Ingredients:

• Chocolate Chips
• Butterscotch Chips
• Marshmallows
• Bananas
• Chocolate Crunch Candies
• Peanut Butter Chips
• Waffle Cones

Directions:

• Fill your cones and wrap in aluminum foil.
• Place on the grill over low heat for 8-10 minutes.
• You’ll start to smell the melty deliciousness and it is awesome!
• The boys, of course skipped the fruit and went straight for the candy. I made an awesome chocolate, peanut butter, and banana cone. The marshmallow is a nice fluffy filler and holds everything together once it all starts melting.

• Carefully unwrap the hot cones and dig in!
• Toasty crunchy sugar cones filled with melty deliciousness. Who needs ice cream? Although, a scoop of ice cream on top would not hurt this bad boy at all!

• My banana-chocolate-peanut butter cone was SO GOOD. The fresh banana cancels out the calories, right?!?!
• Next time, I’ll be adding crushed cookies or maybe even some mini candy bars. YUM!

I hope you guys try these cones and put your own twist on them! They are sure to be a crowd pleaser this summer!

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tbsp. ground black pepper
• 1 can of Pepsi

Directions:

• Add all the ingredients in with the steaks in an air tight container.
• Let marinate over night.
• Cook your steaks and enjoy the tender juicy flavor.

I am sure your family will love this marinade for your next steak night! It is just so flavorful and the steaks come out so juicy! Happy Grilling!

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Supplies:

• 14 oz. Glue
• 1 Cup Hot Water
• Food Coloring
• Glitter
• 3 teaspoons Borax
• 2 Cups Hot Water

Directions:

• Put glue in a tub.
• Add in 1 cup of hot water.
• Add in your food coloring and glitter.
• Stir until smooth.

• In a separate container, dissolve 3 teaspoons of Borax in 2 cups of hot water.
• Slowly add the water into the glue mixture and stir together.
• It will goop together almost immediately.

• You may not need all the water, so pour slowly.
• Once it’s mostly gooped up, begin mixing with your hands. (This is the fun part!)

• We started with red and black food coloring, because that’s all I had, and it turned more into pink and purple, which was pretty perfect for Valentine’s Day.
• As you can see, the slime is a HUGE HIT.

My family loved making this slime recipe and I hope your family will too! Have fun getting messy!

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Ingredients:

• 4 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 12 ounces chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Red food coloring
• Whipped Cream Vodka
• Whipped topping or marshmallows, optional

Directions:

• Heat the milk and sugar on the stove until the sugar is dissolved and the milk is steaming.
  • You don’t want it to boil and scald, so once you get lots of little steamy bubbles around the edge of the pot, it’s hot enough!
• Take it off the heat and add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract.
• Whisk until melted.

• Add red food coloring to give it the red velvet look.

• For the adults, add a shot of vodka into your hot cocoa.
• For the children, top with whipped topping or marshmallows!

Notes:

• You know I always go for the special dark chocolate for my chocolate chips!

As always we ask that you please enjoy our recipes responsibly. Don’t ever drink and drive. Enjoy some delicious Red Velvet Hot Cocoa with your family this weekend!

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The American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. was incorporated in 1929 and obtained a federal charter from the United States Congress.  It began in the Washington DC area and soon expanded to include affiliated groups throughout the United States.

The history of gold star mothers and their families begins with a young country thrown in the midst of a great war. Army Captian Robert L. Queissner, who’s two sons were serving on the front line during World War I, had created what is now referred to as the Service Flag. The flag was displayed with a blue star to represent a child serving in the military during times of war or hostilities. When a service member died, families stitched a gold star over the blue star.

An ocean often divided families from their deceased sons, as was the case of the founder of the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. organization, Grace Darling Seibold. While waiting for confirmation of her son’s death, she visited the VA hospital almost daily and made herself useful in the process. Afterward, she continued to visit the hospital and formed the organization that unites gold star mothers still today.

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Seriously. Have you ever had a warm Rice Krispie treat with a hot cup of coffee? It’s a perfectly acceptable breakfast, and also good for lunch and dinner! So, in the spirit of autumn being nearby, I had to throw some pumpkin spice in the mix. It just makes your belly warm and cozy like we all will be soon, snuggled up in our hoodies and boots! So, if life has been throwing you a lot of marshmallows lately then take those suckers and whip up this delicious snack because, why not? Life is too short to not indulge on the amazing.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp Butter
• 1 bag Large Marshmallows
• 6 cups Rise Krispies Cereal
• 1 1/2 – 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Directions:

• Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan or glass dish.
• In a large bowl, melt the butter in the microwave and add the marshmallows.
• Toss to coat them well.
• Heat the marshmallows in the microwave for 1 minute on high power.
• Stir, and then heat for 30 seconds longer and stir again. At this point they should be pretty much melted but if you’ve got a stubborn batch then nuke them again in 20 second increments, until melted and gooey.

• Add the pumpkin spice seasoning and Rice Krispies to the melted marshmallows and stir well until the cereal is bunched together by sticky deliciousness.
• Using 1.5 tsp of seasoning gives a very subtle pumpkin flavor so I would start with that and give it a little taste. If you want a stronger flavor, add the other 1/2 tsp!

• Put your mixture into the greased dish.
• Spray the back of a spoon with cooking spray and use it to push the Rice Krispie treat down evenly around the pan.
• Let it cool and harden.
• Serve & Enjoy!

Notes:

• Cooking spray works fine instead of greasing your pan.

This is a new fall favorite treat for our family and I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

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Woohoo…what a great time! Although it is called Oktoberfest, the celebration starts in September and carries through till October. The Oktoberfest idea originated when King Ludwig 1 married Princess Therese. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the celebrations of the royal wedding, and year after year, the celebration continued on with modifications and additions.

Oktoberfest is an AWESOME, wonderful, adventurous time. It is the world’s largest Volkfest, originating in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Oktoberfest has been a huge part of the Bavarian culture in Germany since 1810. Many other cities in Germany try to duplicate the fun of the Volkfest in their own city.

Although, large amounts of Oktoberfest beer is consumed at this fest many people go for the amusement rides, games and the traditional foods such as Hendl (roast chickens), Schweinebraten (roast pork), Haxn (grilled ham hock), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Wurstl (sausages), and Brezen (pretzels) just to name a few. Families are encouraged to attend. It is an experience for ALL.

I lived in Germany for 3 years, and the celebration just got better and better for my family each year. I encourage everyone to attend any type of Oktoberfest extravaganza. You will thoroughly enjoy yourself. So, check it out…see if your city is celebrating Oktoberfest!! Go now! Cheer!

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup Spiced Rum
• 1/2 cup White Rum
• 2 cups Orange Juice
• 2 cups Pineapple Juice
• 1/4-1/2 cup Grenadine
• Sliced fruit for garnish, optional

Directions:

• Add your ingredients to a large pitcher, jar, or punch bowl.
• Fill your glass with ice and the rum punch.
• Garnish with fresh fruit, if desired.

Notes:

• This recipe is easily doubled.
• You can even make it into one drink, simply by changing the amounts. Instead of cups, use ounces and you’ve got a single serving of delicious rum punch!
• This recipe is also easily adapted into a non-alcoholic punch! Simply add the juices and grenadine to a pitcher. Instead of rum, add lemon lime soda or ginger ale. It make a deliciously sweet fruity punch, great for the kiddos and designated drivers.

Such a simple recipe that makes such a tasty drink! We hope you enjoy it as much as we do! As always, we ask you to please drink responsibly.

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Ingredients:

• Pear Vodka
• Ginger Beer (if you want less of a ginger taste, use Ginger Ale)
• Sliced Pear
• Sliced Lime

Directions:

• Pour a shot or two of vodka into your glass and muddle it together with your pear and lime slices.
• You don’t need copper mule mugs, but they are GREAT for keeping your drinks extra ice cold. Bonus…they’re super pretty!

• Add some ice and the ginger beer.
• ***NOTE*** You can use either nonalcoholic alcoholic ginger beer. The beer gives it a nice ginger bite, but if you prefer a more mild ginger flavor, feel free to use ginger ale.
• Give it a stir and garnish with more pear and lime slices, if desired.

I love the hint of pear and the zing of the ginger beer. It’s ice cold and so refreshing! I think it’d be great with a pear cider as well. I just LOVE pear!

As always, we ask that you please enjoy responsibly.

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O say can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave

Before the song became the National Anthem, it had been one of the most popular songs in America. The music that the poem was set to, ironically, is from an English drinking song called “To Anacreon in Heaven.”  The tune was written around 1775 by John Stafford Smith and was an ode to the ancient Greek poet, Anacreon, who really loved wine. 

If you ever have a chance to visit Fort McHenry, I highly recommend it. There is so much history there, and you can walk through the fort, gaining a sense of what the soldiers there lived with on a daily basis. You can see the living quarters, the jail, some of the stores that were located within, and then look at the view across the Chesapeake Bay. 

The soldiers inside the fort managed to withstand around 25 hours of a constant barrage by the British ships in the Bay. When they hoisted the flag the next morning, the soldiers signaled their victory through the flag. The War of 1812 has been considered the second war of Independence in the United States. Before the cannonade, Washington D.C. had been invaded, and the White House burned to the ground, and other buildings in the area were set on fire as well.

Francis Scott Key was an American lawyer who had been working on securing the release of Dr. William Beanes, a civilian doctor who had been captured, for the week before the shelling began. Since they knew the British plans, and as part of the release terms, neither could return to land prior to the firing on Fort McHenry. 

There are four verses to the Star-Spangled Banner poem, but only one is truly known to this day, and that is the one that composes our national anthem today.

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