cookies (or Oreos) for dirt mountain

Birthday Money

                            This came from my mother-in-law for my son's birthday. Such a cute idea!

Oreo Cupcakes

Sometimes you just need a picture to inspire!

I love looking at beautiful cupcakes.  This is so simple yet fun.  This is also a post to let everyone know that I don't always make "EVERYTHING" from scratch.  It is kind of funny to find out what people think goes on in my kitchen sometimes!  

If you have never used Dream Whip, it is AWESOME.  I basically only use two kinds of frosting:  Cream Cheese, and Dream Whip.  I love how light and fluffy the Dream Whip Pudding frosting is.  Warning:  It does take a LONG time to beat, so make sure you follow directions as stated on box which is 4-6 minutes.  There are several different recipes on the box, so make sure you use the "Fluffy Frosting" recipe that calls for  instant pudding.  I also use this to make vanilla frosting or any kind you'd like.  You just vary the pudding flavor.

Betty Crocker Double Chocolate Muffin Mix

Dream Whip Fluffy Pudding Frosting using chocolate instant pudding 

(used ziploc bag--cutting corner tip--to dispense frosting)

Oreo garnish

(Cut Oreo's in 1/4ths using a serrated knife and zest or grate for oreo crumb dusting)

Kid Birthday Party Favor

This is such a great idea for a Party Favor!