Fun Foodie Finds

Aren't these just the coolest little plates! Pop art Comic Appetizer Plates from cb2
only $2.95 each!

Frushi is what happens when you replace the “fish, seaweed and wasabi” with “fruit, sugar and yogurt”. Cantaloupe looks like pickled ginger when sliced paper thin and Blackberries look like fish roe when cored and quartered. You can filet a strawberry to look like fish (kinda). A 2-to-1 ratio of a flavored honey and apple cider vinegar makes a nice "glaze" that you can put on stuff to sweeten it up with a little something extra. Ginger Ale works to keep rice from sticking to your hands and knife. I CAN'T WAIT TO MAKE THIS FOR ROWAN'S BIRTHDAY PARTY NEXT MONTH!

This recipe will get you started:

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups water

1 cup uncooked sushi rice or other short-grain rice

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup light coconut milk

Dash of salt

Cooking spray

orange sections

fresh raspberries

1 (6-ounce) carton vanilla fat-free yogurt

Preparation
Bring water and rice to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until water is almost absorbed. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 15 minutes.Place rice in a large bowl. Add sugar, coconut milk, and salt, stirring gently until well combined. Cover and let stand 20 minutes.

Lightly coat hands with cooking spray. Divide rice mixture into 20 equal portions, shaping each into a ball (about 1 rounded tablespoon each). Lightly press each rice ball into an oval between palms; place ovals on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Top each of 10 ovals with 1 orange section, and press gently to adhere. Top each of the remaining 10 ovals with 2 raspberries. Cover and chill frushi until ready to serve. Serve with yogurt for dipping.

Makes 5 servings (serving size: 4 frushi pieces and about 2 1/2 tablespoons yogurt)
Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light.

Tuesday Tell All: Summer is Sweet

What are your favorite summertime treats?

We love watermelon

and Strawberries

and of course Popsicles
are a staple during the hot, hot Texas months
But my favorite summer treat isn't a
'treat' that you eat
It's our summer memories.

4th of July, vacation, time home with the kids, no school or homework, staying up late Late LATE, sleeping in (well, some of us), lots of swimming and playing in the sprinklers.
This year will consist of trips to Six Flags, The Circus, Movies, NRH2O, Rowan's 1st Birthday Bash and lots more. No fancy trips this year 'cause dad's in school. But lots of great activities to keep little ones busy. I remember the summer months best from when I was a kid. We'd play outside for HOURS on HOURS only coming home to refuel with drinks from the water hose. Having come from a big family (7 siblings) we didn't take fancy vacations but we would travel to Utah from Texas to visit our Grandparents most summers. I forged memories that will be with me forever from those wonderful trips. We'd play in the alfalfa fields and orchards, swing on the old tire swing across the ditch, eat root beer flavored popsicles and loads of fresh fruit. We'd stop to get cool water from the spring that trickled up from the old tree stump and celebrate July 4th & Pioneer Days with parades, rodeos, and sparklers. We'd eat picnic lunches from the tailgate of our old station wagon and play in the barn. (I always tried to stay far away from that mean black dog they had tied up there.) I could go on and on....

I can't wait for my kids to get old enough for camping trips and sleepovers and of course the illustrious trip to Disney World. Lots of memories in the making.

Does your family have a favorite summer treat....I'd love to hear about it.

Embellished Magnets

I found this great craft idea at The Little Window Shop though it's straight from Martha Stewart.

What you need to get started:
Decorative papers, such as wallpaper or wrapping paper

Paper punch (1 1/2 and 3/4 inches)

Flattened glass marbles

Sobo glue

Super glue

Magnets

Scissors

Pencil

Decorative Magnets How-To

1. Using a paper punch, cut out decorative paper rounds. Since the marbles are irregularly shaped, you may have to trim the rounds to match. You can also trace the glass marble onto the paper using a pencil and cut out the shape.
2. Using Sobo glue, affix the printed side of the paper to a glass marble. Let the glue dry, and press out any bubbles.
3. Using super glue, affix a magnet to the back of the paper. Let dry a few hours before using. Packaged in small boxes or tins, the magnets make wonderful gifts.

Super easy huh? Now go make ya some!

What I'm Wanting Wednesday

Aren't these just the coolest wall decals ever?

I found them here at an Etsy shop called Badass Custom Decals. I'm thinking the chandelier will look so good in my girl's bedroom! But, I can't decide between the other two for mine. I'm invisioning the tree with little mini framed pictures of the family hanging around it like a "family tree" ...whaddaya think?

It's My Little Sis's Birthday!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I just threw this together...hope you have a great Birthday! We'll celebrate tomorrow at our 4th of July Par-Tay!