Pumpkin Tree

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Aunt Mo

Everything in October doesn’t have to be scary or frightening- find a way to celebrate the fall season by creating a pumpkin tree. Our grandchildren were so excited to see pumpkins growing on the tree in our front yard when they came to visit this weekend.

Grandpa grew so many pumpkins this year that even after arranging them around flower pots and bushes and lining them down the sidewalk there were still lots of pumpkins just begging to be part of the the yard décor, so Grandpa hooked pumpkin stems over the branches of our tree and now we have a “pumpkin tree”.

Several people have stopped to ask how we made the tree- no, we tell them, we did not use wire to fasten them to the tree, no, we did not use hot glue. We merely hooked the pumpkin’s own stems over small branches or balanced pumpkins on larger branches. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend taking a nap under the tree though, for a stiff breeze might just blow a pumpkin out of the tree and onto your head.

Squirmy Halloween Ideas & Breakfast With Witches

However. if you’re looking for a way to be scary during this Halloween season check out Aunt Mo’s “Squirmy” ideas at

Squirmy Halloween Ideas

or the fun “Breakfast with Witches” party at

Breakfast With Witches

..and Happy Fall to You!

P.S. Can you find the “scary” black dog in the above picture

Scene Setters for Parties and Family Reunions

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Aunt Mo

How do you turn a forest campground into a ship on a tropical cruise? Scene setters! I love scene setters- they are inexpensive (each piece is under $20.00 and the add ons are usually about $5.00) and they instantly make your reunion or party theme come alive!

For our “Cruisin’” family reunion we used a cruise ship scene setter to give the allusion of being in the ocean on a luxury cruise ship. Scene setters are usually used in a room and applied with some sort of “Sticky Tack” or tape. Taking scene setters outside is where the real challenge is!

Each roll is usually 30 feet long and 4 feet high and because we were camping for our reunion we had to work around trees, rocks and other obstacles. Uncle Richard, who works in construction, came to the rescue and very quickly built a background for my scene setter to go on. Here’s how we did it-

Making Room Scene Setters Work Without a Room

I didn’t care if the scene setter was 30 feet long or not- I believe ours ended up being 24 feet long. Uncle Richard used plywood (the quality didn’t matter) and 2×4’s to brace it and hold it up.

Once the background was up we used spray adhesive to attach the scene setter. The trick to using spray adhesive is to spray both the plywood AND the scene setter. It took three of us to keep smooth and straight but it wasn’t hard and it didn’t take long.

There will be a few creases but it didn’t bother us at all.

After putting up the two large sheets of our scene setter we cut out the individual “add on” decorations. Use your own wall adhesive for hanging or we found that if you get the add on a little wet it will just smooth on and although not permanent, adhered to our scene for the three days of our reunion. I didn’t use all of the add ons provided- just our favorites.

The pictures below show how a scene setter works. This is how the makers of scene setters visualize the finished product.

Cruise Scene Setter

Tropical Cruise Ship Scene Setter

This is the top scene setter.

Ocean and Sky Backdrop

This is the bottom of the scene setter. Each piece is 4 feet tall by 30 feet long.

Cruise Ship Deck Backdrop

This is the “add on” we used. We had to cut out each piece before we applied it to our scene.

Jungle Scene Setter

Other scenes are available like this fun jungle theme. It is made up a jungle “trees” roll AND a jungle “foliage” roll.

Then you add decorations and animals.

Sports Stadium Scene Setter

I love this sports stadium scene setter. Imagine holding a sports themed reunion or party and putting this along the walls of your gym or party room.

Sports Stadium Insta Theme

Pirate Design a Room

Design-A-Room Pirate Pack - Party Decorations & Backdrops & Scene Setters

I’ve used scene setters before- just last Christmas I used a brick like scene setter to take Santa pictures with the kids. We held our party in the church gym and the brick background sure looked nicer than the boring white wall that we would’ve used.

If you don’t do a 30 foot long scene and a have some pieces of your scene setter left over use on your serving table as a table cloth.

You can purchase all of the items I’ve shown you in the Family Reunion Helper store. You’ll need some help and good adhesive to put it up but the way it transforms your room or your OUTSIDE party is almost magical.

Not-So-Newlywed Game

Posted on August 26, 2012 by Aunt Mo

Cruise ships are famous for their scrumptious never-ending food and their fun entertainment. Many entertainment options are designed to get ship-goers an opportunity to participate in the fun. As we plan our “Crusin” family reunion we looked for opportunities to get family members involved and decided a “Not-So-Newlywed” game would fit the bill.

Rules for Not-So-Newlywed Game

The Newlywed Game is played in couples. Choose a variety of couples such as the longest married couple; the most recently married, a favorite of the family, and a couple that you just know will have funny answers. It is best to limit the game to four couples though you may use more if you need to. The disadvantage is that the more couples the longer the game so think about you audience and how long the game will keep their interest.

There are two rounds- one for the men and one for the women. Couples are awarded points for each correct answer based on the value of the question. All couples receive the points for each correct answer. Highest score after the second rounds wins the game.

There is no right or wrong answers- the answers the couples give must just be the same.

Begin the game with all couples sitting together at the front of the room or your playing area. Introduce the host of the game (Choose someone who will be happy to do it, has a good sense of humor and will make the game fun for everyone.) Then excuse the women (have them escorted to a room or area here they will not be able to hear their husband’s answers) The host can then ask the husbands the following questions. Do not attempt to explain the questions- if they have a question about the question just repeat it but don’t explain it.

Not-So-Newlywed Questions for Men

5 pts What is your wife’s blood type?

5pts. What is your wife’s favorite salad dressing?

5 pts At what specific game or sport will your wife say that she is better than you?

10 pts. What traffic sign best describes your wife?

10 pts. Without looking what is the highest denomination bill in your wallet right now?

25 pts. What cereal best describes your marriage? Life, Fruit Loops, Lucky Charms, Nut ‘n Honey

When you have answers for all of these questions, invite the women back in to sit by their husbands and ask them the same questions you asked the men.

5 pts What is your blood type?

5pts. What is your favorite salad dressing?

5 pts At what specific game or sport are you better at then your husband?

10 pts. What traffic sign did your husband say best describes you?

10 pts. What is the highest denomination bill in your husband’s wallet right now?

25 pts. What cereal best describes your marriage? Life, Fruit Loops, Lucky Charms, Nut ‘n Honey

Recognize the couple with the highest score so far and of course, poke a little friendly fun at the couple with the lowest score. Then dismiss the men and ask the women the next round of questions.

Not-So-Newlywed Questions for Women

5 pts. What is your husband’s shoe size?

5 pts. What color is your husband’s favorite tie?

5 pts. What was the last movie you and your spouse last saw together?

10 pts. When did your husband say he actually realized for the first time that he was seriously in

love with you?

10 pts. What is your husband’s favorite snack before going to bed?

25 pts. What movie star will your husband say he is most like: Sean Connery, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise or John Wayne?

When you have answers for all of these questions, invite the men back in to sit by their husbands and ask them the same questions you asked the women.

5 pts. What is your shoe size?

5 pts. What color is your favorite tie?

5 pts. What was the last movie you and your spouse last saw together?

10 pts. When did you realize for the first time that you were seriously in love with your wife?

10 pts. What is your favorite snack before going to bed?

25 pts. What movie star will your wife say you are most like- Sean Connery, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise or John Wayne?

Total the points and award prizes to the winning couple. You may also award smaller prizes to the 2^nd and 3^rd place couple and a booby prize to the losing couple (box of Milk Duds for being such duds)

Additional Questions to Substitute as Needed:

What is your spouse’s dream car?

What is your spouse’s favorite color?

What will your wife say is the one gift she received this Christmas that she loved the most?

What is the most unusual piece of clothing that your wife wears?

What is the color of your spouse’s toothbrush?

Which one of your wife’s friends would you say is the biggest gossip?

How many windows will your spouse say are in the largest room of your home?

What is the license plate number on your car?

What was your curfew when you were dating?

What did you do on your first date?

What percentage of the housework would your husband say he does?

Husbands, if your wife could send you to a Body Repair Shop, what on you would she have fixed?

What home improvement project needs to be done next at your house?

What time of day was your first child born?

Home for the Holidays Family Reunion

You can find more fun activities like the “Not-so-Newlywed” game in the “Home for the Holidays” reunion theme package.

“Home for the Holidays” is one of our favorite family reunion themes. It is especially appropriate if you have a family member such as a serviceman or missionary that has been away from the family for awhile.

We celebrated every holiday we could think of during the three-day family reunion. We went trick or treating to family trailers and tents. When we woke up Sunday morning, the children found the Easter Bunny had left plastic eggs all over the campground and we had a huge family birthday cake. We celebrated Thanksgiving with a delicious turkey and even played a Christmas Right/Left game.

Saddle Up For an Easter Egg Hunt on Horseback

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Aunt Mo

Our Stewart family’s horseback Easter egg hunt has become a tradition that we have celebrated for the past seven years, ever since we moved to Bear River City. Easter is one of my favorite holidays and horses are my favorite animal, so it just seemed natural to put them together.

I tell my adult children, “I don’t care if I have to share you on Christmas and Thanksgiving, but I want you for the Saturday before Easter.” And they come, sometimes bringing friends or other family members. Each year it seems our family changes and grows and we plan our Easter egg hunt around those changes.

To make things more fair for the inexperienced and younger riders, Uncle Steven and I hide the eggs according to color. Each rider has a different color or style of egg. For instance, last year we had basketball eggs for Kory, purple eggs for Megan, football eggs for Ryan, chicken shaped eggs for Brynna, pink eggs for Janie, and so forth.

We’ve been collecting eggs for years, and since we ask everyone to leave their eggs and just take the candy home, we have quite a collection. Assigning each rider their own color makes it possible for us to hide the eggs according to the rider’s ability. Uncle Steven especially likes to hide eggs in unusual places- like hanging them from tree branches.

A few of our family members are experienced riders and we love hiding their eggs in difficult locations- over ditches, in trees, through gates and around obstacles such as wood piles and water hazards. For our lower level riders, we have a rule that you have to be touching some part of your horse when you pick up an egg. This makes it possible for riders with less experience to get off their horse to get an egg.

Last year we added “jumbo” sized eggs to the hunt and they sure made things more challenging and interesting .

After the riders find their designated colored eggs, they are allowed to hunt for the prized golden eggs, which hold items like movie tickets, gift certificates and money.

This is the most exciting part of the hunt, as riders become a little more daring and often find themselves racing for the same golden egg as another rider.

Last year we had more little ones, so we did a hunt for them before the adult riding hunt began. We have to work the hunt around the weather, so it usually begins at about 11:00. Following the hunt, we usually play with the horses, give them their annual vaccinations and worm them, eat barbecue and potato salad and play badminton.

This year we add a new son-in-law and grandson to the mix so we’ll need two more colors of eggs and two more chairs at our Easter table. And as our family continues to grow and change, so will our Easter Egg hunt.

As for our horses, they aren’t too fond peanut butter eggs or jelly beans but they do receive their own prizes in the form of carrots, apples and other treats.

Aunt MO

Rules of Chocolate Easter Eggs

If you get melted chocolate all over your hands, you’re eating it too slowly.

If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights, and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves.

Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.

April Fools Day Food

Posted on March 11, 2012 by Aunt Mo

It has become tradition at my house to have “funny” food for one of our April Fools Day meals. For many years I made “Flannel” pancakes. I don’t know why but I fooled my family for probably 5 years in a row with my flannel pancakes.

This year I have the greatest idea ever- actually I got this idea from my friend and amazing hair stylist, Stephanie. How about cauliflower mashed potatoes?!?!

Mashed cauliflower looks and some people say the taste is similar to mashed potatoes but with fewer carbs. I experimented with making mashed cauliflower so I would be ready for April Fools Day and I have to tell you it’s pretty delicious. I think once my family gets over the shock of their mashed potatoes actually being mashed cauliflower they’ll be happy I made it.

If you’re not sure your family will get fooled by Mashed Cauliflower give one of these other fun ideas a try.

Mashed Cauliflower

What you need:
1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets (about 6 to 7 cups)
1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower and cook until very tender, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and then drain well and transfer cauliflower to a food processor. Add oil and reserved water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mash cauliflower with a potato masher. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Flannel Pancakes

When cooking pancakes put a piece of white flannel, about 3”x3”, and cook as usual. Flannel makes pancakes impossible to cut and eaters will become quite frustrated until they realize they’ve been fooled. This is an easy trick to do when serving many people. Put one flannel pancake on a plate with two or three other pancakes.

Non-drinkable Juice

What you’ll need:
Clear drinking glasses, Jell-o, Straws

The night before make some jell-o in clear juice glasses. Use a flavor that matches the juice they drink – such as grape, orange etc. Fill the glass about ¾ full and after it starts to set, insert a drinking straw. Once it is set, it will look like a normal glass of juice with a straw in it. Simply set it at their place at the breakfast table. Provide spoons so they can eat the gelatin when they realize they can’t drink it.

Wormy Apple

What you’ll need:
Fresh apple, Gummy worm
Use an apple corer to remove a piece of the apple and insert a gummy worm. The worm will be hanging out some.

Make a naked egg.
Simply by soaking it in vinegar, you can remove the shell from an egg, even an uncooked one, leaving the rest of the egg intact. Imagine someone’s surprise when they reach into the egg carton and extract a real raw egg that is squishy and elastic!

Silly Utensils

Instead of using traditional plastic utensils use kitchen utensils to eat with such as an ice cream scoop, a spatula, or pancake turner, the stranger the better.

Aunt MO

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. ~Chinese Proverb

April Fools Pizza Cake

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Aunt Mo

Bake your cakes according to the package directions. Don’t fill your pan any fuller then 1/3 full. You don’t want the cake to go up over the edge of the pan. You’re looking for a large round flat cake.

Frost cake with red frosting. If you are using canned frosting heat for a few seconds in the microwave to make it spread easier.

Grate white chocolate and sprinkle the shredded white chocolate on top of frosting.

Cut circles out of red fruit roll ups for the pepperoni, use a small bottle cap to get the round shape. It’s easier if you cut the fruit roll ups before you remove them from their backing. After you cut your pepperoni, remove the backing and stick them on the pizza.

Make banana peppers by slicing a thin strip of a yellow fruit roll up. Stick the ends of the strip together to make a loop.

To make onions, pineapple and green peppers roll gum drops or gummy candy until flat and cut into small bits.

Make black olives with black gum drips and use a paper punch to make a hole in the middle.

Serve your “pizza” on a pizza pan or a pizza box.

Six Fun Ideas for Your Reindeer Themed Christmas Party

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Aunt Mo

Magic Reindeer Food

When you sprinkle magic reindeer food on your lawn on Christmas Eve, it leaves a glittering path–and a sweet treat–for Rudolph and Blitzon and their friends.

Make a bag of Magic Reindeer food for each family that attends your party or as an inexpensive stocking stuffer for each child.

Package this simple recipe in zipper food storage bags, and add a free printable gift tag containing the Magic Reindeer Food poem to make Magic Reindeer Food easy to make–and to give.

Magic Reindeer Food Recipe

In a large bowl or container, mix:

1/4- 1/2 cup uncooked oats
1/4 cup red or green sugar crystals
Small sealable bag
Magic Reindeer Food poem (You can find a free printable of the poem at Magic Reindeer Food Poem)

Package Magic Reindeer food in small food storage bags or holiday gift bags.

HINT: You can use craft glitter in your magic reindeer food but colored sugar crystals (as used for cake decorating)are safer for other animals or birds that may ingest it.

Reindeer Noses

Another fun reindeer games party favor is a bag of reindeer noses.

I wanted the perfect gift for you-
But couldn’t decide just what to do.
I almost sent you a dozen roses-
Instead here’s a bag of…
reindeer noses

Reindeer noses are simply seven brown candies such as “Whoppers” and one red candy (to represent Rudolf). I used sour cherry candies for my red nose. You may find a free printable of the reindeer nose poem at Reindeer Noses Printable

Log Reindeer Centerpieces

Log reindeer are the perfect project for your centerpieces. Simply reuse scraps of wood and timber from your woodpile, drill a few holes, and glue it all together. You’ll need a few thicker logs for the body and head; long, thin sticks for the legs, and pronged branches for your reindeer’s antlers. Add bow, bells or tinsel to complete your project. After the party you can give away part of your herd as prizes or save them to give as neighbor gifts.

Reindeer Cupcakes

Bake cupcakes according to package directions and frost generously with chocolate frosting. Top with pretzels for the antlers, a Nilla Wafer for the face, white frosting dots for the eyes, back pearl sprinkles or black icing for the eyeballs, and brown and red candies for the nose.

Santa Pancakes

HINT: We made the pancake base of our Santa pancakes before arriving at the party. Because they are a little time consuming we began decorating them in advance. We noticed that the whipped cream started getting soft and didn’t look as cute. Solution- get more help with the decorating so that you can make them on the spot.

Reindeer Games

We used the “Minute to Win It” format for our “reindeer games”. We divided into four teams- team Rudolf, team Blitzen, team Dasher and team Donner and competed in 8 different challenges. We projected a countdown clock on the wall so that everyone could join in the drama as the seconds counted down. For more information on Minute the Win It games check out the following link.

http://familyreunionhelper.com/blog/2011/10/minute-to-win-it-party-2/

Tips for Successful Christmas Caroling

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Aunt Mo

Gathering your family together for Christmas caroling or a family sing-a-long can make your family party fun and fairly fuss free. Of course the most important element of your musical party is the music and you can download a free copy of caroling lyrics at www.familyreunionhelper.com. Consider these helpful tips when planning your family caroling party.

Choose your caroling route.

My family went caroling on Christmas Eve. Mom would choose 3 or 4 families that she knew would enjoy a caroling visit and she always made a few goodies to give them. (Perhaps as payment for listening to us sing off key) We would complete our caroling at a local nursing home. Many of the children were reluctant to sing at the nursing home but as the years have gone by caroling at the nursing home has become one of their most talked about memories of the season. HINT: If you visit a hospital or a nursing home, ask for permission ahead of time to make sure your visit comes at a good time and that they can accommodate a large group.

Provide Carolers with a List of Carols

Caroling will be successful if everyone has the same list of carols. One song sheet for every 2-3 carolers is plenty. Specify how many verses you will sing of each song. To build your song list you can type and print your own caroling sheets or make copies of the family reunion helper caroling book by clicking here- caroling song book. The book is designed so that you only have to print off the music that you will use for your caroling such as- Santa songs, snow songs or spiritual songs etc.

Choose songs that are short, easy to sing, and fun. You should plan on singing 1 or 2 songs per house and end with “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”.

Consider Using a Variety of Instruments

Jingle bells, cymbals and drum sticks are an easy way to make your caroling fun. Carolers that are too shy or just don’t want to sing can participate by keeping the beat with drum sticks or shaking the bells to the beat.

Dress for the Weather

If caroling outside dress for the weather. When sending out invitations for your caroling party be sure and let your guests know that you’ll be caroling outdoors so they can bring their hats, gloves and scarves. A fun party favor for your party could be hand and toe warmers.

You can dress things up by asking everyone to wear a fun Santa hat or reindeer antlers.

Plan Refreshments for Your Carolers

At the end of your caroling party meet back at your house or rec hall and provide your carolers with bowls of chili and mugs of hot chocolate and marshmallows or cider. You can keep your refreshments warm in slow cookers while you’re caroling.

If you are looking for a little Christmas caroling inspiration check out this amazing seven year old, Rhema Marvanne.

Rhema Marvanne

Black Friday Shopping- a Family Event

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Aunt Mo

For our family, Black Friday shopping is a Thanksgiving tradition as rich as turkey stuffing or pumpkin pie. We wake before the crack of dawn the morning after turkey day and start hunting down Black Friday bargains.

I know that many of you are shaking your head in disgust right now- for many people staying up late or getting up in the wee hours of morning seems ridiculous to you. I’ll be the first to admit that you have to be a little (maybe a lot) crazy to get up early and be standing in a long line by 5 a.m.- in the cold, and the psycho crowds, but for me, it’s not about the bargains out there or the money I might save- it’s about the family memories we make.

In our family we enjoy remembering the time Uncle Lee almost got trampled (Well, not really but it makes a better story) by a mob of frenzied shoppers fighting over Furby pets.

We loved the year Sears gave out free $10.00 gift cards to the first person in line and we all came out with our purchases and hadn’t spent a dime of our own money. My daughter still has the slippers she bought that day and wears them proudly.

Then there was the year we stood in a freezing cold Staples line and they brought everyone hot chocolate. The hot Styrofoam cup kept our hands warm while we stood in line and talked and laughed about how stupid it was to be standing outside in the freezing cold at five in the morning.

One year our main priority was to hit the huge sock sale at Fred Meyers but when we entered the store we found it overflowing with bargain sock shoppers that we left without purchasing even one pair of socks.

For the Wells family, Black Friday is an event and a rite of passage for pre-teens as they hope to be included in the early morning shopping spree.

My brother Lee, Uncle Steven and I are the instigators of the craziness and last year we took Black Friday Shopping to a whole new level with an “Application to Go Black Friday Shopping With Aunt Mo & Uncle Lee” form. This was a tongue-in-cheek questioner that those who wanted to go shopping had to fill out. (A copy of this form can be found at the end of this blog.)

My brother, Scott, added some “over the top” fun to the event by organizing all of the ads for Black Friday sales in a crate with hanging file folders. He was adamant that we return all ads to their specific file location so that everything stayed organized. (Of course, all his organizing was only a ploy to be accepted as a member of our Black Friday shopping team.)

Here’s some things we’ve learned to help us have a successful shopping trip:

Make a plan. Decide in advance which stores have the best bargains for the most shoppers in your group.

Leave your coat in the car and anything else that makes it difficult to maneuver through the store.

Beat the system by shopping in teams. We always separate into teams and go after items that we want. One person (usually Uncle Steve) always heads for the check-out line so we don’t have to waste so much time waiting in line to check out.

One final note to store and shop owners- please don’t ruin Black Friday shopping by opening your doors a week early and calling it a “pre Black Friday” sale. It seems that stores are opening earlier than ever and some have door busters slated for the day before Black Friday, letting you shop after Thanksgiving dinner. I guess you’d say I am a purest- I like Black Friday where it’s supposed to be- the day after Thanksgiving, very early in the morning and surrounded by my family- at least those that filled out a Black Friday shopping application.

Aunt MO

Application to Go Black Friday Shopping With Aunt Mo & Uncle Lee

Black Friday shopping is a very serious business. It is a great honor to be part of Aunt Mo and Uncle Lee’s Black Friday shopping team. If you would like to be considered for a spot on the our Black Friday shopping team please fill out the following questioneer and give it to Aunt Mo or Uncle Lee by 6:00 PM on Thanksgiving Day. We have very strict guidelines and take our Black Friday shopping very seriously. We will notify all successful candidates by 9:00 PM that same day. Good luck!

NAME ____________________ AGE ______

1. How many times have you been Black Friday shopping? ___________________________________

2. Are you an experienced Black Friday shopper YES or NO

3. What time will you go to bed Thanksgiving night? ________________________________________

4. Do you push the “snooze” button when your alarm goes off? YES or NO (We don’t want to wait for you)

5. What will you be shopping for? ________________________________________________________

6. Name three stores you would like to shop at? List in order of importance.

1.__________

2. __________

3. __________

7. How much cash will you bring with you? _______________________________________________

8. Do you have a credit or debit card? YES or NO (We do not allow those who use checks as they slow us down)

9. What do you feel is a good price to pay for a Hot Wheel car on Black Friday? __________________

10. Are you willing to stand in line while others shop? YES or NO

11. How fast do you run the mile? _________________________________________________________

12. How many pounds can you bench press? _______________________________________________

Please attach one letter of reference to this form.

Thank you for applying to be part of our Black Friday team. We will contact you by 9:00 PM Thanksgiving night.

Red, White and Blue Strawberries- an Idea for Your Family Party

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Aunt Mo

My daughter loves chocolate dipped strawberries in fact, she wants to serve them at her wedding reception. I’ve tried, but I’m just not very good at dipping strawberries. You’ve probably seen those cute strawberries that look like they’re wearing mini tuxes- they are so cool and look pretty easy but I can’t do them. So when I heard about making red, white and blue strawberries I just ignored the urge to try them- but they look so patriotic and the more I thought about it the more perfect I thought they’d be for my family 4th of July party.

Well, I got up this morning and tried dipping my strawberries in white chocolate and garnishing them in blue sugar sprinkles and actually, I think they look pretty cute.

Just like any other chocolate-dipped strawberries, the method for making these is very easy. There is only one additional step: dip the tips of the strawberries into some blue sugar once they have been dipped into the chocolate.

Store the berries in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat them, as white chocolate is a little more heat-sensitive than other chocolates. The berries are best if eaten within a day or two of being made.

Here’s what you need:

1 pint fresh strawberries

4-oz white chocolate bark or white chocolate chips

Blue sugar or sprinkles. Put into a small bowl and set it aside.

Line a baking sheet or an area on your counter with wax paper or parchment paper.

If using bark chop it up roughly with a knife if it is in block form. You don’t need much chocolate, my bark was separated into bars and I only used 3 bars and I even had some left over.

In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate or chips in the microwave. Heat it in 30 or 45-second intervals, stirring between each time to ensure that the chocolate is melting evenly and not burning.

When chocolate is smooth, dip the berries 3/4 of the way into the chocolate, dip the tips into the blue sprinkles, and place on wax paper.
Refrigerate berries until ready to serve.

Of course my strawberries don’t look perfect but they weren’t hard and the whole process only took about 30 minutes. If you’re having a family party consider letting guests make their own dipped strawberries and even giving more dipping options such as different chocolates, different colors of sugars or jimmies.

If you want to see pictures of “perfectly” dipped red, white and blue strawberries check out the Sisters Café website http://www.thesisterscafe.com/2011/06/4th-july-strawberries and for other fun family reunion and party ideas remember www.familyreunionhelper.com

Family Reunion Helper

Your number one source for family reunion organization

Category Archives: Holiday Family Fun

Pumpkin Tree

Squirmy Halloween Ideas & Breakfast With Witches

Scene Setters for Parties and Family Reunions

Making Room Scene Setters Work Without a Room

Cruise Scene Setter

Jungle Scene Setter

Sports Stadium Scene Setter

Pirate Design a Room

Not-So-Newlywed Game

Rules for Not-So-Newlywed Game

Not-So-Newlywed Questions for Men

Not-So-Newlywed Questions for Women

Home for the Holidays Family Reunion

Saddle Up For an Easter Egg Hunt on Horseback

Rules of Chocolate Easter Eggs

April Fools Day Food

April Fools Pizza Cake

Six Fun Ideas for Your Reindeer Themed Christmas Party

Magic Reindeer Food Recipe

Tips for Successful Christmas Caroling

Choose your caroling route.

Provide Carolers with a List of Carols

Consider Using a Variety of Instruments

Dress for the Weather

Plan Refreshments for Your Carolers

Black Friday Shopping- a Family Event

Red, White and Blue Strawberries- an Idea for Your Family Party

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