{what's shakin'} link party #61

Who is excited for the long, festive Memorial Day Weekend?!  That would be me!!  We have nothing planned yet and I am perfectly fine with that because it's our first weekend without baseball and there are 3 days of free time in my future!!  Also, my father-in-law is a veteran so this weekend (and throughout the year), it is important for us to remember the men and women who have given their lives in military service.

Wanna see what's been going on around here?  Well, fancy that!  Here you go ...

6 summertime sippers ~ featuring YOU! :: edible animal cracker cupcake toppers

white chocolate fruit dip :: 8 recipes to make in a muffin tin ~ featuring YOU!

Now, enough about about me!  I want to see what's shakin' at your place!

Welcome to the {what's shakin'} link party #61!!

I would love it if you would grab a button and add it to your post or party page ... and a text link works just fine, too! It's not required, but it would make me super happy!!

Here is the plan:

• Link up your latest and greatest recipes, projects, crafts, giveaways, tutorials, tips & tricks, parties you hosted, DIY, makeovers, upcycles ... basically anything other than your blog's main page, other link parties or businesses.
• We all gush, pin, stumble, share and marvel at your awesomeness!  And please remember to pin your favorite things from the original source.
• Party faves and fantastic features go up over the weekend with another bonus post during the week - that is two big opportunities to be featured!

8 recipes to make in a muffin tin ~ features from the {what's shakin'} link party

This week's {what's shakin'} link party did not disappoint!  From breakfast dishes to polka dot sneakers and everything in between it was really hard to pick what to feature!  There were 6 summertime sippers that looked SO refreshing for the warm weather we are having in Florida.   And today, I've scoured the amazing projects, recipes, how-tos and more to find these fun 8 recipes to make in a muffin tin!

 
Good things come in small packages and unbelievably delicious things come in muffin tins!
Please head over to the original post for the recipes and to add them to your Pinterest boards!

 Chocolate Chip Cookie Lava Cakes at Mostly Homemade Mom

Dark Chocolate Banana Muffins at Will Cook for Smiles

Lemon Curd Muffins at Heather's French Press

Egg & Veggie Breakfast Muffins at Diane's Vintage Zest

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes at Lady Behind the Curtain

Mini Crab Cakes at What's Cooking, Love?

Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes at The Stitchin' Mommy

 Chocolate Chip and Toffee Cookie Cups at From My Perspective

Thanks again to everyone who links up - I have found lots of new blogs to follow!!  Grab a featured party fave button if you'd like one and I hope to see you back here tomorrow for another {what's shakin'} link party!

{create this} edible animal cracker cupcake toppers

(Disclaimer:  This happy post in no way truly expresses the infinite sadness and brokenheartedness our family experienced while watching the devastation unfold in the Midwest.  We are praying.)

So, there is a lot of testosterone in my house:  One manly hubba hubby, two sweaty, stinky baseball infatuated boys (ages 10 and 13), tons of smelly running shoes, sliding shorts, catchers gear ... I think you get the picture.  And if you don't count the two cats - Bitty and Bella - I am the only lady around here.  As you can imagine, there is not a whole lot of pink or girly.  Oh!  But there will be now.  Just so I have an excuse to make these sweet pink and white edible animal cracker cupcake toppers!!

In fact, I might just throw a whole pink and white party so I can make these ridiculously cute cupcake toppers.  With a carousel and cotton candy and sparkly pink nails ... a girl can dream, right?  Or maybe I'll just make them so you can make them for your next pink and white girly party!

They would be perfect for a girly zoo themed party or a dainty animal themed baby shower and they are the perfect sweet touch for your guests to nibble before they move on to the cupcake!

Make your own edible animal cracker cupcake toppers!  Here are the handful of supplies that you'll need:

Pink and white frosted and sprinkled animal crackers
Small flat bamboo picks (mine are from the dollar store) - I found that toothpicks are not strong or long enough
About 1/4 cup white chocolate Wilton candy melts

In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the candy melts according to package directions.  Dip the flat end of a bamboo pick (you can see them a little better in the picture of my apple jelly meatballs) into the melted chocolate and press the bamboo pick flat onto the back of an animal cracker.  Place flat on a sheet tray lined with wax paper.  (I propped them up on one another - careful to avoid any melted chocolate - so they would stay nice and straight.)  Allow to dry completely before handling.  I popped these in the fridge for a while to finish setting up.  Then, place them in each cupcake just before serving!

Quick tip to doll up store bought cupcakes:  Add a sprinkling of nonpareils, a length of adhesive ribbon around the plain cupcake paper and unique hand made cupcake toppers!  

More unbearably adorable cupcake cuteness:

Washi tape bow cupcake bunting

5 easy patriotic cupcake toppers 

Itty bitty bunny cupcake picks 

This post may be shared at these weekly link parties, Savvy Southern Style and at Between Naps on the Porch ...

{taste this} white chocolate fruit dip ~ 2 ingredients and perfect for summer

This is my favorite time of year!  Baseball just wrapped up (last night, in fact!) and with a little more free time, we start to spend weekends by the pool, Saturdays on the beach and week nights on the back porch.  Our schedule fills up with BBQs and get togethers and impromptu summer parties!  So, I like to have a few stand by dishes that I can put together quickly but always please a crowd.  Like this quick and tasty white chocolate fruit dip!

white chocolate fruit dip
One 8 oz. tub of white chocolate cream cheese
8 oz. marshmallow fluff

Stir to combine.  Refrigerate until you are ready to serve this simple but delicious white chocolate dip with your favorite fruit for dipping.  We used pineapple, strawberries, grapes, watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe   YUM!  I may or may not know from personal experience that this is also amazing on brownie bites and rice krispie treats ;)

With just two ingredients, this easy fruit dip is perfect for summer BBQs, family reunions, baby showers or just dinner outside on the back porch!

Here are three more of my favorite party pleasers:

Strawberry Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Chips

Creamy Pizza Dip

Strawberry Orange Guacamole

This post may be shared at these weekly link parties, Savvy Southern Style and at Between Naps on the Porch ...

6 summer time sippers ~ cool drink features from the {what's shakin'} link party

Our weekend weather has been hot, hot, HOT!  Summer is coming quickly to Central Florida which means there are more lazy weekend days spent by the pool, enjoying the beach and spending time with friends!  It also provides the perfect opportunity to make a pitcher of freshly squeezed lemonade, a frosty cocktail or a fruit smoothie for breakfast!  I have those and more featured today from this week's {what's shakin'} link party!  So get out your blender, pull out the pretty glasses and enjoy these six summertime sippers! 

Glasses?  CHECK.  Swizzle sticks?  CHECK.  Straws?  CHECK.  Summer?  CHECK.  Looks like we have everything ready to enjoy these awesome drink recipes from the party!  Please pin individual drinks from the original post!

Frozen Sangria at Pink Recipe Box

Watermelon & Lime Frappe at It Bakes Me Happy

Peach Melba Sangria at Lemon Tree Dwelling

Sunrise Smoothie at The Seven Year Cottage

Watermelon Margaritas at Cooking with Curls

Freshly Squeezed Lemonade at Made From Pinterest

Anybody else suddenly feeling thirsty?!  I can't wait to give these a go at our next party or day at the beach!  Thanks so much to everyone who links up each week - going through the links is my very favorite part!  If you would like a featured party fave button, grab one here!

{what's shakin'} link party #60

What a week of ups and downs!  I received the most special Mothers' Day gift ever on Sunday.  And then, plumbing issues struck!  Happy Mothers' Day - no water for 8 hours!  And Monday night, Camden added eight more stitches to his collection when he got "cleated" by another player on accident at practice.  Teenage boys + extreme passion for baseball + metal cleats = 8 stitches, in case you wanted to know.  But in an effort to remain positive, I realized that at least the city is paying for a potion of the plumbing issues and 8 stitches could have been worse and life is still pretty darn amazing.

Speaking of amazing (I kid!) ... there was some pretty fun stuff up on the blog this week:

7 quick Mothers' Day gifts ~ featuring YOU :: washi tape bow cupcake bunting

8 of my favorite recipes to celebrate National Chocolate Chip Day

pig pickin' cake in a jar:: 8 savory summer side dishes ~ featuring YOU

Now, enough about about me!  I want to see what's shakin' at your place!

Welcome to the {what's shakin'} link party #60!!

I would love it if you would grab a button and add it to your post or party page ... and a text link works just fine, too! It's not required, but it would make me super happy!!

Here is the plan:

• Link up your latest and greatest recipes, projects, crafts, giveaways, tutorials, tips & tricks, parties you hosted, DIY, makeovers, upcycles ... basically anything other than your blog's main page, other link parties or businesses.
• We all gush, pin, stumble, share and marvel at your awesomeness!  And please remember to pin your favorite things from the original source.
• Party faves and fantastic features go up over the weekend with another bonus post during the week - that is two big opportunities to be featured!

8 savory summer side dishes ~ features from the {what's shakin'} link party

You know that I love to bake if the ratio of sweet to savory recipes on this blog says anything ... but it's frowned upon by the hubby if I serve brownies for dinner.  SIGH.  So I am always looking for new dinner recipes and creative side dishes to make dinner a little more exciting.  Luckily, I found 8 savory side dishes linked up to this week's {what's shakin'} link party that I can't wait to share with you!

Need a side to spice up dinner or something to take to a summer potluck or BBQ?  You are in luck!  Now you can cook up these 8 savory summer side dishes!  (Please remember to head over and pin any of these delicious recipes from the original post!)

Easy Creamy Coleslaw at Love Grows Wild

Cheddar Parmesan Bread at Mostly Homemade Mom

Cauliflower Bacon Salad at Pinch of Joy

Asian Ramen Noodle Cabbage Salad at Essentially Ecletic

Apricot Gorgonzola Cheese Spread at Crumbs and Chaos

Four Cheese Macaroni at Night Owl Corner

Stir Fry Thai Green Beans at My Turn (for us)

Garlic and Cheesy Breadsticks at From My Perspective

Thanks SO SO much to everyone who linked up!  A new party starts tomorrow morning and I can't wait to see what you all share!  If you were featured, please grab a button!