A Berry Easy Idea For Any Theme: Candy Coated Strawberries

These are always fun and a GREAT party food.  The best part is they are sooo easy to make, they just take a few simple steps.  Additionally, you can make a lot of chocolate covered strawberries for $10...FAR more than the dozen you can get on that commercial that comes out around valentines day! 

The ones in the picture are white and purple, but you can make any color combo you want. 

Step 1:  You want to start off with fresh berries.  Buy them the morning you plan to use them or the night before.  Strawberries can be fragile so you want to work with the freshest possible.

Step 2:  I use Wilton candy melts.  They are inexpensive, can be found at any craft store and walmart, and they come pre tinted in most colors.

Step 3:  You can microwave it but I find that a double boiler works best...well my version of a double boiler.  I use a Pyrex glass mixing bowl and place it over a small pot with very little water in it.  You do not want the water to touch to bowl, only the steam.  Put you candy melts in there until they start to melt and then mix them. Once they are melted you can turn the burner off.  You can always cut it back on if you need to. 

 If you are going to use more than one color you will need to repeat step 3 but use a different bowl and do not use your second color until your first color has cooled off and started to harden.

Step 4:  Dip your berries into the candy melt and then place it on wax paper. 

Step 5:  If you are doing more than one color wait until the candy hardens from the first dip and then repeat step 4 with your second color.

Step 6:  DO NOT PUT THEM IN YOUR FRIDGE until they are 100% hardened.  Your best bet is to make them the day you plan on using them and leave them out and put your leftovers in the fridge.  I have never had any issues with my berries by putting them in the fridge, but I have read enough blogs from people who have to know not do this until they are considered left overs. 

Some FUN color combo ideas: 

Red White and Blue for July 4th

White and Green for Christmas

Whatever your wedding colors are

pink and green for a baby shower

blue and yellow for a baby shower

the color of a flag for an international food themed event

Easter Cupcakes....SUPER EASY!!!!!

In an effort to make something cute for Easter I came up with this idea using a star tip for the eggs and a grass tip for the bunny.  You can use one for both.  It just depends on which one you have on hand and which you feel more comfortable with.

I used a basic butter cream icing recipe and tinted it some of it light green.

The Peeps are fixed on using a toothpick and the eggs are the malted eggs and they sit one there perfectly thanks to the icing. 

These were a HUGE hit last year!  I want to add that this was my first attempt EVER at decorating.

Tuna Noodle Casserole--Hello Childhood!!!!

There are a few dishes in our lives that never get old and always reminds us of when we were kids.  For me one of these classics is Tuna Noodle Casserole.  This is one of those recipes where you have to used canned food or it just doesn't taste the same.  I, however happen to feel that way about most casseroles.  After all, casseroles were probably the original fast food.  You are taking a bunch of ingredients that have already been cooked, adding a binder to it, and then topping it with something crusty and or cheesy. 

This Tuna Noodle Casserole is a good one to add to you line up of quick go-to's.  I like to make sure that I have stuff on hand at all times to make this because I never know when I will be in the mood for it.  However, the way I approach it is simple--you can change the shape of the pasta and what you top it with but you have to use the canned cream soup and canned sweet peas or it just doesn't taste right.  TRUST ME, I have tried! 

Ingredients:
2-3 cups uncooked pasta--I either use small mini pasta noodles or egg noodles, whichever I have.
1 can cream of mushroom soup--you can used reduced fat
1 can sweet peas, drained
3, 8oz cans of tuna fish packed in water NOT oil
1 cup of cheese--your choice
S/P to taste
Herbs of your choice
aprox 1 cup Crunchy topping of your choice.  Some favorites are french fried onions or potato chips.

Directions:
Cook pasta according to directions on package.
While pasta is cooking open up your tuna and peas and drain well.
Mix tuna and peas with cream soup and add about 3/4 cup of cheese  and add half of your topping and mix together.  You can add your s/p and herbs at this point as well.  **Options below**
Once the pasta is cooked drain and add to the mixture while it is still hot.
Top with remaining cheese and crunchy topping.
Bake in a 350 degree oven until bubbly and hot.
Let it stand for about five minutes and then serve it up!

***Options***
You can enhance the flavor of this dish by using different herbs.  You can use an Italian Seasoning Blend OR Herbs De Provance (sp).  Both bring something different to the party. 

This dish is not a low fat dish.  It is however a good one to have once in awhile.  After all, who doesn't want a big hug from their childhood every now and then :-)