More Cookie Cutters!

It's the end of August, which means 3 things: it's the best part of summer, autumn is peeking around the corner, and the holidays are soon to follow suit. Some think that making sugar cookies in pretty shapes and colors is an event only for the holidays, but there are many occasions and reasons to make these delicious and FUN treats. Birthdays (mine is coming up at the end of September FYI), movie night, girls night, televised sporting events, the season premier of your favorite show, or a season finale, or my fave...JUST BECAUSE!!! So here are a few (or more) ideas for your cookie making pleasure. in the next post we will be talking about different ways to decorate your cookies, as in icings, glazes, sugars, etc. Then we'll bring on the cookie recipes!

My personal FAVORITIE, these Doctor Who inspired cookies, can be made using a few different holiday's cookie cutters. For the Angels you can use a Christmas angel cookie cutter, and for the Tardis a Dreidel cookie cutter comes in nice and handy, just trim the top a bit and you have a light on top of your Police Box :). Then just decorate. The ones above are decorated using glaze to get the high gloss and fine details.

 These just look like a ton of fun! Sailor Jerry Tattoo inspired Cookie cutters. You can definitely be sure MOM wants one with her name on it!

 Pacman! Or Ms. Pacman, depending on how you decorate them ;)

 Cookies shaped like other sweet treats are fun too! decorate these like your favorite cupcakes!

 Who doesn't want a Yoda shaped cookie?

 Star Wars has a few sets of different cookie cutter shapes. These are best decorated with glaze. These cutters have the details inside of them that get embossed onto the cookies and makes for easier decorating :)

 Cookies for your favorite causes? Pink ribbons are a must in October!

 I would have loved this one for my Aveda graduation!

 What's cuter than a turtle? Or a lobster? ( I might make a Lobster Mobster cookie...)

Cool DIY Cookie Cutter Idea - Check out the rest of the site as well!

DIY Sakura Blossom Cookie Cutter Instructions! <--Click me!!!

You can decorate this cute Sakura Blossom this way or make up your own decoration ideas! The sky's the limit! Have fun!!!

Easy "No-Bake" Colorful Chocolate-Pistachio Angel Food Cake

Easy "No-Bake" Colorful Chocolate-Pistachio Angel Food Cake

• YIELD: 12 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 large (9- or 10-inch) angel food cake
• 3 (3.4 oz.) boxes instant pudding (1 chocolate, 1 vanilla and 1 pistachio) 
• 3 cups milk
• 1 (8 oz.) container whipped topping
• 1/2 cup crushed pistachios
• 1 small jar maraschino cherries drained with or without stems (optional)

Preparation

• Slice cake into 4 horizontal layers.
• In separate bowls, whisk each pudding mix with 1 cup milk. Place a cake layer on a serving platter; spread with one pudding. Repeat with two more cake layers and remaining puddings. Top with final cake layer, wrap and chill.
• The next day, remove plastic wrap from cake. Frost with whipped topping and sprinkle with pistachios. Garnish with maraschino cherries, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Red White and Blueberry Fourth of July Cupcakes

 Red, White and Blueberry Fourth of July Cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 package French vanilla cake mix
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups (about) small fresh blueberries, divided use
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar or to taste
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 roll red-colored fruit snack or fruit leather (red vine licorice works well too :))

Preparation:

Soak dried cherries in hot water for 15 minutes to plump. Drain thoroughly, then dry with paper towels. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-size muffin tin with foil or paper muffin cups.

Combine cake mix with applesauce, eggs, and water, mixing on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase to medium speed and beat another 2 minutes. Fold in cherries.

Divide batter evenly into 24 paper-lined baking cups. Drop 5 blueberries on top of the batter for each cupcake. Do not mix or press the blueberries into the batter.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool to room temperature on wire racks before proceeding.

Beat cream cheese with confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Spread frosting on tops of cooled cupcakes.

Using remaining blueberries, stud cupcakes with blueberries in rows (for stars) over the upper left quarter of the cupcake.

Cut the roll of fruit leather snack into strips 1/8 inch wide and 2 inches long. Place red fruit strips across the remainder of the cupcake surface in rows (for stripes) over frosting. Refrigerate to set frosting.

These are fun for the kids to decorate for 4th of July, Flag Day, or Memorial Day.

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Rainbow Popsicles!

This is a healthy alternative to sugary or corn-syrupy frozen treats, these pops are sweetened with real fruit juice!

Ingredients

3 ounces of limeade for the white layers on top and bottom (Simply Limeade has a delicious all natural version of this fruity drink!)
¾ ounce white grape juice; with red food coloring added (red layer)
¾ ounce orange juice with orange (red+yellow) food coloring added (orange layer)
¾ ounce pineapple juice; with yellow food coloring added (yellow layer)
¾ ounce white grape juice; with green food coloring added (green layer)
¾ ounce white grape juice; with blue food coloring added (blue layer)

Directions

1. White layer -pour ½ ounce of limeade into each cavity; allow to freeze completely.
2. Red layer - pour ¼ ounce white grape juice into each cavity directly onto the limeade layer; allow to freeze completely.
3. Orange layer - pour ¼ ounce orange juice into each cavity directly onto the red layer; allow to freeze completely.
4. Yellow layer - pour ¼ ounce pineapple juice into each cavity directly onto the orange juice layer; allow to freeze completely.
5. Green layer - pour ¼ ounce white grape juice into each cavity directly onto the pineapple juice layer; allow to freeze completely.
6. Blue layer - pour ¼ ounce white grape juice into each cavity directly onto the green layer; allow to freeze completely.
7. White layer - Remove popsicle maker from rfeezer and place on a flat surface. Pour remaining limeade into each cavity until you reach the fill line; allow to freeze completely
8. Remove the pops from popsicle maker and enjoy! 

There are tons of different size and shape ice pop molds to choose from and in many different price ranges. These are a good idea for summer sleepovers, pool parties, or everyday snacks!

Rainbow Jell-Oh!

                             ~ How to make Rainbow Jell-Oh! ~

You'll need one small box of Jell-o for each color you want... so in this case, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. And one large tub of cool whip.

Prepare purple (or whatever color you want on the bottom) Jell-o as directed, using the "quick chill" method, meaning add some ice.  Pour Jell-o into glasses, (or a 9'x13' baking dish sprayed lightly with cooking spray), reserving about 1/3 of the liquid Jell-o.  Put glasses, or dish in the refrigerator and chill for 15-30 minutes, or until slightly set.  Mix about 1/3 cup of cool whip into the remaining purple Jell-o.  Pour the Jell-o/cool whip mixture on top of the slightly set purple Jell-o already in the glasses (or dish). 

Repeat process for each color.

I've seen recipes that use sour cream, or yogurt in place of the cool whip, so feel free to do that if it saves you a trip to the store  =)

Once set, top with some additional cool whip and sprinkles if desired.  

[Other Serving Suggestions]