Happy 4th of July!

We have a busy weekend ahead of us. A cookout tomorrow at my in-laws' and then my uncle's annual 4th of July shindig on Saturday. I made a Red, White & Blueberry Pinterest-inspired trifle dessert earlier this evening for tomorrow....

And I'll be making some food to take up to my uncle's in the morning. Then next weekend we have another family reunion to go to up at my mom's since my cousins from Berlin, Germany with be here on July 10th and will be staying for 2-1/2 weeks. They come to America to visit us every three years. I'm looking forward to seeing them again. 

We went to see some local fireworks last Saturday...

My little aspiring photographer took some beautiful pictures of the sunset with her iPod on the way to see the fireworks last Saturday. The sun looked like this huge orange ball in the sky that evening. She was trying to get a picture of it since it looked pretty cool....

We started getting some tomatoes within the past few days (yea!)

I found this picnic tablecloth at JoAnn's yesterday on clearance for a little over $3 (reg. $12.99). It has a zipper so that you can put it on a table with an umbrella. This is absolutely genius and I don't know why someone didn't think of this sooner! Love this....

My mother-in-law gave us a porch swing that she bought but never used. This has resulted in a project for my husband. He knew he would have to build a frame for it and was planning on putting it out in the side/back yard. But I said no one is going to want to sit way out there in the blazing sun. So he is putting it next to the patio in an area where the sun won't be anyone's face. It's also hard to grow much of anything there. We went to get the composite decking this afternoon from Lowe's and he's gotten the frame for the swing built and cemented in the ground so far. This will be so nice when it's all done and it takes care of where to put the swing and we'll be finally doing something with that corner by the patio.....

Here is my layout for the week which I finished up earlier today...

I used patterned papers, brads and a chipboard border from the My Mind's Eye My Girl collection, my Curvy Cutter & various circle punches, enamel dots, word stickers from K&Co, black soot distress ink, Thickers, and a Allison Davis sketch.

Well I hope you all have a safe and Happy 4th of July weekend ahead! I am keeping those in the path of Hurricane Arthur down in the Carolinas in my thoughts and prayers tomorrow. They're saying 100 mph winds and calling it a Category 2 Hurricane.

Til next time....

Pumpkin Spice Bars

 
I hope you all are having a pleasant Saturday afternoon. Just sittin' here with my husband watchin' our new favorite TV show on CMT - Top Secret Recipe. It's hilarious what the host of that show, Todd, will do to figure out a secret recipe. lol! It's a pretty sunny day out there today which is a nice change of pace from all the wind and rain we've been having these past few days. Those cold, rainy days were perfect weather for beef stew, Texas dinner rolls, and this recipe for Pumpkin Spice Bars. I almost forgot to post the recipe on my blog. Good thing I remembered before they were all gone. lol! This was the first time I've made these and they turned out really good. I used canned cream cheese frosting instead of making it from scratch since I didn't want to make a special trip to the store...

PUMPKIN SPICE BARS

1 pkg. spice cake mix

1 can solid-pack pumpkin (1-3/4 c.)

1 c. Miracle Whip (I used Kroger brand)

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour 13" x 9" x 2"  baking pan*. (I use a wee bit of the cake mix to flour the pan with). Beat cake mix, pumpkin, Miracle Whip, and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended - about 2-3 minutes. Pour into prepared pan. 

Bake about 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.

FROSTING:

1 - 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. butter (1/2 stick), softened

2 TBSP. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

3-1/2 to 4 c. powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Gradually mix in powdered sugar. Spread over cooled cake. Refrigerate.

*Variation: For sheet cake - bake in greased and floured 15" x 10" x 1" pan at 350 for 18 to 20 minutes.

Hope you enjoy and thanks for stoppin' by!

Pistachio Cake - a.k.a. Leprechaun Cake

T.G.I.F. Everyone! :) It was such a beautiful, warm, sunny day here today. I hope you all had a pleasant St. Patrick's Day yesterday. You could say that it's become tradition that I make this yummy, moist, and GREEN cake every year for St. Patrick's Day along with a big pot of corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots. I found this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine back when I was pregnant with B. She looks forward to when I make it and likes to call it "Leprechaun Cake" and says that "it's green, it's delicious, and leprechauns will probably eat it."

PISTACHIO CAKE

1 pkg. (18-1/4 oz.) white cake mix (with "pudding in the mix")
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) instant pistachio pudding mix
1 c. lemon-lime soda (Sprite, Faygo, etc.)
1 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional - I actually left them out this time and it still turned out delicious)

Frosting:

1-1/2 c. cold milk
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) instant pistachio pudding
1 carton (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed

In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Beat on medium speed for two minutes; stir in walnuts. Pour into a greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

For frosting, in a mixing bowl, beat milk and pudding mix on low speed for two minutes. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread over cake. Refrigerate about 1/2 hour before cutting. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 12-15 servings.

Hope you enjoy & that you have a wonderful weekend,

Lemon Pudding Dessert

We are enjoying a cold, yet beautiful, sunny day here. As promised, here is the recipe for my Lemon Pudding Dessert. I started making this delicious, cool and refreshing dessert many years ago after finding the recipe in a Taste of Home magazine. I've made it for countless family gatherings during the past decade, the most recent being for a New Year's Day family get together at my Mom's yesterday....

LEMON PUDDING DESSERT

1 c. (2 sticks) butter (I use Imperial)
2 c. all-purpose flour
8 oz. cream cheese, softened (I use Philadelphia 1/3 less fat)
1 c. powdered sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed (lite or fat-free)
3 c. cold milk
2 pkgs. (3.4 oz. each) Jell-O instant lemon pudding mix

In a bowl, cut butter into flour until crumbly. You may need to mix it a little with your hands - but don't overdo it.  Press into an ungreased 13" x 9" x 2" baking pan. Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes or until set. Cool.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in 1 c. Cool Whip. Spread over cooled crust.

In mixing bowl, beat milk and pudding mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Carefully spread over cream cheese layer. Top with remaining Cool Whip.

Refrigerate at least one hour before serving. I usually make this the night before.

Enjoy and thanks for stoppin' by! :)