Carolyn Braden's Cupcake Cake and Cake Pops

I made a giant cupcake shaped cake with star cake pops and red, white, and blue cake pops for a Fourth of July birthday party. Cake pops are a hit with kids!
















Carolyn J. Braden
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Carolyn Braden Says "Yummy Summer Salad That's Pretty Too!"

 

Photo by Carolyn Braden

Here's a yummy salad that I'm sure many of you have had before.  I love Caprese Salad and made it for my Fourth of July Celebration. I just wanted to make it prettier than I have in the past and easier to serve.  I cut wooden skewers down to about 7 inches long and alternated putting fresh mozzarella cheese circular slices (I used ciliegine mozzarella) with fresh vine tomato chunks. I chopped up fresh basil and put it onto a plate first, following with the skewer with the cheese and tomatoes on top.  I drizzled balsamic vinegar and olive oil on top and served it on festive plates. The guests just took their fork and slid the salad off the skewer and ate them all up!  So good!

Carolyn Braden Says "The Perfect Fourth of July Drink"

 
Photo by Carolyn Braden

Here is one of the festive drinks I made for my Fourth of July Celebration this year.  It's from Southern Living Magazine and really easy!  It's Frozen Blue Margaritas!  Here's the recipe: 

1 6 oz. can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed

3/4 cup of tequila

1/4 cup blue curacao liqueur

Combine all ingredients in a blender.  Fill with ice to 5-cup level and process until mixture is smooth.  Serve immediately.

I went one step further to make them festive.  I rubbed a lime around the rim of the glass and coated it with red sugar sprinkles.  I also put the glasses in the freezer about 1 hour prior to serving the drinks to keep them extra cold for the frozen slushy mixture.  It was so yummy!  The perfect combination of sweet and sour! 

Margarita Jelly Belly's are yummy too!