Over The Top Mommy

Food

Celebrate This Valentine’s Day With M&M’s® Red Velvet and Chocolate Pie Pops!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RedVelvetLove #CollectiveBias

pie-popsValentine’s Day is my absolute favorite holiday of the year! It always seems like everyone is happy and you can feel the love and friendship in the air! I loved it as a little girl, I love it as a 1st grade teacher and I love it as a mom, especially as a “girl mom”.  My daughter embraces my need to be “that mom”! You know, the one who always sends something cute for the class on just about every holiday? (OK maybe I don’t on Groundhog Day)

valentines-paintingThis year, my daughter will be bringing the cutest & yummiest treats to school for her classmates at their Valentine’s celebration.  I’m sending M&M’s® Red Velvet and chocolate pie pops! Yep, you read that correctly! M&M’s® Red Velvet exist!

red-velvetIf you’re as excited to try them as I was when I first saw them, then you should make a quick trip out to Walmart today to grab a bag of your own!

FullSizeRender (74)The M&M’s® Red Velvet are so delicious in this recipe. These pie pops definitely have a cute factor about them! They are honestly so easy to make! I like that it’s a kid-friendly recipe too because my daughter loves to spend time with me in the kitchen.

pie-pops-recipeHere’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:

  • 1 box of store-bought pie crust (they usually come 2 in a box)
  • 1 jar of chocolate spread of your choice
  • 1 bag  M&M’s® Red Velvet
  • 1 egg, just the egg white
  • flour (to spread out on the counter)

Instructions:

  • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
  • Lightly flour countertop and roll out pie crust. Use  a large biscuit cutter to cut out pairs of circles.
  • Use small heart cookie cutter to cut out one heart for each pop that you’re making. pie-circles pie-hearts
  • Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set bottom circle pieces on cookie sheet, leaving ample space between each one. pie-circles
  • Gently push a lollipop stick into the center of each pie circle.
  • Spoon in some of the chocolate spread into the center of each pop. Don’t use too much to avoid it squeezing out. chocolate-inside
  • Place 3 M&M’s® Red Velvet candies on top of the chocolate spread. place-candies
  • Set top circle of dough on top and lightly push edges together with your fingers.
  • Use the end of a lollipop stick to seal edges of entire pie pop. sealing-the-edges
  • Brush each pie pop lightly with egg white. Place hearts on each pop and brush egg white on them as well. FullSizeRender (67)brush with egg white
  • Place into oven and bake for 9-12 minutes, keeping a close eye on them so they don’t burn.
  • When they’re golden brown, remove them from the oven and allow to cool. brush-with-egg-white

You will most likely be overwhelmed by how amazing they smell to the point where you’ll want to bite right into one as it’s coming out of the oven! Allow them to cool down for at least 5 minutes.

FullSizeRender (73)

For Valentine’s Day, I’m going to wrap each pie pop in a plastic bag, add some M&M’s® Milk Chocolate candies inside the bag, and tie it up with colorful tulle. The M&M’s® almost look like confetti inside the bag, don’t you think?

favorsI found everything I needed to make this recipe at Walmart, which makes it so easy for a busy mom like me!

valentines-candy-aisle

Do YOU love Valentine’s Day as much as I do? What’s YOUR favorite way to celebrate friendship and love on Valentine’s Day?

For more M&M’s® Red Velvet inspiration, be sure to visit the Red Velvet Love Recipes page. Join the #RedVelvetLove Pinterest Party taking place at http://www.pinterest.com/SoFabChats/ on Saturday, January 31 at 12:00pm ET for your chance at winning a $1000 Walmart gift card!
See more great M&M’s® Red Velvet recipe and party ideas at myconfectioncorner.com/valentines-day where you can also download a coupon to save on your M&M’s® purchase.

McCafé Is This Mom’s “Happiness in a Cup”!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #McCafeMyWay #CollectiveBias

McCafe-is-my-happiness-in-a-cupAs a busy mom, I look forward to mornings when I can enjoy a little bit of “me time”. It’s the only time of day where my house is calm and quiet and everyone else is asleep. With a nice, warm cup of home-brewed McCafé coffee in hand, I can relax before all of the rushing around begins.  I’ve learned the importance of carving out some time for myself each day. It’s what gets me through a very busy daily schedule. Seriously, take a look at my daily routine! If I don’t grab some time for myself in the wee hours of the morning, it’s just never going to happen!

my-daily-routineI get excited when my alarm goes off, even if it’s 4:30 a.m.! I set the timer on the coffee maker the night before so I can wake to the smell of freshly brewed McCafé coffee downstairs. I’ve actually learned to love getting up this early because you accomplish a lot more.

alarm

McCafé is now available at Walmart.  It’s made with 100% Arabica beans and is harvested from the rich soils and mountainous regions of the foremost coffee-growing areas of the world.

My-McCafe-bagMcCafé coffee also comes in coffee pods, which can be brewed in your home brewing system. I have both a traditional coffee pot AND a home brewing machine in my kitchen and love the convenience of having flexible brewing options with McCafé.

both-varietiesDuring one of my recent shopping trips at my local Walmart there was an in-store McCafé demo going on. I got to sample some of the different flavors. I think the Breakfast Blend & the Premium Roast are 2 of my favorites!

McCafe-and-muffinsLet’s get back to talking about my morning “me time”.  I like to enjoy my McCafé with toast or even some freshly baked muffins. You have to treat yourself sometimes and honestly, it makes my day go much smoother. I sometimes even get a few minutes to sit out on my back balcony, in my robe, and drink a cup at sunrise. (or when it’s cloudy like in this picture). It’s very peaceful. I can sometimes even see the beach from my balcony. McCafé is this mom’s “happiness in a cup”!

Happiness-in-a-cupIt was easy to find the McCafé coffee pods on the coffee aisle at Walmart. I found the Premium bags of coffee on the end of an aisle.

McCafe-at-WalmartWell, I’ve let you take a peek into my morning routine and told you about how great  McCafé is at helping make my day run smoothly. Do YOU make time for yourself each day? If so, how? If not, I think you need to start doing so today!

For recipe inspiration, sweepstakes, loyalty programs, coupons and more, check out the Cooking Up Good website. What’s not to love? If you’re looking for a new dinner idea or a chance to win some awesome prizes, be sure to check it out!

Score Big on Game Day with Cheez-It and Chocolate Dipped “Football” Strawberries!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are 100% my own. #BigGameSnacks #CollectiveBias

big-game-day-with-cheezitThe Big Game Day is approaching quickly! It’s almost party time! I’m going to let you in on a little secret here…I don’t really worry about who’s playing in the game or who even wins it! Don’t get me wrong, football is fun to watch and all, but my real priorities on that day usually include:

  • watching the hilarious commercials
  • catching up on the latest gossip with my girlfriends who come to our Big Game Day party
  • enjoying lots of good food at the party

Hey, I know what’s important! I love any excuse to throw a party that involves food and this is one occasion that requires some major snacks!  We usually order pizza or cook up some hamburgers at half-time so I like to set out simple types of things on the food table such as veggies, popcorn, chips & dips and some sweets for guests to grab during the game.

When I was out shopping for our Big Game Day party, I picked up a box of Original Cheddar Cheez-It Grooves crackers and a bag of new Cheddar Cheese Cheez-It Crunch’d.  As you can tell, we are big Cheez-It lovers in our house.

cheez-it-bags The Cheez-It Grooves definitely live up to the description on the box: best of Cheez-It and a chip in one!‘.  Cheez-It is dedicated to using only 100% real cheese which is baked into every delicious cracker. I’m going to set them out next to some veggies and ranch dip for the party.

Cheez-It-GroovesThey are delicious! 

I never knew the cheddar cheese Cheez-It Crunch’d existed! They’re new and just appeared on store shelves last week. Crunch’d is Cheez-It’s first-ever crunchy puff made with 100% real cheese. I was dying to try them immediately so I opened up the bag as soon as I got to the car!  I’m not the only one who does that, right? They are so good by themselves! For our party I plan on throwing them into a big bowl along with mini pretzels, buttered popcorn and some chocolate candies. It requires very little time and is a great mix, combining the salty with the sweet in a bowl.

4-easy-ingredients

cheez-it-crunchd-snack-mixI like to put something into the bowl that guests can use as a scoop and set out cute little cups to scoop the mix into. This eliminates “little hands” in the bowl  that everyone is taking from.

I’m a pretty big fan of sweets so I also decided to make these adorable chocolate dipped “football” strawberries for the table. They’re very simple to prepare and Emi even helped me do the white piping. (She did an awesome job!) I’d suggest making a double batch since they probably won’t last very long on the table.

chocolate-dipped-football-strawberries

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb strawberries, rinsed and dried
  • 1 bag of brown chocolate candy melts
  • 1 bag of white candy melts
  • vegetable oil (you won’t need much)

washed-and-dried-strawberries

Preparation:

  1. Prepare your work area by putting some parchment paper down on the countertop. This is where the strawberries will be drying after they’re dipped.
  2. Place the brown candy melts into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Take out and stir. (They won’t be very melted yet.) Heat for an additional 30 seconds and stir again. Add a tiny bit of vegetable oil to the bowl and mix in. The oil just helps to make your mixture a little bit smoother. Let the mixture settle for about a minute before starting to dip the strawberries. dipping-the-strawberry
  3. Dip each strawberry into the bowl, slowly turning it by its stem. Then use a spoon to cover the strawberry with the chocolate up to a fairly high point, trying to stay even all the way around the strawberry. Remove from the bowl and set onto parchment paper to dry. drying-on-parchment-paper
  4. After the chocolate has completely dried (I stick mine into the fridge), prepare the white candy melts exactly like you did the chocolate ones. Transfer the white mixture into a piping bag (you can use a plastic sandwich bag) with the tiniest tip and pipe on the white football accents. If you make a mistake, you can quickly scrape off the white melt with a toothpick since it won’t be dry yet. Again, wait until thoroughly dry before serving. piping-the-footballs

yummy-strawberriesIt was really fun for my daughter to get in the kitchen and help me with these! She’s got a pretty stead hand for piping! 

I found everything I needed to make my Big Game Snacks at Walmart! Both of the Cheez-It products were on the end of an aisle so I could just grab and toss them into my basket!

cheezitsI think my snack table is all ready to go for the Big Game with all of the necessities! Can you think of anything I might be missing?

game-day-necessitiesWhat are YOU most excited for on the day of the Big Game? Do YOU have any special recipes that you serve on that day?

Connect with Cheez-It on Facebook and Twitter too!

The Great Tater Creator at Farrell’s Starting February 1!

 

Farrells-tater-creatorStarting February 1st at all Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour Restaurant locations those sides of fries finally get the respect they deserve! Farrell’s kicks off The Great Tater Creator® program where guest will be able to create over 75.5 million different tater masterpieces to compliment the burger or sandwich they accompany. Using Farrell’s The Great Tater Creator card, guests will create their own tater masterpiece from four different tater choices, six sauces, 15 regular toppers, 4 premium toppers and six tater dunks.

Taters:

  •  Fries
  •  Potato Tots
  •  Sweet Potato Fries
  •  Waffle Fries

Pour-Ons:

  • Brown Gravy
  • Buffalo Sauce
  • Cheese Sauce
  • Farrell’s Chili
  • Farrell’s Sauce
  • Tangy Balsamic

Regular Toppers:

  • American Cheese
  • Anaheim Chilis
  • Bacon Crumbles
  • Black Olives
  • Bleu Cheese
  • Cheddar Cheese
  • Chopped Onions
  • Crushed Garlic
  • Fresh Basil
  • Grilled Onions
  • Jalapeños
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Pico de Gallo
  • Scallions
  • Sour Cream

Premium Toppers:

  • Fried Egg
  • Ground Beef
  • Guacamole
  • Sautéed Mushrooms with Truffle Oil

Tater Dunks:

  • BBQ Sauce
  • Bleu Cheese Dressing
  • Chipotle Sauce
  • Farrell’s Sauce
  • Honey Mustard
  • Ranch

The Great Tater Creator program starts at an additional $2.29 and can be added to any entree that comes with a side of fries. Available at all participating Farrell’s California and Hawaii locations.

Find Farrell’s on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

 

Kids Can Have Fun in the Kitchen With Foodstirs’ Valentine’s Heart Tart Kit!

made-with-loveWe recently received an adorable box on our doorstep. It was this awesome Valentine’s Heart Tart Kit from Foodstirs. Have you heard of them? Foodstirs is a creative cooking experience for families that empowers kids to learn how to make homemade food. They offer uniquely designed food crafting kits filled with high-quality ingredients, recipes and specialty tools, delivered to your door. The culinary projects in theirs kits fill curious little chefs with confidence and “know-how” as they use valuable skills such as reading, counting and experimenting to create a tasty treat or meal to share.

foodstirs-kit I love to spend time in the kitchen with Emily. She’s always been eager to help me during cooking and baking.  I want her to know how to cook. It’s such a valuable life skill. We decided to use the kit to make a batch of early Valentine’s Heart Tarts for some of her friends. The packaging is really cute and the only things you really need to provide are the refrigerated ingredients.

Each Valentine’s Heart Tart Kit contains:

  • Easy-to-follow Heart Tart recipe card (makes 12)
  • Ingredients
  • Heart cookie cutter
  • Popsicle sticks
  • Gift bags
  • Gift tags
  • Twine
  • Turkey and Cheese Tart recipe card
  • Bonus recipe: Homemade Jam!

The recipe cards included in each kit have illustrations and lists of what kids need to gather prior to starting their recipe. This is so handy. It’s much easier and more organized when you get all of the things you’re going to need, before starting.

reading-the-directionsI stood by and watched Emily follow the instructions, step by step. She emphasized her plan of doing most of the work for these, all by herself. I just told her I was standing by for emotional support. (I also assisted with cutting the butter into the recipe though)

ingredients-collageEverything was really simple to mix together and she loved getting to use her hands in the bowl for mixing.

mixing-with-handsAfter taking a short break while the dough chilled in the refrigerator, Emily was excited to finally roll the dough out, cut the hearts, and start to fill them with her favorite strawberry jam! (next time we’re going to try filling them with a chocolate spread) I thought she did a great job scoring on the edges of the tarts with a fork.

scoring-the-edgesShe was SO excited when I took the baking pan out of the oven and her Valentine Heart Tarts were done! How cute did these turn out?

so-cute!Our kit included goodie bags with baker’s twine, along with Valentine gift tags to package up each one for a friend. We also added hot pink tulle to one of the tarts for it’s photo debut! What do you think?

bow-on-the-stickWe had so much fun with our Valentine’s Heart Tart Kit from Foodstirs and can’t wait to make a batch of  turkey and cheese tarts next! Each kit costs only $29.99 and includes FREE shipping. You can order kit and receive a $5 off with the discount code: HEARTS! What a perfect way to help your child(ren) cook up something special in time for Valentine’s Day!

heart-eyeVisit Foodstirs on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

FIG & OLIVE Newport Beach’s Prix Fixe Brunch Menu! Bring in the Whole Family to Enjoy Brunch!

Emily and I were recently invited to a Family Brunch Media Event to preview the Prix-Fixe Brunch menu at the beautiful Newport Beach location of FIG & OLIVE. The restaurant is located at Fashion Island. fig-and-olive-sign

Fig & Olive is currently offering a delicious French Riviera three-course Prix-Fixe brunch menu  ($28*) on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. They also have a special kids’ meal promotion right now, which is available during brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Guests who order from FIG & OLIVE’s prix-fixe brunch menu will receive a complimentary meal from the kids’ menu (*one main course plus a soft drink per child; children 10 and under).

looking-at-the-kids-menuEmi enjoyed an Arnold Palmer while she browsed the kids’ menu

Pint-size foodies can choose from the following offerings:

  • ¼ Roasted Chicken with Herbs de Provence, rosemary, garlic, lemon, and mashed potato
  • F&O Pizza with tomato, mozzarella, and basil
  • Chicken Fingers served with tomato basil dip and skinny fries
  • Fish Croquettes with lemon mayo
  • Penne Pasta with olive oil, cheese, or pesto

hot-teaLove the presentation of the hot tea in this simple white pot!

prix-fixe-brunch-menuTake a peek at the Prix-Fixe Brunch Menu. 

There were so many delicious items to choose from. It was very difficult for me to narrow it down, but I finally did. I decided to start with the Fig & Olive Salad which was the most delightful combination of flavors in a salad.

bread-basketI also indulged in some of the of bread & viennoiseries that were brought to the table.  The strawberry jam was amazing on the baguette and Emi opted for the chocolate croissant without hesitation. But let’s get back to my Fig & Olive salad…

fig-and-olive-saladIt was so fresh and yummy! I couldn’t get enough of the figs! 

For an entree, I ordered the South of France Poached Eggs with Salmon while Emi ordered the Chicken Fingers served with marinara basil dip and skinny fries from the kids’ menu.

salmon All of the food was just fabulous. I literally had to stop myself from eating because I wanted to save room for dessert. The FIG & OLIVE chefs don’t use butter or cream to cook with (except for the desserts) and everything is olive oil-based. I think this makes a huge difference in the way food tastes. Read about their line of olive oils hereolive-oil

olive-tree-menuOur third course was dessert! I think that’s always my favorite part. I ordered Dessert “Crostini”. They’re pistachio shortbread cookies topped with Amarena cherries, mascarpone, and micro-basil.

dessert-crostini-up-closeThey were delicious! (I spy a Hidden Mickey in my dessert! Do you see it too? )

emily-at-dessert

I loved everything about FIG & OLIVE Newport Beach. It’s a great location, very close to the beach, and the inside of the restaurant is so open and bright from all of the natural lighting shining through the windows. Every item brought out to our table was delicious and their staff was so delightful. It’s a great place to take the entire family for brunch (or lunch or dinner), especially with this complimentary kids’ meal promotion right now. I look forward my next visit to FIG & OLIVE Newport Beach.

SONY DSCIt was a perfect girls’ day out. Thank you FIG & OLIVE Newport Beach! 

FIG & OLIVE is located at Fashion Island

151 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Call (949) 877-3005 to make a reservation.

Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

Handlery Hotel San Diego: A Family-Owned Premier Hotel

I received hotel accommodations in order to write this review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own. handlery-hotel-marquisWe had such a wonderful experience staying at the Handlery Hotel San Diego this past weekend.  An early call time for a Sunday cheer competition made it necessary for us to stay overnight in “America’s Finest City” the night before. We wanted to stay somewhere centrally located to be able to take advantage of some of the fun things San Diego has to offer. Handlery Hotel’s location was just that! Located in Hotel Circle, t’s literally a hop, skip & a jump away from Fashion Valley Mall, Mission Bay, and San Diego State University. Since it’s located just off of the 8 freeway, it was so easy to get places without taking too much driving time.

lobbyThe lobby of Handlery Hotel is nice and bright thanks to the natural light from above! 

We were greeted by friendly faces at the front desk, upon our arrival. They quickly checked us into our room, located right next to the pool. The room was just perfect for us and had 2 beds, a clean, updated bathroom, and a big, flat screen TV to watch while we enjoyed our cheese platter and cookie tray.

handlery-hotel-san-diego-accomodationsAs you can see, Emily immediately claimed, and personalized, “her bed”!

emis-bed

handlery-hotel-bathroomA nice, clean bathroom is one of my own personal travel necessities! 

big-screen-tvThis cheese platter was amazing! The cookies were delicious too! 

I instantly fell in love with the Holcombe & Moore Aromatherapy toiletries that were in the bathroom. They smelled so good, with a scent that wasn’t too overpowering.  I could swear the same scent was being released into the hallways of the hotel and I actually asked about it at the front desk. Whenever I’d walk in the hallway or enter the lobby there was a wonderful smell in the air.

holcombe-and-moore-aromatherapy-products

toiletries

towelsHow cute are the towels? 

The Handlery Hotel has a large pool area, with both a pool and jacuzzi. They are heated for guests’ convenience. I got some really pretty pictures of the pool area because we arrived around dusk. What a pretty backdrop the sunset was and I felt like I was in paradise just looking at all of the palm trees.

poolWe didn’t get to actually swim in the pool on this visit because we were so busy with our cheer competition but the weather was sure perfect for it! Next time we’re definitely going into the pool! Southern California Winter weather is definitely something to be thankful for!

pool-fountainA poolside fountain

The hotel has a few different fountains throughout. I know for me, the sound of water is so soothing. The fountain by the pool was really pretty, as was the one by the hotel’s entryway.

fountain-in-the-frontEmi made a wish in this fountain that’s located near the hotel’s entryway.

Postcards Restaurant is located adjacent to the hotel’s lobby and serves breakfast and dinner and has a full bar with a TV to watch sports. It also provides the food for in-room dining. We had to hurry out early to our cheer competition so they packed us up a container of goodies and I took some coffee to go.

postcards-restaurant

muffins-to-go Freshly baked blueberry and banana nut muffins and a mini croissant to go! 

coffee-and-a-complimentary-paperYou can grab a complimentary daily paper in the hotel lobby! 

Our stay at the Handlery Hotel San Diego definitely wasn’t long enough. Once cheer season is over, we fully intend on returning for a longer, more relaxing stay, when we enjoy the accommodations a little more and take advantage of that pool area, including the poolside drinks and dining at the Reef Lounge Poolside Bar & Grill.

Some of the other accommodations available at the hotel are:

  • Concierge staff
  • On-site parking
  • Complimentary wireless internet throughout the hotel
  • Business Center with computer, printer and complimentary boarding pass printing
  • Complimentary on-site fitness center
  • Same day laundry and dry cleaning service
  • Flexible meeting space
  • In-room dining
  • ATM
  • Express Checkout
  • Dog friendly

cookie-in-handThank you, Handlery Hotel! You had her at “cookie”! 

I’d like to send a HUGE thank you to the staff at the Handlery Hotel San Diego! It’s a great family-owned hotel, offering such warm service. We enjoyed ourselves immensely and hope to be back very soon!

thank-you-handlery-hotelVisit Handlery Hotel San Diego on Facebook & Twitter.

Be Ready For the Big Game With SNICKERS® Brownie “Hamburger” Cupcakes!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are 100% my own. #BigGameTreats #CollectiveBias

big-game-treats-2In anticipation of the Big Game, I’ve been planning the menu for our annual Big Game Day party. Our usual spread always includes chips n’ dip, party meatballs, pizza, hot dogs, and hamburgers.  This year I wanted to make some extra yummy treats for the dessert table. We have a few more children that will be coming over this year, so I came up with something I think they’re really going to go nuts over….SNICKERS® Brownie Hamburger Cupcakes! These cupcakes are stuffed with SNICKERS brownie “hamburger patties” and they look just like little hamburgers. There are several steps to making these but they’re also very easy to prepare. My daughter loved helping me make these. They are guaranteed to be the talk of your party!

snickers-brownie-hamburger-cupcakes

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this fabulous dessert:

  • one box of your favorite brownie mix
  • one box of your favorite yellow cake mix
  • 1 container of white frosting
  • 1/4 cup white sprinkles
  • 1/2 cup coconut flakes, sweetened
  • red, yellow, and green food coloring
  • 15-20 Fun Size SNICKERS, chopped

Preparation

The first thing you want to do is to make the SNICKERS brownies.  I prepare my favorite boxed brownie mix and toss in some chopped up Fun Size Snickers bars into the batter.  Before placing the batter into the baking pan, I place parchment paper in there, so I’m able to easily remove the brownies from the pan after they’re done,  without breaking them. This just makes for better looking squares when you slice them.

cut-up-snickerssnickers-in-the-batter

After the brownies come out of the oven, be sure to allow them to cool for at least an hour before cutting. I sliced half of the pan into squares and set them aside. I used the remaining half of the brownies to make the “burgers“. Using a small biscuit cutter, cut circles out of the brownies and set aside.

cutting-the-browniessnickers-burgers

Next, prepare the cupcakes using the yellow cake mix. It’s important that you use cupcake liners when you bake them, so your cupcakes have ridges on the outside. It’s also important to fill your cupcake liners full enough so the cupcakes bake up high.

baking-the-cupcakes

After baking the cupcakes, allow them to cool completely. After they’ve sufficiently cooled down, remove each one from the wrapper and slice about 1/4 of the bottom of the cupcake off and throw away. (or eat it) Slice the remaining part of each cupcake in half to make the “hamburger bun” and set aside.

cut-the-bottom-of-the-cupcakecupcake-hamburger-bun

To prepare the “lettuce“,  put 1/2 cup of coconut into a bowl and squeeze a few drops of green food coloring into the bowl. Mix together, using a fork, until desired green color is achieved.

making-the-lettuceTo prepare “ketchup“, mix 1/2 container of white frosting into a bowl. Add a few drops of red food coloring and stir together with a spoon until it resembles ketchup.  Do the same to prepare “cheese“, mix 1/2 container of white frosting in a bowl, with a few drops of yellow and some red food coloring too and stir together with a spoon until it resembles cheese. For both of these, you may end up adding drops of color until you reach your desired color.

frostings

After you have all of your burger ingredients prepared, it’s time for the fun part…the assembling of your hamburger cupcakes. I like to squeeze some ketchup and cheese, using a pastry bag, on top of the burger and then top with a generous amount of lettuce. When you place the top bun on, it’ll squeeze some of that out and make it look like a real burger. Use the white sprinkles to make the sesame seeds on the bun and poke a cute toothpick through the top! I’m garnishing mine with Starburst® to really get the kids hopping around!

snickers-brownie-hamburger-cupcakes

I was able to find all of the items I needed for my recipe at Walmart. I found the Fun Size SNICKERS I used in my recipe on the candy aisle, as well as the Starburst®! It’s the perfect place to buy all of your Big Game Day necessities!

items-at-walmart

snickers-aisle

How do YOU celebrate on the day of the BIG GAME? Do you have any special recipes that you like to make?

Farrell’s Kicks Off January With Some Gridiron Grub to Get Us All Pumped For “The Big Game”!

 

FAR_GridIronCaddyTopper

Starting January, 1, 2015 Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour Restaurants began celebrating everything delicious about football by introducing, for a limited time, a new burger and fry combo and a football themed sundae! Plus, guests will be able to enter-to-win for Farrell’s to come out and cater their “Big Game” party on February 1, 2015.

FAR_Gridiron_BurgerInsta

 

The Tailgate Burger is an action packed burger that slams two stadium favorites together into one hardy burger. A delicious cheeseburger and nachos in one! It all starts with a fresh 1/2 lb. Angus patty with melty Pepper Jack cheese, and crisp lettuce, then, thrown on top of that, a pile of nachos built with a crisp heaping helping of Doritos® nacho chips, melted cheddar cheese, sour cream, black olives, fresh guacamole and house-made salsa. This beast is served with Bleu Buffalo waffle fries on the side. (Farrell’s waffle fries drizzled with zesty buffalo sauce and tangy bleu cheese.) Farrell’s Tailgate Burger and Bleu Buffalo waffle fries combo is priced at $13.99.

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To top that off, don’t settle for the field goal… go for the extra point and get Farrell’s 4th and Goal Sundae. A 4-scoop sundae fit for a linebacker heaps up two scoops of Vanilla, a scoop of Chocolate Malted Crunch and a scoop of Cookie Dough ice cream dripping with warm caramel and chocolate topping, a mound of fresh whipped cream and a cherry on top. Not “Super” enough? Under your souvenir, take-home Farrell’s helmet, you’ll find a pile of Oreo® crumbs to top that sundae off just right. The 4th and Goal sundae with take home helmet is priced at $11.99.

Guests also have the chance to win Farrell’s catering at their own personal “Big Game” party on February 1, 2014. All guests need to do is fill out the enter-to-win card when dining at any participating Farrell’s location.

All items are available at participating Farrell’s California and Hawaii locations. Locations and complete details and rules for Farrell’s Caters Your Big Game Party can be found at FarrellsUSA.com.

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This is not a sponsored post. I was provided with information from Farrell’s to share with my readers.