Chocolate Dipped Peeps? Yes, Please!

I have a confession.

In addition to be a lover of Cadbury Eggs and candy corn, I also love Peeps. (Hmmm, all my favorite candies and holiday candies…) 

Yes, those marshmallowy covered in sugar little creatures you can buy at Easter (and other holidays now too!)

There’s something delightfully ridiculous about marshmallow Peeps. They seem to usher in all sorts of childhood nostalgia, kicking off the season of Easter candy with pastel flair.

 As any experienced Peep connoisseur knows, Peeps are best eaten after they have dried out for a few days.  It makes them oh so nice and chewy. I have been known to open them and set them in the pantry for a few weeks and go back for them for an extra special treat.

What could taste better than a dried out Peep? A Peep covered in chocolate of course! I’ve seen tons of different ways to do it on Pinterest and even saw that you can buy them at your local superstore!  But those Peeps were a bit costly and most of the pictures I saw on Pinterest were only pictures. (A HUGE Pinterest No No!) So I decided to make my own and show you how!

The first step was to melt the chocolate.  I had a variety of different products on hand chips, melts and bark. They all work basically the same. I melt my chocolate in the microwave but a double boiler can also be used. If the chocolate doesn’t melt smoothly, try adding a little vegetable oil to it to thin it out. I went with the chocolate melts for this round. 

Then I just held the little guys by their neck and dipped away! After a nice warm dip in chocolate I sprinkled them with sprinkles! Set on wax paper to hard and THAT'S it! 

I've created this bag topper as a FREE printable for you. I used Ziploc brand sandwich bags and two stables and I have the perfect little gift for friends and family.  

Please be sure to read the Terms & Conditions of Use before using

 So do you think you will make these in the near future? After Easter Sunday, peeps will be on sale and I just might make a Spring Peep printable! 

Keep Chillin' Peeps!
Angee 

 

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Cooking with Cadbury Creme Eggs!

There are two kinds of people in this world: People who love Cadbury Creme Eggs and people who think we are crazy. 

Easter is just a hop, skip and diabetic coma away, which means it's time to inhale as many Cadbury Eggs as you can before it's too late! I however, have been known to buy them in bulk and freeze them so I can have them well into the fall.

These recipes call for those most delicious of all candy eggs, so they should help you consume Cadbury Eggs in massive quantities just in the nick of time. My teeth are aching already!

Cadbury Egg Donuts! Cadbury Eggs + Doughnuts = The ultimate in indulgence. 

Cadbury Egg S'mores? It makes perfect sense. People love their s'mores and they love their Cadbury eggs. Why wouldn't you put the two together?

Deep Fried Easter Crème Eggs are a deadly--and delicious--Easter treat!

 
Candbury Egg Chocolate Lava Cake is a gooey, rich chocolate lava cake with a Cadbury Egg surprise inside. You may want to skip dinner and head straight to dessert.

Cadbury Creme Eggs Benedict. It combines all of the excess of the savory dish, but in completely sweet form, comprised of stacks made of doughnut, brownie, melty Creme Eggs (complete with oozing yolk!), and a topping of rich frosting, all accompanied by a mound of fried pound cake to give the effect of side potatoes. It's a sweet egg-stravaganza. 

Get all 'gooey' this Easter and make these rich, delicious chocolate pancakes using classic Cadbury Crème Eggs.

 

Cadbury Egg Crème Brûlée! There are few things better than breaking into the sweet protective layer of a Crème Brûlée. But if the path to the creamy goodness beneath was to be impeded by a large object, then it might as well be a Canbury Egg! So grab a blow torch, and put on your fat pants. Instructions for Creme overload can be found here.

 

Make Cadbury Egg Fudge and indulge all you want but remember swimsuit is also right around the corner. 

Caramel Cadbury Egg Martini, because candy is much more fun to drink! Skip dessert and head straight for this chocolaty martini. You'll feel like you bit into a Caramel Cadbury Egg.

 

Cadbury Eggs Decoded! Finally, you can make Cadbury-style Creme Eggs at home any time of year. 

 

Bon Appetite! 

Angee

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FREE St. Patrick's Day Activities and Printables!

Top of the mornin' to ya!  Kiss me I'm Irish! 

So I have been telling myself, don't get caught up in all of the cute Saint Patrick's Day STUFF, you have never decorated or really celebrated the holiday in the past, you will be fine...but then I became an instant Yaya when my daughter got married and became a mother to the most precious little girl! 

 Roni Rose & Starr! My 2 favorite girls!

For me, the main goal on St. Patrick's Day, while attending Elementary School, was to make it through the day without getting pinched. I was curious how this tradition of pinching began, so I Googled, (where does pinching on st patrick's day come from) and got several different answers ranging from warding off Leprechauns to just a child's made-up game. If you know the real history (or have a good guess) of how it all started please enlighten me!  Also, for those of you living outside of the U.S., do children pinch on St. Patrick's Day where you live, or is this unique to the U.S.?  I'd love to hear about how/if you celebrate St. Patrick's day.  

Since my daughter was little, St. Patty's Day has turned into something bigger, a WHOLE LOT BIGGER! We will now have a tricky little Leprechaun that comes the night before (March 16th) and leave shamrocks all over the house. He will also turn the milk green and will use our potty before he leaves. We might even catch him in our Leprechaun trap! No leprechaun will be able to resist the shiny gold inside this glittery leprechaun trap.  And your little ones will be almost as excited as they were with their Elf on the Shelf waiting to see if they catch a real live leprechaun with their sneaky creation. And we just might play this St. Patrick's Day Path Game.

Here are a few of my new found FAVORITE decorations, activities and ideas for this Magicial Holiday! 

This 1st print is designed with words that children may typically associate with St. Patrick's Day...including pinching!  

 

These free St. Patrick’s Day party printable’s are courtesy of How Does She?  If you’re hosting a celebration this year you can easily print these out just in time for the festivities. Designed by Chickabug, this collection will set the perfect mood. Water bottles, Cupcakes, banners and more. 

 

Looking for great printable activities for kids? This is the perfect way to get your bunch excited about St. Patrick's Day...and to spread the fun around to others. It's a St. Patrick's Day version of getting Booed or Elfed! Treat bag toppers are included for your goodie bags, too. All items are free printables for non-commercial use only.

 

I'm so Lucky to Have You! Here are some fun little ideas you can give to your kids, your sweetheart, your kids’ teachers or whoever else you feel like giving a pot of gold to.  

Oh, the fun of St. Patrick‘s Day but oh, the the lack of decor with Easter right around the corner! If you are having a hard time trying to find any green decor with spoiled Easter eggs taking over the retail stores then HERE ya go! St. Patrick's Day Subway Art! 

 

These Candy Bar Wrappers would make adorable little treats for co-workers and/or loved ones!

You remember "cootie catchers" when you were growing up, don't you? Those origami fortune tellers that you'd play endlessly until all the fortunes were discovered! Well, here's the perfect good luck fortune teller/cootie catcher for St. Patrick's Day!

If you are looking for a fun St. Patrick’s Day Cupcake Idea then you have come to the right place. These Lucky Charms Cupcakes are just that!  

Having a party? This St. Patrick's Day party invitation template features a happy Irish leprechaun (is there any other kind?) and a fun green polka dot background. He'll definitely help set the mood for your St. Patrick's Day party. 

Looking for a quick and easy favor idea for St. Patrick's Day? What about a Pot O' Gold? Simply fill pretzel cellophane bags with some rainbow Twizzlers and gold foil-covered chocolate coins or Rolos, add a custom 3" tag, and call it done!

These St. Patrick’s Day papers are perfect of card making, digital scrapbooking and any other project you can come up with. 

For the adults, In case you're still interested in drinking some festive beer, but maybe aren't so much into dyed beer, just pop these labels on any standard beer for a festive refreshment. You get 3 labels: 2 round, one square and some neck wraps from Benign Objects.

Green not your color? Try these super fun R A I N B O W printables for St. Patty's Day! 

Finally this ONE awesome quote caught my attention and reallly captured my snarky attitude. I've made this 8x10 FREE printable for you to share! 

 And a little Irish nod to our Southern roots... 

  

For more DIY ideas, recipes and crafts visit my St. Patty's Day Pinterest board.  I hope you enjoy this holiday as much as I will. 

Please share your activities with me in the comments below!

Cheers!

Angee

 

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GNO Celebrating St. Patrick's Day

What’s girlfriendly about St. Patrick’s Day? Well, given that it tends to be a drinking holiday here in the U.S., not much, specifically. However, there’s nothing wrong with knocking back a few Guinness with your gal pals! If you have no plans for March 17, why not phone up a few girlfriends and meet them for a drink or invite them over for a quiet-or-not evening? I've scoured the web (mainly Pinterest, cause I'm still a Pinhead) for some other ideas to make your St. Patrick’s themed girls night just a little more special:

Green drinks (but not green beer)

Here’s a nice little illustrated blog post on Irish Beers so you can find them at your local liquor mart. And here’s a fabulous list of Irish/green cocktails to try.

Munchies that (sham)rock

Try serving this spread of green appetizers from YumSugar. Craving a blend of sweet and salty? Make a bunch of these pretzel-and-white-chocolate shamrocks for your girlfriends and watch them disappear! 

Irish I knew what to do…

Set the theme with some background music. The powerful, beautiful music of Celtic Woman makes a great backdrop for your Irish-themed celebration. A New Journey is one of their latest releases. You’ll enjoy hearing our girlfriend Siobhainn spinning some Irish tunes and chatting “round the kitchen table” with the ladies. An authentic Irish American experience! 

Plant clover with your girlfriends and you can each take home a pot of green to remind you of your fabulous friends. What better way to find a four-leaf-clover than to grow your own? 

The Luck of the Irish is for everyone on St. Patrick’s Day. Celebrate your good fortune together! Have your girlfriends complete this sentence: “I’m lucky because…”

Finally, Don’t forget to toast your girlfriends with an traditional Irish Blessing, perfect for any occasion!

There are good ships,
and there are wood ships,
The ships that sail the sea.
But the best ships, are friendships,
And may they always be.

May the hinges of our friendship never grow rusty.

I wish you the “luck o’ the Irish” this year as you celebrate with friends. And no matter where or how you celebrate remember the old Irish adage “Before you call for one for the road be sure you know the road.” Slàinte  I hope you find the pot of gold at the end of your personal rainbow. But wherever friends gather, you’re sure to find the treasure of friendship. 

Do you have tips on celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with your girlfriends? Tell me how you do it and I'll add it to my post!

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Are You Ready For Some Football

If you watch football at our house, don’t be surprised if there are massive amounts of yelling with the occasional projectile being launched towards the TV and LOTS of food!

Superbowl Sunday is right around the corner and what better way to watch the BIG game than to throw a football party for your friends and/or family? But, as with any party, you have to jazz it up with a theme!  But, gentlemen, potato chips and pretzels are not a theme. 

Here are a few recipe and décor ideas to lead you in the right direction when it comes to throwing a great ‘football’ party.

There’s nothing worse then going to a party that has terrible food, or lack thereof. Appetizers or a Food Bar are usually a good bet and you don’t have to plan anything complicated. Try several dips, such as Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip. (Angee’s Tip: Mix everything together in a crock pot and let it simmer on low for about an hour.), Guacamole, Crab Queso Dip,  and Jalapeno Popper Dip. You can even shape a few into footballs, like this Cheese Dip or Peanut Butter dip for those with a sweet tooth. 

Easy finger foods are great for guests to grab and go. Some of my favorites are: Ham & Swiss Sliders, Baked Jalapeno Poppers, and Stuffed Mushrooms. The same idea goes for dessert. Make things such as cupcakes (iced black and white with a toy whistle topper or team colors), cakepops, or cookies (cut in football shapes). 

Food Bars should be DIY and stocked with plenty of options. The sandwich, taco and chili bars are my top three favorites for entertaining. They are all easy to adjust to the number of guests.  

Drinks, whether you decide to provide them or have BYOB, require plenty of ice, soda, tea and water chilled in metal buckets. I always like to set out the ingredients for a signature drink where guests can mix their own. Try one of these football themed cocktails. 

No matter what you decide to do, you need a good game plan. A football game lasts over three hours, so it’s a good idea to make sure everyone can nibble as they want. 

For your décor, make sure there is football going on everywhere.  Whether or not you like to watch it doesn’t matter because it’s not your house anymore… it’s Football’s house now. Go to your local garden store and buy enough ‘turf’ (indoor/outdoor carpet) to cover your serving area and turn it into a football field using white paint. Serve chips or crackers in helmets or plastic megaphones, scatter pompoms and whistles all around. Add football picks to your flower arrangements. Display your utensils in recycled soup cans covered in brown construction paper to look like footballs. If you’re really crafty, or have a handyman in your life, build small bleachers to display your cupcakes. 

The most important tip of all is BE SAFE.  Get togethers are all about having fun, but it’s also a good idea to be responsible and make sure that your guests don’t leave under “inebriated circumstances.”

For more décor tips, recipes, and fun ideas, check out my Are You Ready For Some Football? board on Pinterest. 

Go team!

Angee

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