The Simpler The Better!

Being creative doesn't mean you have to get uber-involved.  In fact, the simpler the better.  Most of my "art" has very few ingredients and is usually semi-homemade! 

For example, the Sunflower Cupcakes in the above post started as a basic chocolate cake box mix with sugar free chocolate pudding added to the batter.  (Yes, sugar free.... but I swear you cannot tell!)  The pudding doesn't change the flavor it just insures that your cake stays moist in the final product.  The frosting is cream cheese frosting with yellow food coloring.  Each sunflower center was created by pushing mini chocolate chip into the frosting with the points facing down.  If the points are facing down it helps keep them in place and it creates a flat effect.  For a little extra touch I added M&M's and mini gumdrops to look like little bugs sunbathing on the flowers!


Recently I celebrated the 4th of July like most, at a BBQ with friends eating, relaxing, and watched fireworks. With Labor Day weekend just a month away I wanted to post my Patriotic Strawberries! It was an idea I had seen on Pinterest and I must give credit where credit is due. Talk about a simple recipe, it doesn't get any simpler than this with only three ingredients. 

Ingredients List:

• Fresh Whole Strawberries
• White Baking Chocolate
• Blue Sugar/Sprinkles 

Directions:

1. Wash the strawberries and pat dry.  Make sure your strawberries are completely dry before you dip them in the chocolate.  (Alert! If any water accidentally touches the chocolate before you melt it, it will unfortunately cause the chocolate to burn instead of melt.)  
2. Melt the chocolate.  I chose to do it in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl at 30-45 sec intervals. Keep an eye on the chocolate because it burns very quickly! When it is thoroughly melted go ahead and dip the strawberries about halfway in.
3. Carefully pour the blue sugar on the bottom of the strawberry leaving a ring of white chocolate still showing. Let the strawberries set on wax paper until dry.  

Hints:

• I recommend melting the white chocolate a little at a time as well as completing the strawberries in small batches.  This is to ensure the chocolate stays hot enough to stick to the strawberries. 

• I also recommend pouring the sugar on as opposed to dipping the strawberries into the sugar for two reasons.  1. It keeps the sugar from getting wet and clumpy in the bowl and 2. When you dip the the strawberries in the sugar you lose the pointy look at the bottom.