While organizing a “real” cookie swap for some friends and family … I started thinking it’d be cool to do something like this online too.  From there it simply exploded!
 
To try and make a long story short, I need your favorite cookie recipe.  With these recipes I’m going to compile a WAHM Virtual Cookie Swap eCookbook.
 
Included in this ebook will be the name and website address of each submission.  (Think – Exposure!)  eCookbooks will be set up so anyone can give it out to whomever they want.  (Think – Viral Marketing!)
 
And … If you submit a recipe, I will create a personalized copy just for you!  There’s so many things you can do with these.  You’ll find a list of things on our details page.
 
Want more exposure?  Submit as many recipes as you’d like!  The more the better!
 
Grab all the details here:
http://www.mommyshelpercommunity.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=14530

Isn’t that a pretty picture? I know it is for me, lol! I love nothing more than watching the kids play flashlight tag while hubby and I lounge on the back deck with a couple sweet, cool drinks! To me, that’s complete relaxation – something I know I’ve forgotten how to do lately. I came across some awesome Beverage Recipes from one of my favorite blogs, Shakin & Bakin – In the Kitchen with Shelly.

Today I mainly wanted to share the beverage recipes I came across on Shelly’s blog but while I’m chatting about it … if you ever find yourself at loss as to what to have for dinner – hop on over to Shelly’s blog. You’ll be sure to find something. I’ve actually affectionately dubbed Shelly my “recipe gal” – she always has something delicious to offer!

Hopefully you already know that Easter comes two weeks earlier this week … if not, here’s your official warning … Easter this year comes on March 23rd.  To me, it feels as though Easter keeps coming earlier and earlier every year.  During my search this morning, I found a couple of interesting facts. 

• Easter Sunday can fall anywhere from March 22nd to April 25th.
• The last time Easter fell on a date as early as this year was in 1913 and the next time it will be this early again will be in 2160.
• Seeing Easter fall on the earliest date possible (March 22nd)  has not and will not be seen by anyone alive today.  The last time was in 1818 and the next time will be in 2285.
• Your chances of seeing a late Easter are much higher.  The last time it fell on April 25th was in 1943 and will happen again in 2038.
• The actual date of Easter Sunday is supposed be calculated by astronomical observations (such as the moon).  However, since there is so many variables in these, the date is actually calculated by tables.

So, there’s your list of what are probably useless pieces of information for the day. 

And now onto my search for the perfect class snack for my son …
I often forget exactly how versatile the average cupcake is.  Apparently cupcakes are an easy choice for a school class snack and it’s even more apparent, they’re quite the easy choice for an Easter Snack for your child’s class snack.

The hard part is choosing which one you will create and serve!  Here are a few of my favorites.  Maybe you can vote for which one you like the best and help me with my decision!

Easter Peeps Cupcakes

Ingredients
cake mix or scratch cake ingredients (your choice)
white frosting
grated coconut
green food coloring
Marshmallow Peeps® (yellow, pink, white, blue or lavender)
jelly beans

Bake & frost cupcakes using the directions on the cake mix box. (Who has time to make cupcakes from scratch anymore?  I know I don’t!)

Sprinkle colored coconut on top of frosted cupcakes and place a Peep® in the center. Add a few jelly beans around the Peeps®, so they look like eggs.

Another option is to pipe a “nest” of green icing to encircle the top and place a Peep® in the center. Sprinkle with colored sprinkles for a finishing touch.

This recipe was found at Fabulous Foods and was submitted by a 7 year old boy!

Easter Basket Cupcakes
I edited this recipe myself.  This recipe include the ingredients & directions to make the cupcakes from scratch.  As I mentioned above – I don’t have time to create anything from scratch!  However, if you have more time than me and are a rising Betty Crocker (more power to you!) - you can find the full recipe at AllRecipes.com

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) can creamy vanilla ready-to-spread frosting
3 3/4 cups MOUNDS® Sweetened Coconut Flakes, (tinted)
Assorted HERSHEY’s Easter Candies:
JOLLY RANCHER® Jelly Beans
CADBURY® Mini Eggs Candy
HERSHEY®’S Candy-Coated Milk Chocolate Eggs
HERSHEY®’S KISSES® Milk Chocolates
33 TWIZZLERS® Strawberry Licorice Twists

Bake & frost cupcakes using the directions on the cake mix box.

Immediately make ‘nest’ on top of each cupcake with tinted coconut; place assorted candy in nests.

For handle, insert wooden pick in each end of strawberry twists; press down into each side of each cupcake, bending to form handle.

Sidenote:  To tint coconut, combine several drops green food color with 3/4 teaspoon water; add to 1-1/2 cups coconut. Stir until evenly tinted. Repeat using blue, pink or yellow food color.

Cadbury Marshmallow Creme “Egg” Cupcakes
This one has to win the most unique prize!  Besides, for me … next to the famous Peeps – Cadbury Eggs are my favorite Easter candy!  Again, I edited this recipe to start with your own favorite cake mix.  For the full recipe, visit IHeartCuppyCakes.Wordpress.com

Ingredients
(For the marshmallow creme “egg”)
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/8 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup marshmallow creme
2 drops yellow food coloring
1 drops red food coloring
(She also notes that next time she’ll probably use 2 cups of powdered sugar or reduce the amount of marshmallow creme because this way, it was a runny and hard to work with.)

Combine the corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl. Beat well with an electric mixer until smooth. Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing by hand after each addition. Mix well until creamy. Then add marshmallow creme. Mix until well combined.

Remove about 1/3 of the mixture and place it into a small bowl. Add the yellow and red food coloring to the 1/3 mixture. Adjust food coloring to your desired “yolk” shade. Cover both mixtures and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm. (She thinks overnight is better.)

Prepare a well greased or parchment lined baking sheet. When the mixtures are firm, take about 1/2 tsp of white filling and place on the baking sheet. Using your fingers spread the filling out to the desired “egg” shape. (Its helpful to have a little bowl of warm water nearby to dip your spreading finger in to keep your finger from sticking.) Then take about 1/4 tsp orange filling and dollop in the middle for the “yolk” of the white filling. Repeat process. Makes 12-14 “sunny side up eggs”. Freeze for 2-4 hours until set.

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Be sure to click each of the links above to share the thanks for these great recipes!  And here’s a couple of blogs I found that show exactly how versitile cupcakes really are!
CupCakesTakeTheCake.Blogspot.com
IHeartCuppyCakes.wordpress.com

And it wouldn’t be a post about Easter goodies from me without more of a mention about Peeps!  These are my absolute favorite Easter goodie!  I found a recipe to make homemade marshmallow peeps.  I also found a page about the marshmallow peeps maker  (Yes, I am a true mashmallow peeps lover!  I DO own one of those!  lol!) 

Although, I have to admit – they’re not that expensive at all … it’s so much easier to rush out and pick up a box at your favorite grocery store 0r heck, you can pick them up at your local service mart or gas station too!  But yeah, there’s nothing like getting all sticky and messy when making them yourself!)

And I almost forgot … don’t forget to let me know what your favorite cupcake is above!