I LOVE the Olympics.  They inspire me to try harder, push farther and follow my dreams.  I am always so moved by the passion, triumph and heart break.  My kids are at the age now where they too are engaged in the competition.  We are planning a little family party for the Opening Ceremonies.  I’ve designed this set of  Olympic Party Printables to get us in the Olympic spirit.

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Hi sweet readers!  For our family, the beginning of the school year is a signal to start eating healthy again.  After letting my little one have  Lucky Charms and Pop Tarts for breakfast all summer:), my guilt usually takes over in August and I start cooking up some healthier options.  Granola is so so simple to make and can be layered with yogurt and fresh or dried fruit for a great breakfast.  Its a great option especially when it’s so hot outside. My kids were so excited when they saw me making this.  It is one of their favorite snacks.  I had to take photos fast because it quickly disappeared.

The granola is delicious as is.  However, once you have the basic recipe down feel free to add mix ins that that you family likes.  For this recipe, add about 2 cups of  dried fruit finely diced (This time I used dried apricots, cranberries and figs).  Don’t be afraid to experiment.  You really can’t mess it up.

Good Start Granola

 

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Author: Bloom Designs Online

Ingredients

• You need
• 3 cups old fashion oatmeal
• ½ cup sweetened coconut
• ½ cup raw slice almonds
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup honey
• 2 Cups diced dried fruit

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl mix all ingredients. Spread on a parchment lined cookie sheet and cook for 20 minutes or until golden stirring often. Make sure to keep an eye on it towards the end of cooking time and stir often. It goes from done to burnt quickly.

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Get a little bit fancier and layer it with plain or vanilla yogurt.

One of the best things about the Good Start Granola is that it makes a great gift.  The granola will stay fresh in a sealaed container for over a week.  While anyone would love the granola regardless of how it’s packaged, you know I’m all about making it cute.  How you wrap things up make all the difference in the world.

The tag as always is free for my sweet readers by clicking here.  You can cut out the tag with scissors or use a tag craft punch available at Michaels to make the tag in the photo.

Back to the beach for a little more summer with my kids!

XO,

Jenny

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How To Color Sprinkles

Hi everyone.  I am beyond excited to share this Make It Monday with you- How to Color Sprinkles.  I TRULY wish that  I had learned this years ago.  I love sprinkles but usually avoid them because the colors simply are usually ugly, too bright and don’t match my parties well.  When I made this known to my local cake store owner, we started brain storming ways to color white sprinkles.  Food dye is messy and the sprinkles come out uneven.  Luster Dust was the answer.  It is amazing and so simple.  I  was able to get the most beautiful colors and it takes about 10 seconds to do, if you’re slow.

What you need:

• white sprinkles
• luster dust- available in baking sections

Pour the amount of sprinkles you need into a Ziploc bag.  Add a bit of luster dust.  Shake.  Start with a small amount of luster dust and add more if need.  Otherwise, the excess dust gets everywhere. If you do add too much simply pour into a sifter and shake off excess.

Please excuse all the photos.  I just am totally in love with how they came out.

Hope you all had a great weekend.  I did another party over the weekend  for the most delightful family!  I loved working with them. They are beyond adorable and I can’t wait to share the photos and new party package with you soon!

Taking a much need break from party styling for a while and focusing on blogging ideas and adding some fun new party items to the shop.  If there is anything you would want to see on the blog or in the shop, let me know! Tomorrow Audrey’s Favorite Thing Party.

Jenny

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Happy Monday Everyone. Thanks so stopping in.  I am so excited to share these easy DIY heart sugar cubes.  In our house, Valentine’s Day is all about doing simple little things to show others you love them.  No big gifts and no all out celebration.  Just little acts of sweetness which is why LOVE these heart sugar cubes.  IT only takes a few minutes to make dozens but is such a sweet way to show someone that you love them.

You need

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• red food coloring
• a few drops of water
• disco dust and small brush(optional found in most cake aisles)
• sugar cubes
• piping bag
• the smallest round piping tip you can find

Whisk together powdered sugar and food coloring.  Add in tiny drops of water until the icing is smooth but thick.  You want a paste. Pipe on a small heart.  Just play around with a few until you get your technique down but the easiest way to do it is to squeeze a small dot on the left top and pull down to the center. Next squeeze a small dot on the right top and pull down to center.  Do a dozen or so and then use your brush to lightly tap on disco dust.

Let sit until dry.  Serve along side morning coffee or use a chocolate covered pretzel bag to package a few to give as gifts.

Sometimes I even sneak a one to my kids to suck on (only once in a while).

TOTALLY SWEET!

Have a great week

XO,

Jenny

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Hi Everyone.  We are heading back to school and I am already wishing it was summer.  I whipped up these brownie s’more bars to ease the transition back into our busy routine and to remind my kids that summer is right around the corner.  We eat s’more all summer long but when you can’t be outside, these are a fantastic version of a favorite dessert.  They will definitely give you summer fever, and yes, they are as good as they look.  Worth breaking your eat healthy resolution!

You need

• 14 full graham crackers
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• one batch of your favorite brownie recipe (boxed or homemade, make as directed but do not bake)
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 1 cup chocolate chips

First make the graham cracker crust. Put 10 of the graham cracker and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs.  Add butter and mix until combined. Press into the bottom of a 9×12 pan and bake at 350  for 9-10 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from over and let cool for 10 minutes.

Pour on the brownie batter and cook for another 20-25 minutes until almost set.

While baking, crush the remaining graham crackers by hand and combine with marshmallows and chocolate chips. Scatter mix over the brownies and cook for 5-8 minutes until marshmallows are melted and slightly toasted.

ENJOY!

Off to what I think will be the busiest week ever.  Getting cabinets, floors, bathroom counter tops all on Tuesday and 2 parties in the next 3 weeks!

XO,

Jenny

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Hi Everyone – Hope you are enjoying your Veterans’ Day.  I am so grateful to the incredible men and women who sacrifice themselves for our great nation.

This is absolutely my most favorite appetizer for fall thanks to my sweet friend Lauren who shared this with me.  It is incredibly easy and  sinfully good.  I could eat the whole thing myself.  It has all the great flavors of late fall in it- warm cheese, rich caramel and cranberries. Sliced almonds give it a great crunch.  Serve it with apples and it tastes like a warm caramel apple.

You need

• 1 wheel of Brie
• 1 jar of caramel sauce
• 1/4 cup of cranberries
• 1/4 cup slice almonds

Heat oven to 350. Put Brie in an oven proof serving dish. Cover with caramel. Top with cranberries and almonds. Measurements for this recipe are not crucial- just eye it. Bake for about 20 minutes or until brie is melted and slightly bubbly. Serve immediately with table water crackers or sliced apples.

I make this several times a season but always for Thanksgiving.

I just got back from a wonderful weekend away for my daughter Audrey’s  birthday with 13 of her friends.  They are such sweet girls.  Can’t wait to share the party pics with you!  Off to a great week!

XO

JEnny

The post Make it Monday- Caramel Brie appeared first on Bloom Designs.

I basically took all the ingredients of a pumpkin pie filling minus the cream and eggs and made the filling for the rolls.

You need

For the rolls-

• 1 can crescent rolls (I got the extra big ones)

For the filling-

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 tablespoons butter melted
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• dash of ginger

For the glaze-

• 1 cup  powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon milk
• 1 Tablespoon butter melted
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the filling until well combined.

Unroll crescent rolls.  Press seams together so that you have a rectangle.

Spread  a thin layer of the filling on top of the rolls.  You may not need all of you filling.  Starting at the short end of the rectangle, roll up the dough.  Cut the roll into 8 equal pieces.  Place slices in a buttered 8 inch round cake pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until golden brown.  While these are baking, whisk together ingredients for glaze until smooth.

Remove rolls from oven and let cool slightly (5 minutes) spread glaze generously over tops of rolls.

These will make any week fantastic.

XO,

Jenny

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You can never go wrong with peanut butter and banana.

You need:

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 package room temperature cream cheese
• 2/3 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cup heavy cream
• 3 large bananas, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 cup heath toffee bits
• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Cream together peanut butter, cream cheese, sugar and  1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth, light and fluffy.  Remove from bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of the electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, mix cream, powdered sugar, and remaining vanilla until stiff peaks form.

Using a rubber spatula, fold half of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture.  Be gentle:)  Put peanut butter mixture into a piping bag and remaining whipped cream into another piping bag.

Assemble your parfaits in the following order

• thin layer of peanut  butter mix
• layer of bananas
• sprinkle on heath bits
• thin layer of peanut butter mix
• layer of bananas
• thin layer of peanut butter mix
• whipped cream

These will hold over night.  Elvis definitely had good taste.

Off to a great week.

XO,

Jenny

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I think donuts are the perfect treat.  I love them.   I go to the donut store and have a  glazed old fashioned for breakfast a few times a week. Totally true. I used to go everyday but when the lady started getting my order ready as she saw my car pull up, I decided it was time to cut back. Anyways… when I found a recipe for glazed donut muffins, I knew immediately that I wanted to try them.  We baked them for our Back To School Breakfast and they are just as good as they look.

You need

The post Make It Monday- Glazed Donut Muffins appeared first on Bloom Designs.

Hi Everyone.  Happy Monday!  Aren’t these pretty?  They are also surprisingly easy to make and, in case you need it, gluten free.  Pavolas are essential made the same way you make a meringue but then they are filled cream and fruit.  The pavlovas can be piped into any size.  They are often made eight or nine inches wide but I think these mini, individually sized ones are perfect for a dessert table.  The shells can be made up to a week in advanced and stored in an air tight container.  Simply assemble a few minutes before your guest arrive. They are also very versitle.  The meringue shells can be filled with anything you like.  Since summer is sadly coming to a close, I wanted to take advantage of the yummy berries while they were still around.  You could easily do an all red filling for Christmas or Valentines Days.

You need (Makes 12 mini pavlovas. Double recipe if needed)

• 4 egg white
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tater
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 250 degrees.  In the bowl of an electric mixer with a whip attachment, beat egg whites until foamy.  Add cream of tarter and continue beating until the egg whites are thick.  Add vanilla and sugar and continue mixing until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Put meringue into a piping bag. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment, pipe a flat circle for your base for the base of your pavlova and then pie two more rows on just the outer edge leaving a well in the center.

Bake for 60- 75 minutes until the outside is hard and the middle is still soft.  Turn off oven, open door and let pavlovas cool inside the oven.  You do not want them to completely dry out like a meringue cookie.

Fill with whipped cream and top with fresh berries of your choice.

Here I also added a raspberry sauce (my favorite).

Off to a great week! XO,

Jenny

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