Sprinkle Your 4th With Red, White, and Blue!!

Many of us are heading off to a 4th of July bar-b-que this weekend and trying to think of something to bring to the celebration of our country's birth. If you're like us, you want to think of something no one else will think of to bring to share in the festivities. Here are a few easy WISE IDEAS to sprinkle your holiday!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Ingredients:
12 ounce bag of white chocolate chips
Strawberries
Blue sprinkles, blue sugar, or edible blue glitter

Directions:

1. Melt 12 ounces of white chocolate chips in a microwave according to the package directions (make sure the container and berries are dry; even a little moisture will alter the texture of the chocolate.

2. One at a time, dip strawberries into the chocolate and then into the blue sprinkles, sugar, or edible glitter.

3. Set them to harden on waxed paper.

*This recipe is from the  Disney's Family Fun website.

Rice Krispy Treats

 Ingredients:

3 table spoons of butter

1 package (10 oz.) of marshmallows

6 cups of Rice Krispies

Blue and red M&M's

Red, white, and blue sprinkles

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add cereal, M&M's, and sprinkles. Stir until well coated

3. Using a buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into a pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into squares.

*This is the original recipe from Rice Krispies with a little twist.

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Ingredients:

12 ounce bag of white chocolate chips

1 Bag of large pretzel sticks

Red, white, and blue sprinkles

Directions:

1. Melt 12 ounces of white chocolate chips in microwave or on stove top.

2. Dip pretzel in melted chocolate a little less than half way.

3. Roll in sprinkles and set on wax paper to harden.

Red Velvet Cake Pops
Ingredients:

1 box (18 ounces) of Red Velvet cake mix

1 box (3.4 ounces) of chocolate pudding mix

4 eggs

1 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cream cheese frosting

12 ounces of white chocolate

Red, white, and blue sprinkles
24 sticks or long toothpicks

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray one 13X9X2 sheet pan or two 8 in. or 9 in. round pans with vegetable pan spray

2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water and oil; beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake 30-35 minutes for round pans; 35-45 minutes for sheet pan, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling grid and cool completely. Divide cake in half, freeze on half for future use.

4. In a large bowl, use hands to crumble cake until no large chunks remain. Add icing; mix with fingers until well combined. Form mixture into cake balls. Chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours.

5. Melt chocolate; dip sticks into melted chocolate and insert into cake balls. Let them harden. Wait until candy is completely firm before dipping into chocolate. The dip in sprinkles and let them harden.

*This receipe is from Wilton.

   If you don't have time or don't enjoy baking, you can purchase 4th of July Tootsie Rolls and Tootsie Pops and put them into cute red, white, and blue little buckets.

All of these recipes are quite a hit with children, and adults, too. We hope everyone has a save and happy 4th of July!