4th of July Cupcakes with Flags by Oh My Crafts

Everyone loves cupcakes and these cute little patriotic flags complete the yummy frosting on top! All you need are some patriotic papers, toothpicks, and glue to make your cupcakes the talk of the BBQ.

You can use whatecer cupcakes recipe you like. We had red velvet cake ones made by Amanda Cracroft. Here is the recipe:

Red Velvet Cupcakes

4 eggs
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. olive oil
1 package instant chocolate pudding
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder (double if baking at low altitude)
2/3 c. cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. sour cream
½ c. water
1 c. mini chocolate chips
2 tsp. red gel food coloring
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, brown sugar, and olive oil, and instant pudding mix, creaming until very well mixed. Add salt, baking powder, cocoa powder, and flour. Beat just until incorporated. Add sour cream and water, and beat again just until incorporated. Fold in mini chocolate chips, then scoop batter into a bundt pan which has been generously greased and floured (use cocoa powder, instead of flour, for a nice chocolatey finish to the outside of your cake). Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or just until the center part of the cake ring springs back to the touch. Watch your cake closely! You don’t want to overcook it! Once cooked, wait for the cake to cool to the touch before turning it out onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool, then cover tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
2 sticks butter
8 oz. cream cheese
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Seeds from ½ a vanilla bean, scraped
¼ tsp. almond flavoring
1-2 Tbsp. milk
In a large bowl, beat together butter and cream cheese until very light and fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar until well mixed. Add vanilla bean seeds and almond flavoring. Tip in a Tablespoon or two of milk, if needed to make frosting piping consistency (soft but not drippy). Spoon into a large plastic zip-top bag. Snip a 1-inch hole in the corner of the bag and pipe giant frosting petals onto cooled cake. Enjoy!

Supplies Needed for decorations:
We R Memory Keepers: Yankee Doodles Scrapbook Pad
Oh My Crafts: Acid Free Craft Tape ¼ inch
Jenni Bowlin: Spice Tin Ink
Diamond: Bamboo Forks (by regular toothpicks)

Optional Supplies:
EK Success Punches: Dotted Wave, Ziz Zag Stitch

Tsukineko: Versamark Dazzle Watermark Ink
American Crafts: Zing Glitter Finish: Red, Black
Zing Metallic Finish: Teal, Silver
Stampendous: Patriotic Pair Stamp Set
Marvy: Heat Emboss tool

(Use coupon code LDS10 at ohmycrafts.com to get 10% off supplies needed.)


4th of July Cupcake Flags:

1. Cut a strip of printed-paper 1½ x 2⅜ inches. Repeat for number of flags needed.
2. Cut stars and other shapes from paper in the kit to embellish flags. Stickers can also be used to spell out phrases.
3. Ink edges of flag with matching ink to cover white core.
4. Wrap one end of flag around the top of the bamboo fork to make creases.
5. Cut two strips of craft tape about 1¼ inch an place next to edge and then just a space apart. (See photo)
6. Place stick on outer strip of adhesive and roll on to the other adhesive strip.
7. Place in cupcake and enjoy!

Optional Embellishment:

1. Stamp design on flag with Versamark ink.
2. Sprinkle liberally with Zing powder. Shake off excess powder into creased paper and pour back into bottle. Flick back of flag to remove any remaining powder.
3. Use heat emboss tool to activate powder and give raised image.

TIPS:

Creasing the flag around the fork before applying adhesive will help to insure the flag goes on straight.

Amanda's Awesome Wedding Cake for Recipe Club

Here's the link to my sisters food blog where i posted the recipes i used for last night's cake. Last year we did a Zebra Cake, there's the youtube video that show's how to make the fondant with recipes and everything :)
http://chemistrycooking.blogspot.com/2010/09/zebra-cake.html

and then here's a link to the post on my blog, where my sister first introduced me to fondant-- we made her son a Mario birthday cake... check it out. she's a party planner!!

http://thecracrofts.blogspot.com/2010/08/family-vacation-mario-birthday-party.html

Yummy Cocktail Meatballs by Heaher Goodman

1 bag frozen meatballs

1 cup ketchup

1 cup packed brown sugar

6 oz can tomato paste

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp hot sauce (I use Frank's)

Put meatballs in slow cooker. In a bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients to make the sauce. Pour sauce mixture over meatballs. Cook in slow cooker on Low for 4 hours, stirring a couple times to ensure meatballs are thoroughly coated in sauce.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Sauce (to pour over wraps):

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup warm water

2 T soy sauce

2 T ketchup

1 T lemon juice

1/8 tsp sesame oil

1 T dijon mustard

2 cloves finely minced garlic

Chicken stir-fry:

2 T olive oil

2 T sesame oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts finely chopped (or 1 can of white beans)

1 8 oz can water chestnuts minced

1 8 oz can bamboo shoots minced

1/2 cup mushrooms minced

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

3 green onions thinly chopped

Stir fry sauce:

2 T soy sauce

2 T brown sugar

1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

Begin by making the pouring sauce. Mix all ingredients well and set aside for serving.

Prep stir fry sauce by mixing ingredients in small bowl and set aside.

Combine oils and heat over high heat until it glistens, about 1 minute. Add chicken and saute until cooked through, then remove from pan. Take same pan and turn to medium high heat. Add another T of olive oil, wait one minute, and then add garlic, onions, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. Stir fry a few minutes and then add chicken and stir fry sauce.

Serve with lettuce leaves to wrap Pour sauce over top. I also served them with jasmine rice.

Blintz with Berry compote: by Elisabeth Ovitt Upton

1 pint each raspberries, strawberries, blackberries washed and stemmed 5 tbs sugar 2 tsp fresh lemon juice 3 cups ricotta cheese 1 tsp lemon zest pinch of salt 16 crepes 3 tbs unsalted butter In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the berries, 2 tbs of sugar and lemon juice. Bring to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until mots of the berries have broken down and the mixture is thickened, about 45 minutes. Reduce heat if the compote sticks to the pan. Remove from heat and let compote cool to room temp. In a bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, remaining 3 tbs sugar, the lemon zest and salt until well combined. Lay a crepe on a clean surface and place 3 tbs of ricotta filling in the center of the crepe. Fold the 2 outer sides of crepe toward center so the edges touch. Fold the top and bottum toward center, slightly overlapping teh edges, to form a rectangular blintz! make sure filling is not exposed! Place blintz, seam side down, on a baking sheet. Repeat with all remaining crepes and filling. In a large electric skillet, set on medium heat, melt the butter. Working in batches, cook the blintzes, seam side down, until golden and crispy, 2-3 minutes. Turn blintzes over and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Transfer blintzes seam side down, to a patter. Serve immediately with berry compote. Serves 8.

The Best in the World Med Student Cinnamon Rolls from Amanda Cracroft with a fun story

Suzie.....

I had a great time at recipe club last night! Here's the recipe for the Cinnamon Rolls...

i forgot to tell you the story that went along with this recipe. I got it from a good friend of mine in Utah, who's a nurse and was teaching at the University of Utah med class... they had an early morning study session and one of her med students (a MAN!) brought these Cinnamon Rolls... she was super impressed (cause SHE is an amazing baker!) and she asked WHERE he got them... he said "I made them!" she laughed and said.. "you mean your wife made them?!" he said, "Nope, i made them, they are my own recipe, i worked in a bakery all through college and created this recipe!" then he shared it with her... and SHE shared it with me... and NOW i share it with you!

If that guy doesn't make it as a doctor... maybe he'll open a bakery!

OX- Amanda

MED STUDENT CINNAMON ROLLS

4 eggs

2 1/2 c warm water

3/4 c sugar

2 tbs yeast

1 c semi-melted butter

ADD and mix, then knead:

7 1/2 c flour

2 tsp salt

let rise 20 minutes

roll out into a rectangle

pour on about 1/2 c butter

spread on brown sugar/cinnamon mix :cinnamon such that it tastes like it is almost too much)make it uniform and more that you would think. (I used 1 c brown sugar and 2 Tbs cinnamon)

roll into whatever size roll you desire. (He would make 16-24 rolls I made 30)

let rise about 25 minutes

bake these at 350 for about 14-17 minutes

let them cool about 5 minutes before frosting and frost such that they are completely covered so they don't dry out.

General frosting idea:

soften 1/4 c butter and 2 Tbs cream cheese until both are nice and soft, mix together

add in about 3 tbs of milk and 1 tsp of vanilla, mix like crazy

add in enough powdered sugar to make it about as thick as good cake frosting

Morning Glory Muffins from Heather Goodman

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 medium tart apple, peeled and grated
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In one bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl, combine the eggs, applesauce, oil, and vanilla. Combine the contents of the two bowls together, then stir in the carrots, apple, pineapple, coconut, and optional raisins and/or nuts. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full of mixture and back for 20-24 minutes.