Pool Inflatable Donut Treats

So I've been a little obsessed with all the trendy bird inflatables that are so popular right now.  I don't even know why (we don't even have a swimming pool - we just mooch off of our good friends) but I just love the way they look.  

I've seen some flamingo donuts that also look like the pool inflatables so wanted to try to recreate them and some others too. I got a bit carried away with my bird theme! 

Can you guess what they are?? And why ostriches and peacocks are in the water I'll never know!

Clockwise from center: Flamingo, Great Crane, Black Swan, Ostrich, Peacock, White Swan, and Canadian Goose

Start with some baked mini vanilla donuts

Glaze them with the colors of your birds (or whatever inflatable you love!)

I made the heads with some melted candy melts in various colors.  Trace them on some parchment paper and let harden. 

Attach them with some toothpicks and more melted candy and decorate the donuts like the birds.  I also attached them to some graham cracker bases to float them in "water" aka dark blue vanilla candy melts.

I thought they needed someone to ride them so gave some teddy grahams sunglasses and swimsuits!

And add a decorated bear to each of your pool float treats!

Super cute for a summer party or to say thank you for letting us use your pool over the summer!

Can you believe it's already mid-August?? 

I say this every single year but time moves even faster than the previous year.  Is that even possible? Well enjoy even the crappy parts of your day as you'll forget about it soon enough!  

Enjoy the edible pool floats and thanks for swinging by!

Winter Birds & Birch Trees Graham Cracker Treats

Hi all - Happy New Year and Welcome to 2018! 

I know it's been the new year for at least 1/2 a month already so I guess that means I'm already behind!  

I did finally get around to making a new treat though - so that's a win!  

I've made decorated graham crackers a few times before (see below post) and I've had an idea for more jelly bean birds - but this time on pretzels decorated like little birch trees.

Start with some graham crackers as your "canvas" 

Dip pretzel sticks into white chocolate (as your "birch trees) and add to the graham crackers

Since these are winter scenes - add more white chocolate as "snow" and before hardened add jelly beans in various colors as they will be the winter birds

Use an edible marker to add birch tree rings - or you can just paint it on using black or brown food gel

Add more birds - eyes are made with the edible marker and beak/feet with some yellow candy melting wafers

Add a border with more melted chocolate and some sprinkled powdered sugar as more background snow

 Perfect little winter bird scenes to go along with the frigid temps in the Northeast coast!

Here are some other easy decorated graham crackers or jelly bean bird treats you might like:

Candy Valentines on Chocolate Graham Crackers

Autumn Tree Graham Crackers

Winter Scene Graham Crackers

Bird on a Wire Graham Crackers

Winter Birds on Mini Chairs and Trees

Candy Valentines on Chocolate Graham Crackers

Hey all, it's February and time for all that is pink and red and heart shaped!

I love decorating graham crackers so decided to make some really simple edible valentine day treats made with lots of fun candies of the season.

If you head down the candy aisle you can't miss all the Valentine's Day goodies overflowing.  My kiddos also love chocolate graham crackers so decided decorate them with some of their fav candy.

Marshmallows Peeps, Mike and Ike, and Hot Tamales

And my oldest loves loves LOVES conversation hearts.  As with Peeps you kinda either love them or hate them.  I love Peeps but I'm not into those chalky hearts.  He on the other hand finished off a big bag in a week! Sheesh.  

Putting them together is really simple.  You basically ice a graham cracker with royal icing, add the candy in fun ways - like these flowers or add marshmallow heart Peeps, then let the icing dry.

Have them for a fun valentines day dessert or wrap them up for handing to your Valentines day sweeties!

Chocolate, icing, and candy with some cute sayings - So fun!

Since I can't watch the news these days without getting a headache I think I'll get my motivation from these conversation hearts! They make a lot of sense to me in this seemingly intolerant time we all are living in.

Be kind and empathetic to each other - remember try not to judge unless you've walked a day in someone else's shoes.  Have a great week!

Chocolate Graham Crackers Decorated for Valentines Day

by Michelle Clausen February 2017

Ingredients

• Chocolate graham crackers (or you can use your favorite flavor)
• 1 cup of royal icing
• Assorted candy like Mike and Ike's, Hot Tamales, Valentines Peeps, and Conversation Hearts
• Non-pareil sprinkles

Instructions:

1. Spread royal icing across tops of graham crackers.
2. Add candies to while icing is still wet.  Use Mike and Ike's or Hot Tamales to make flower shapes. I cut them in half but you could leave whole as well.  Add conversation hearts or Valentines Peeps to the centers.  Decorate with more candies as desired.
3. Sprinkle with non-pareil sprinkles.
4. Let dry for at least 2 hours.  
5. Wrap in treat bags or store in airtight container for 1 week.

Prep time: 30 mins Yield: 12-15 square graham crackers

Autumn Tree Graham Cracker Treats

So I was driving with my kid the other day and we both noted to each other how pretty the day was outside.  A perfect autumn day with leaves all sorts of colors with a pretty blue sky.  Some leaves were still on the trees and some already had fallen to the ground.  It was so nice to not only to take the time to pause and really enjoy the moment - something many of use don't do anymore - but it was also great because I shared that moment with my kid, my baby - who is now 12.

I often get inspired by nature and I wanted to make something that was all autumn.  I've used graham crackers as "canvases" before so thought they would be great as a background for some fall trees.

Start with popcorn! 

I used Skinny Pop popcorn and sprayed it with some Wilton color mist.  Again I love this stuff.  It makes coloring stuff so easy.

Mix it up and you have some fun rainbow popcorn.  

Use some melted chocolate to attach the popcorn to the graham crackers and use pretzel sticks as the tree trunks.  I added some fall leaf sprinkles as fallen leaves.

They definitely remind me of the fall trees we were admiring the other day!

I plan on giving them to some kids that we will be spending time with as part of a Girl Scout volunteer activity.  There is a temple that is hosting some families that are in transit and without a home until they get back on their feet.  I figure some fun treats may brighten their day and make them smile.  With so much anger and unrest these days I'm making it a point to do more to help or make a difference in the world.  Even small things matter.  

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

Autumn Tree Graham Cracker Cookies

by Michelle Clausen November 16-2016

Ingredients

• Popcorn (I used Skinny Pop Popcorn)
• Wilton Color Mist spray in green, yellow, and red
• 8-10 graham crackers
• Pretzel sticks
• 1 cup of chocolate chips
• Leaf shaped sprinkles

Instructions:

1. Spread popcorn in baking pan and spray with Color mist (to have a mix of
   "leaf" colors)
2. Melt chips in a microwave safe bowl and add to a freezer bag.  Snip and end and add some chocolate to pretzel stick and attach to a graham cracker as the tree trunk.
3. Use more melted chocolate to attach popcorn to cracker as the leaves.
4. Outline the edges of the graham cracker and attach leaf sprinkles along bottom as fallen leaves.

Prep time: 30 mins Yield: 8-10 graham cracker cookies

Other Graham Cracker Cookies and Treats you may like!

Back to School Graham Cracker Snacks

Winter Themed Graham Cracker Treats

Xylophone Graham Cracker and Twizzler Treats

Birds on a Wire Graham Cracker Cookies

Winter themed graham cracker treats

During the holiday season I like to make fun but quick treats for the kids.  Since I work full-time out of the house and have 3 kids in elementary school, things get hectic and busy (as I'm sure it does in every house these days).  The love graham crackers so I use them as "canvases" all the time.  

These are my latest little winter scene graham crackers.  Cute, fun and I think it took me 1/2 to throw them together.  I think they would make great class treats or teacher gifts too.  Use all sorts of flavors graham crackers too :)

See the details here at sheknows!

I'm still recovering from the #12daysofStarWars countdown - 12 treats in 12 days was a lot! It was  fun though so if you missed it you can see the last post and recap here.  And we did see the movie this weekend! I won't give any spoilers but I'm sure all fans (the old and new) will love it.  JJ Abrams did a great job and it has everything you think it should.  

See the recap here!

And a very Merry almost Christmas if you celebrate!

Rainbow Twizzler Xylophone Treats

The kids and I made some cute little xylophones recently.

I bought a bag of rainbow Twizzlers awhile ago and have been trying to think of something fun to make with all the rainbow colors.  We still have one of those little kid play xylophones laying in the toy box so we thought why not make some edible ones to "play".

Start with some graham crackers.  Cut the Twizzlers in descending size and alternate the colors to fit the cracker.  You can attach them with some melted chocolate.  Once attached, cut off the excess graham cracker with a sharp knife.   For more details, add red round sprinkles on top and use m and m's on the bottom to raise the xylophones up a bit.  

The mallets are made from pretzel sticks with a mini marshmallow as the top.  So simple!

Before you eat them, play them!

Thank you for stopping by and visiting!

Remembering all those who have given their lives for our country this Memorial Day weekend.