July 4th Celebration by PeppersPolishMafia
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Best American Flag Cake Recipe

My secret to making the BEST American Flag Cake for the 4th of July, Flag Day, Memorial Day, or whenever is to not skimp on the ingredients.  You’ll find full instructions for making my American Flag Cake (and also alternative Flag cakes) by visiting Best American Flag Cake Recipe.

You’ll also find cake baking tips,  ideas for greening up your patriotic celebration and a place to leave comments about this recipe or your own American Flag Cake recipe.

American Flag Cakes make the perfect dessert for family and friends returning from the military.

Quick Link to the American Flag Cake Recipe

Best American Flag Cake Recipe

Easter Morning by lilyhydrangea

Easy Summer Salads

When the weather gets hot it’s time to think about simple dinners and side dishes.  Summer salads fit the bill perfectly!

Visit Easy Summer Salads to find several really delicious, really easy salad recipes including the Best Potato Salad Recipe, Yummy Chopped Salad,  Easy Tomato Mozzarella, and the ingredients needed for a fabulous Fresh Fruit Salad.  You’ll also find a video presentation of a Summer Tomato Salad and a place to share your favorite Summer Salad recipes and ideas.

Any of the Easy Summer Salads would be perfect to serve on its own at your next cook-out, or make and serve them all at your next outdoor party!

Quick Link to the Summer Salad Recipes

Easy Summer Salads

Holiday Side Dish Recipes

Looking for a delicious side dish recipe to serve during the holidays (or anytime?)  Visit Top 10 Holiday Side Dish Recipes to find the perfect side dish that your family will love.  Here’s the list of recipes you’ll find there:

• Candied Yams
• Scalloped Corn
• Simple Stuffing
• Basic Mashed Potatoes
• Classic Green Bean Casserole
• Cranberry Fluff
• Dinner Rolls
• Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
• Homemade Gravy
• Millionaire Pie

Visit Top 10 Holiday Side Dish Recipes to find the easy-to-follow delicious recipes!

This recipe page was a winner in the Squidoo Thanksgiving Cookoff (for charity) and is responsible for a $1000.00 donation from Squidoo.com to A Day of Hope, feeding the hungry on Thanksgiving.

The three other winners of the Charity Cookoff were:

Thanksgiving Dinner with our Troops which is responsible to a $1000.00 donation to Soldier’s Angels.

20 Plus Ways to Have a Tasty Eco-Friendly Thanksgiving Meal which is responsible for a $1000.00 donation to Food for Everyone.

and My Top 10 “Top Chef” Guest Judges which is responsible for a $1000.00 donation to Save the Children.

Starting today, up until December 1st 2009, you can vote for the grand prize winning recipe page by visiting: The Official Squidoo Thanksgiving Cookoff  (for charity) page.  The Grand prize winner will receive an additional $5000.00 donation from Squidoo.com to their favorite charity.

Everyone can vote.  Please do it today.

Wishing you and yours, a delicious and Happy Thanksgiving!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Sweet Potatoes make the perfect Thanksgiving Day side dish.  They are easy to prepare and just about everyone that I know loves them.

Visit Savory Roasted Sweet Potatoes to find the simple recipe and to read the heartwarming story behind the making of this winning entry in the Squidoo Thanksgiving Cookoff (for charity).    The “chef” has chosen  Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to receive the $1000.00 donation from Squidoo.com.

JDRF is the leader in research leading to a cure for type 1 diabetes in the world.  It sets the global agenda for diabetes research, and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of diabetes science worldwide.

The recipe page also includes helpful tips for choosing the best sweet potatoes along with nutritional information and links to help you find the best kitchen tools to make this dish.

Quick Link to the Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Savory Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Happy Thanksgiving by JustParties
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Pumpkin Parfait Recipe

Short on time?  This delicious pumpkin parfait recipe is an easy alternative to serving pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.  It tastes just as pumpkiny and it’s sure to become a new family favorite.  The recipe was passed down to the author and is now being passed on to you.

Parfait is an elegant looking dessert that will surely dress up your table and inspire compliments from your guests.  Try it tonight and I’m sure you’ll be adding it to your next Thanksgiving menu!

Pumpkin Parfait, Anyone? is another winner of the Squidoo Thanksgiving Cookoff (for charity). Because of the hard work of its author, EarthJustice will receive a $1000.00 donation from Squidoo.com.

From the EarthJustice website:

Q: Why does Earthjustice, the law firm for the environment, urgently need your support?

A: As a nonprofit organization, we rely upon supporters like you to help us bring about far-reaching change by enforcing and strengthening environmental laws on behalf of hundreds of organizations and communities.

Quick Link to the Recipe

Pumpkin Parfait, Anyone?

Spiced Tea Recipe

Today’s winner of the Squidoo Thanksgiving Cookoff (for charity) is a delicious homemade spiced tea recipe.

This spice tea recipe is easy to make from any instant tea and is perfect for sharing as an inexpensive, yet very welcome gift. (You’ll find full instructions for gifting this tea at the recipe page.)

The recipe page shares the delicious recipe (including pictures that make it impossible to mess up) and the heartwarming story behind it.

Because of this winning recipe Squidoo.com is donating $1000.00 to the author’s favorite charity, the National Wildlife Federation’s Alaska Resource Center.

“National Wildlife Federation inspires Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future.”

Quick Link to the Spice Tea Recipe

Spice Tea Recipe

Fresh Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Think it’s hard to bake a fresh Pumpkin Pie?

Not when you use this great made-from-real-pumpkin Pumpkin Pie Recipe that I found.

From the Garden Pumpkin Pie includes the really very easy directions for selecting, cleaning, cooking, and baking your fresh-from-scratch pumpkin pie.  You’ll find a list of Frequently Asked Questions about the differences of using fresh versus canned pumpkin and a place to share your thoughts about baking the best pumpkin pie.

This recipe is another winner of the Squidoo Thanksgiving Cookoff (for charity) all royalties from this page, along with the $1000.00 donation from Squidoo.com go to Wildlife Forever.

“The mission of Wildlife Forever is to conserve America’s wildlife heritage through conservation education, preservation of habitat and management of fish and wildlife.”

Quick Link to the Fresh Pumpkin Pie Recipe

From the Garden Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving

Photographic Print
Clineff, Kindra
24 in. x 18 in.

This Thanksgiving why not go wild!

Cooking a Wild Turkey is a little different from cooking one that you hunted down at the grocery store.  At How to Roast a Wild Turkey you’ll learn everything you need to know about cooking a wild turkey including how  to brine, inject, roast, smoke, marinade, and grill a real wild turkey.

Recipes include:

• Roast Wild Turkey with blue cornbread-shrimp stuffing recipe
• Smoked Wild Turkey recipe
• Simple-But-Scrumptious Wild Turkey Breast recipe
• Grilled Wild Turkey Breast recipe

How to Roast Wild Turkey is another winner of the Squidoo Thanksgiving Cookoff (for Charity).  The $1000.00 prize is being donated to WildLife Forever.   “The mission of Wildlife Forever is to conserve America’s wildlife heritage through conservation education, preservation of habitat and management of fish and wildlife.”

Quick Link to the Wild Turkey Recipes

How to Roast a Wild Turkey

Wild Turkey Males Displaying, Texas, USA

Photographic Print
Nussbaumer, Rolf

This Thanksgiving why not toss the can and make some delicious FRESH Cranberry sauce.

I think I’ve found the best cranberry sauce recipe page.  Cranberry Sauce – From Bog to Table takes you on a tour of a cranberry bog in Maine and follows the berries as they get picked and sorted and then supplies you with a healthy, delicious, easy-to-follow fresh cranberry sauce recipe.

You’ll even get a close look at a very cool antique cranberry sorter that is still being used today.

This cranberry sauce recipe page is another winner in the Squidoo Thanksgiving Cookoff (for charity) contest.  The $1000.00 donation is going to Soldier’s Angels.   Soldier’s Angels is a volunteer-led non-profit organization providing aid and comfort to the men and women of the United States Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Air force and their families.

Quick Link to the Recipe

Cranberry Sauce – From Bog to Table

Thanksgiving Day Dessert Recipes

Pie may be the king of Thanksgiving Day desserts but there are many other really delicious desserts that you can serve, beside the pie!

How about a nice Pumpkin Roll Cake,  a delicious Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle or even a Pumpkin Cheesecake?  All of these desserts still say Thanksgiving but these’s no need for rolling out a pie crust.

Not in the mood for Pumpkin?  Why not try a magnificent Maple Praline Cheesecake or a tasty Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart?

Sound good?  You’ll find all of these terrific no-pie Thanksgiving dessert recipes at today’s winner of the Squidoo Thanksgiving Cookoff (for charity) Anti-Pie Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes.   This recipe page donates all of it’s royalties to CAER Food Shelf.  And since this recipe page was chosen as a winner, CAER will also receive a $1000.00 donation from Squidoo.com.

“CAER is a non-profit, community-based Christian organization, whose mission is to provide emergency food, clothing, furniture/household items, special assistance, and limited financial assistance to individuals and families in need”

Quick Link to the Recipes

Anti-Pie Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

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Crispy Fried Calamari is a favorite at my house. And a traditional dish that we eat on Christmas Eve.

I learned the secret to making tender on the inside, crispy on the outside Fried Calamari from the chef of one of my favorite restaurants.

Visit my Fried Calamari – Traditional Christmas Eve Recipe to learn that secret and to find my favorite fried calamari recipe.  While there be sure to participate in the Traditional Christmas Eve menu conversation at the guest book and check out the cool Christmas Seafood Cookbook that I found at Amazon.com.  Don’t wait for Christmas to try this great fried calamari recipe.  Surprise your family and make some fried squid tonight!

Quick Link to the Recipe

Fried Calamari – Traditional Christmas Eve Recipe

TIP:  Using a splatter screen while cooking calamari will keep the mess down and prevent nasty burns from flying grease.

Find a great one here:  Splatter Screens

Giclee Print
9 in. x 12 in.
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You don’t have to wait for the holidays to enjoy candied sweet potatoes.  The candied sweet potatoes recipe that I’ve found compliments any meal!

Visit Candied Sweet Potatoes to find the super easy recipe which includes photos and video presentation along with interesting sweet potato facts and trivia, sweet potato Twitter.com Tweets and a special place where you can share your favorite sweet potato preferences.

Do you know the difference between a yam and a sweet potato?  You’ll learn that too!

Enjoy!

Quick Link to the Recipe

Candied Sweet Potatoes

Zogbaum, Armin

18 in. x 24 in.

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One of my very favorite cool weather treats is to curl up with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate.

If you’re like me you have got to try this recipe.  Next time you want to treat yourself mix up a batch of fresh homemade hot chocolate mix and give it a try.  In my humble opinion Homemade is ALWAYS better than store bought and Hot Chocolate mix is no exception.  It costs less too!

Visit Make Your Own Hot Chocolate Mix to find the easy recipe and the savings calculation along with a great hot chocolate gift idea.

And be sure to share your best hot chocolate memories in the guest book before you leave.

Quick Link to the Recipe

Make Your Own Hot Chocolate Mix

Halloween Chef I Art Print
Chiu, T. C.
11 in. x 14 in.
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Kids love Halloween cupcakes almost as much as they love Halloween candy!

At Creepy Crawly Cupcakes for Halloween there’s a cauldron full of recipes and ideas for creepy crawly (but still cute) easy-to-make, easy-to-serve Halloween cupcake recipes and ideas.

You’ll find everything from Boo-tiful Pumpkin Cupcakes to Wacky Witch Cupcakes and every other Howling Halloween monster in between.

Stop by to find the recipes or to see some awesome decorating ideas and don’t forget to leave a note in the guest book about your own favorite Halloween cupcake recipes!

Quick Link to the Recipes

Creepy Crawly Cupcakes for Halloween

At Halloween Pumpkin Recipes and Treats you’ll find delicious recipes for Pumpkin Spice Bread  (moist pumpkin bread with cinnamon and nutmeg) and Pumpkin Spice Latte that will surely please your favorite grown up witches and warlocks.  You’ll also learn how to roast pumpkin seeds, find links to more wonderful pumpkin recipes and even find a place to share your thoughts about your favorite pumpkin recipes.

Stop by today so you’ll have everything on hand before Halloween!

If you’re looking for treats for your children, check out my Creepy Crawly Cupcakes for Halloween where you’ll find some creepy, but still cute, cupcake ideas for halloween.

Quick Links to the Recipes

Halloween Pumpkin Recipes and Treats

Creepy Crawly Cupcakes for Halloween

The Halloween Greeting – Witch Dancing and Pumpkin Giclee Print shown above is available for purchase at AllPosters.com

Family Picnic Menu

Summer calls for potato salad and coldcuts. Add a loaf of homemade fresh bread, crudites and a bottle of rosé or a pitcher of fresh fruit punch and you have all the makings of a fabulous, make-ahead summertime meal.

The ‘chef’ has assembled all of the recipes you need to pull this traditional summer meal together, shared some fun red gingham and ant tableware to make your picnic fun and added a bit of ant humor, too.

What are your memories of summertime food?

Quick link to the recipes:

Complete Make-Ahead Summer Dinner Menu & Recipes

This recipe was made by an official RocketMom.

You can find more RocketMom recipes HERE

The beautiful still-life photographic art print shown above is available for purchase at AllPosters.com

Baby, don’t light that fire until you’ve checked out the best grilled burger recipes.

You know me, I’m always on the lookout for the best recipes and in my opinion there’s nothing better on a summer afternoon than a crispy grilled hamburger piled high with fixings, slathered with ketchup and nestled between a super fresh bun.  I’ve found not one, not two, but three “chefs” who really know how to do a burger proud.

Best Homemade Grilled Burger Recipe shares a few  taste tempting recipes for delicious grilled burgers.

Secrets for Making Incredible Hamburgers provides tips and advice to help you create and cook those burgers to perfection and for those of you who like a bit of cheese with that shake, don’t miss the Grilled Cheeseburger – Ultimate Comfort Food.

Quick Links to the Recipes:

Best Homemade Grilled Burger Recipe

Secrets for Making Incredible Hamburgers

Grilled Cheeseburger – Ultimate Comfort Food

Man Flipping Hamburger on Grill Outdoors

Photographic Print

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Summertime is potato salad time!   Have you ever tried a Hawaiian potato salad?

 This type of potato salad includes traditional ingredients like potatoes, eggs and onion plus it adds some less traditional ones like pasta, pickles and carrots.  

There are many versions of potato salad available and choosing one is, of course, a matter of personal taste. Hawaiian potato salad is a mayonnaise-based salad.  It pairs very nicely with many summery foods including hamburgers and barbecued chicken, ribs and steak.

Visit  The Best-Ever Hawaiian Potato Salad  where you will find the enticing recipe, links to many more potato salad options plus plenty of photographs and tips for making your potato salad.  There is even an intriguing new bowl called the ‘Cold Bowl On Ice’ which is perfect for serving salad and keeping it chilled while it is on the patio table.

Quick Link to the Recipe:  The Best-Ever Hawaiian Potato Salad

Highly Recommended:
COLD BOWL ON ICE   keeps potato salad, fruit, vegetables and seafood chilled at the perfect temperature for serving over extended time periods. Fill base with ice and the cold travels upward through the bowl into the food and is sealed in with a lid. Use without ice for food and snack that don’t need to be chilled. Includes serving spoons that hook onto bowl’s rim. Break-resistant and dishwasher safe. 6 1/2 qt. Acrylic, 11 x 9″.

What does glazed ham, scalloped potatoes, and carrot cake remind you of?  Why Easter, of course!   If you are looking for the recipes for any of these delicious treats hurry over to  A Tasty and Traditional Easter Menu to find good old-fashioned Easter recipes the way Mom used to make.

You’ll also find directions for making steamed asparagus and Peaches and Cream Corn and Carrots along with serving and table decorating suggestions to help you make your Easter table look it’s very best.

While visiting this page be sure to share your own families traditional dinner ideas in the guestbook.

Quick Link to the Recipes:

A Tasty and Traditional Easter Menu

Find more traditional menu ideas in this great cookbook.
Feast Day Cookbook; The Traditional Catholic Feast Day Dishes of Many Lands

“Two well-known writers here join forces to describe the special and traditional Catholic feast day dishes of many lands. Whereas the the variety in Christmas, New Year, and Easter observances is known, less familiar are the special foods for “Mothering Sunday,” “Maundy Thursday,” “Lamas Day.” Few know that the origin of the veal cutlet is attributed to St. Ambrose, who thus prepared the meat he gave to the poor; that the favorite sweetmeat of St. Francis of Assisi was Frangipane; or that in Italy a cake called “Sphinx” is traditionally served on St. Joseph’s Day. We learn the forgotten origin of many well-known dishes, and the family is provided with numerous recipes to restore these wonderful traditional customs. ”

Glazed ham photo appears thanks to sally-aidan and CreativeCommons.org.

Instead of baking a cake this Easter, why not bake up some fun?

Cupcakes can easily be decorated with candy and frosting to make all sorts of adorable Easter treats and the kids love them!  Moms love them too because Easter Cupcakes are easier to serve than regular cake.

Visit The Cutest Easter Cupcakes Ever to find links to Easter Bunny cupcakes, Easter Chick cupcakes, Edible Easter Basket cupcakes and lots more!   You’ll also find a bunch of inspirational Easter cupcake photos to help you make the best Easter cupcakes around.

You’ll find more really cute cupcake ideas in this great Easter cookbook.

Quick link to the Easter Cupcake Recipes:

The Cutest Easter Cupcakes Ever

You’ll find more really cute Easter recipes and ideas in this great Easter Cookbook.

Easter Recipes, Gifts and Decorations

Easter Basket Cupcake photo appears thanks to Ann Gordon and CreativeCommons.org.