Mini Root Beer Float Cupcakes

With so much excitement going on, I haven't created a true "Gourmet Mom-on-the-Go" treat in awhile--Let's get back to what I do best!
Today we whipped up some super easy
Mini Root Beer Float Cupcakes

I don't drink, but I LOVE shot glasses! I use them for all kinds of things! I've used them for Pomegranate Soup, Sweet Potato Sorbet, use them to serve shots of bisque as an appetizer, put veggie sticks in them & serve on an elegant platter, you name it!

Votive holders work well, too. They're cheap (lots of places have them for 25 cents) and look elegant. They were perfect for these little sweet treats!

Mini Root Beer Float Cupcakes
Makes 32
Ingredients:
1 pkg. Betty Crocker Vanilla Cake Mix
1 Tbsp. Root Beer Extract (in the spice aisle w/ the other extracts)
1 can Root Beer (you can use diet to cut the sugar)
Creme Roulee wafer cookies
Vanilla Icing (storebought or your favorite recipe)
Red Mini Gumballs (or M & M's or other red candy)
Clean votive candle holders or shot glasses
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 1 Tbsp. root beer extract in 2 C. measuring cup (you'll have extract left over for another batch!:)). Fill cup with Root Beer until it reaches 1 1/2 C. (you'll have just a taste of root beer left in your can). Add to cake mix and stir well. No eggs, no oil, easy!!
Place shot glasses/votive holders on a baking sheet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Fill 1/2 full with cake batter and bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes until done. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Your kitchen will smell like a soda factory--the kids loved it!:)
Cut creme roulee wafers in half.
Put vanilla icing in canvas bag w/ star tip (or you can just put it in a ziploc baggie and snip off one end). Pipe a dollop of icing onto each cupcake, top with a gumball and half of a wafer cookie. Serve or refrigerate until needed.

Wouldn't these be just adorable too for a summer picnic or end-of-the-year school party?!

Creamy Mango Pops

We have a winner of our Mango Recipe Contest!
The Kitchen Enchantress was chosen by the National Mango Board for her Creamy Mango Pops. Here's the winning recipe and you can see several of the other delicious entries here.

Creamy Mango Pops--recipe and photos from The Kitchen Enchantress
Put in Blender:
2 very ripe mangoes, with the skin and the pits removed
3/4 cup coconut milk (I used light coconut milk to reduce the fat content)
1/2 cup pineapple juice concentrate
1 Tablespoon sugar

1. Blend together until creamy and smooth.
2. Pour into frozen treat molds, and place in freezer for at least a couple of hours, preferably overnight.
3. Remove from molds and ENJOY!

These are so creamy and delicious, you'll want them again and again! As stated above, if you'd like it more like ice cream than as frozen pops, just pour into a large zip-type plastic freezer bag, seal completely, and lay flat in your freezer for at least 2 hours. When frozen, simply scoop with a metal spoon to serve!! (I think this would be great for a party!)

"W" is for Wiggly Watermelon

Does this look like real watermelon to you? My kids were fooled at a distance and upon investigation were delighted to munch on this fun treat!

The weather is getting warmer and gorgeous watermelons were on sale last week! So, I decided to do double duty--cut out and eat the melon then use the rind for this fun and refreshing treat! You can use sugar-free jello to make it healthier. I'm planning on taking this to summer parties so I can enjoy a fun dessert without the guilt.:)

Wiggly Watermelon
Ingredients:
Watermelon rind

4 large boxes red jell-o (6 oz., we used cherry)

5 cups water (DO NOT follow the water instructions on the jell-o box, your "watermelon" will not hold its shape)
1/4 c. mini chocolate chips

note: this recipe is for ONE half of a large watermelon. If you want to use both halves, double the jell-o and water.

Directions:
Cut melon in half and scoop out fruit with a melon baller or spoon. Make sure to get all the way down to the green rind. Stand the melon on its end. You may have to shave a little bit off the bottom to get it to stand upright, just don't cut all the way through and make a hole in the rind.:)

Boil water, add jello, and mix well. Pour into prepared melon rind.

Place in the refrigerator. When mixture is firm but not completely set, push mini-chocolate chips into the jell-o with a chopstick. Let set completely in the fridge.

When ready to serve, slice with a sharp knife and enjoy!

Sunglasses Cupcakes

Happy Birthday Little C!! She must think her mom is a magician because she wanted "sunglasses cupcakes" for her Beach Birthday Party. Say what?! I decided to take the challenge. Well, these turned out pretty cute even though they look a lot more like fancy "Letter B's." to me.:) They'd probably work better if you made them with two circular cupcakes. Oh well, they were still gobbled up! There was snow on the ground but a rockin' Beach Party going on in our house! All the girls wore swimsuits, Gourmet Dad and I dressed as lifeguards and a good time was had by all.

Sunglasses Cupcakes
Ingredients:
Your favorite cupcake batter
Cupcake wrappers or liners
Chocolate frosting (I just used a can)
Colored icing (any color)
Candy Melts (match color to icing color)
Aluminum Foil
Wax Paper
sprinkles, frosting flowers, or any garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put cupcake liners in muffin pan. Fill liners with 1/4 c. batter. Take a piece of aluminum foil (about 6" square) and roll and squish into an oval shape.

Push the foil oval into the side of the cupcake liner. Repeat with all the cupcakes. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
On a piece of was paper, pipe out candy cane shapes with melted Candy Melts (put melted candy in a quart ziploc freezer bag, snip off a corner, and you can easily pipe out shapes). These will be the sides of your sunglasses. Let set until completely hardened.
Frost cupcake with a thin layer of chocolate frosting. Put colored frosting in a decorating bag or a ziploc bag w/ the end cut off and pipe out the sunglasses outline. Add any sprinkles or garnishes you want. Add two dried "candy cane" shapes for the sides of the sunglasses.

Sunshine Cupcakes

Summer is almost over! Ack! The other day I was staring at a bag of Bugles on the counter and was thinking about how much we'll miss the swimming, playing, sunshine-y days. I was inspired! Sunshine Lemonade Cupcakes
Ingredients:
Your Favorite Cupcakes (strawberry or lemon are my choice!)
Lemon Buttercream Icing (recipe below)
Chocolate Chips or Mini Kisses
Chocolate canned frosting (or melt some chocolate chips)
Licorice Strings
Bugles (in the chip aisle)
Yellow Sprinkes (optional)

Directions:
Frost cupcakes with Lemonde Icing. Add a few yellow sprinkles (optional). Place 2 chocolate chips or mini-kisses for sunglasses. Place a small amount of chocolate frosting in a baggie, snip a small corner off the bag and squeeze out to finish "sunglasses". Add a small piece of licorice for a smile. Place Bugles around outside edge of cupcake to make the sun's rays, pressing in slightly to adhere to cupcake.

This one saw me in a swimsuit...

This one heard what we're having for dessert tonight...

Lemon Buttercream Icing from Wilton
Ingredients
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approx. 1 lb.)
Additional lemon juice or milk
yellow food coloring

Directions
In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add Lemon juice and zest; beat well.
Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.
When all sugar has been mixed in, if icing is dry, add additional juice or milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add food coloring until desired yellow color.
Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Re-whip before using.