{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!

Happy National Chocolate Chip Day!! 8 tasty ways to celebrate!!

If there is a holiday, you know I'll celebrate!  But if there is a national holiday?  Celebrating chocolate chips?!  I am ALL IN!!  And I thought I would help you get in the chocolate chip party mood by sharing 8 of my all time favorite recipes made with - you guessed it - chocolate chips!  Happy National Chocolate Chip Day!!

Get your chocolate chip fix here:

No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Rocky Road Cupcakes

Mini Chocolate Nutella Popovers

Chocolate Chocolate No Bake Cheesecake Pie

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Graham Balls

Mini Chocolate Nutella Croissants

Pistachio Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes

Harvest Spice Chocolate Chip Pudding Mix Cookies

Hope you have a yummy day, friends!!

{create this} washi tape bow cupcake bunting

If you have spent any time here at shaken together, then you know that I love to share creative projects and make tasty things..  And this post combines those two very things:  washi tape and cupcakes!  This sweet little washi tape bow cupcake bunting is super simple to make and the colors can be changed to coordinate with just about any holiday or event decor!  

 

The supplies you will need to make this bunting are pretty basic:  washi tape, twine and lollipop sticks.  Why lollipop sticks?  Toothpicks were too short to clear the mound of sprinkled frosting and I didn't have any short bamboo skewers.

Now, how do you make a washi tape bow?

1.  Fold a length of washi tape over on itself.
2.  Squish in the middle and tie on your length of twine.

The toughest part about making these bows is lining up the edges of the washi tape and not letting it stick to itself too soon.  It's definitely not rocket science but these washi tape bows are just so cute!! Tie the bows on a length of twine and then tie the ends of the twine around two lollipop sticks.  Add the bunting to your favorite cupcake for instant adorable!

You could absolutely make a larger version for a full sized cake.  These would be the most adorable bow ties for a "little man" party or go with a black and gold version for an elegant black tie affair!

More washi tape?  Well, you are in luck ... a few more of my favorite washi tape projects!

Organize iPhone chargers with washi tape

Chalk board bird

Monogrammed cork board tile with washi tape flag bunting

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

{taste this} pig pickin' cake in a jar - a sweet Southern summer dessert

Now that summer is nearly here (or maybe it just feels like it in Florida!), my taste buds are craving light desserts that can be packed up and taken on a road trip, picnic or shared at a BBQ on a sunny day!  So, when I came across a recipe for a pig pickin' cake ... it seemed like a perfect choice for a Southern summer get together. And because everything is cuter in a mason jar, I decided to skip the layer cake version and make individual servings in wide mouth half pint mason jars  Now, I know you may be saying, "What is a pig pickin' cake?"

Simply put, a pig pickin' cake is a moist mandarin orange cake that is topped/layered with a fluffy vanilla pineapple topping.  Traditionally, this light fruity cake was served at a Southern pig roast - or pig pickin' - so that is most likely how this cake got its name.  I just call it plain delicious!

pig pickin' cake in a jar
recipe found on About.com
Yield:  24 cupcakes/cakes in a jar

mandarin orange cake
1 box yellow cake mix
11 oz. can of mandarin oranges with juice
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

fluffy pineapple topping

One 9 o.z tub of Cool Whip, thawed
One 8 oz. can of crushed pineapple, with juice

One 3.4 ounce (4-servings) box of instant vanilla pudding

In mixing bowl, combine cake mix, mandarin oranges (with juice), eggs and oil. Beat for 2 minutes with electric mixer. Pour the batter into cupcake pans with foil cupcake papers.  Bake for about 18 -20 minutes at 350* or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool.

For the topping:  using a hand  mixer on low, combine Cool Whip, pineapple (and juice) and vanilla pudding mix.

Cut each cooled cupcake in half.  Place the bottom of the cupcake in a wide mouth half pint mason jar.  Spoon a layer of topping over it.  Top with the other half of the cupcake and add another layer of topping.  If you are packing these up for a get together, you can reduce the amount of topping so the lid fits on the jar or add the rest of the topping just before serving.  But if you are eating these at home, pile it high and enjoy!

Here are some of my favorite summer time desserts!

Grandma's Strawberry Shortcake

Soft Lemonade Sugar Cookies

No Bake Summer Raspberry Pies

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