FIRECRACKER FLOATS

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Totally making these for our family's Fourth of July get together! From Taste of Home.

Per float:
3 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 envelope Pop Rocks candy, flavor of your choice
1 c. chilled soda (your choice of flavor-lemon lime, raspberry, etc)

Place a scoop of ice cream in a tall glass; sprinkle with 1/3 of the candy. Repeat layers twice. Top with soda. Serve immediately. Yield: 1 serving.

CARROT RAISIN SALAD

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Whenever we ask my Dad what he wants to eat for his birthday, Father's Day, or any other get together, the first thing he says is "carrot salad." I think it reminds him of growing up and the wonderful cooking of his own Mother. I get to make this simple salad for him on Father's Day.

1 c. raisins

1 20 oz can crushed pineapple, reserving juice

3/4  c. Miracle Whip salad dressing

1/2 T. lemon juice
1 T. sugar (or to taste)
dash salt
4 c. shredded carrots
1/2. c. chopped walnuts

Drain pineapple and soak raisins in the juice while you prepare the other ingredients. Combine Miracle Whip, lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Thin dressing down with some pineapple juice. Add carrots, raisins, and walnuts. Stir to coat and refrigerate until time to serve.

PIONEER WOMAN’S STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

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1 1/2 c. flour
3 T. corn starch
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
9 T. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 c. sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 c. sour cream, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla

ICING ( or just frost with whipped cream)

1 block cream cheese, room temperature
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb. strawberries

Preheat oven to 350. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and corn starch. Cream butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well each time. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just barely combined. Pour into a greased and floured 8-inch cake pan. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until cake tests done with a toothpick. Remove from pan, and place on a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely.

Stem strawberries and slice them in half from bottom to top. Place into a bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar. Stir together and let sit for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, mash the strawberries in two batches. Sprinkle each half with 1 tablespoons sugar and allow to sit for another 30 minutes.

Make icing: combine cream cheese, 2 sticks butter, sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and dash of salt in a mixing bowl. Mix until very light and fluffy.

Slice cake in half through the middle. Spread strawberries evenly over each half (cut side up), pouring on all the juices. Place cake halves into the freezer for five minutes, just to make icing easier.

Remove from freezer. Use a little less than 1/3 of the icing to spread over the top of the strawberries on the bottom layer. Place the second layer on top. Add half of the remaining icing to the top spreading evenly, then spread the remaining 1/3 cup around the sides.

Leave plain OR garnish with strawberry halves.

COBB SALAD SANDWICHES
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Yum on a bun! Well, a croissant. Found at The Girl Who Ate Everything.

4 croissants, cut in half lengthwise
4 lettuce leaves
1 tomato, sliced
4 slices of crisply cooked bacon, halved
8 slices of deli ham, turkey, or chicken
4 slices of red onion
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 ripe avocado, sliced
1/4 c. blue cheese crumbles
Your choice: mayonnaise, blue cheese dressing, or ranch dressing

Spread with your choice of mayonnaise, blue cheese dressing, or ranch dressing onto croissant. Layer one half of each croissant with lettuce, tomato, bacon, 2 slices of ham (or turkey\chicken), onion, sliced egg, 2 avocado slices, and a tablespoon of blue cheese crumbles. Place other croissant half on top and enjoy!

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

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1 1/2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. mashed banana (about 1 1/2 bananas)

1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix sugar, egg milk, oil, and vanilla. Add dry mixture and stir just until combined. Stir in bananas and chocolate chips. Bake for 20-25 minutes in muffin tin.

EASY PINEAPPLE CAKE
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This is a recipe I found on the Weight Watchers website. Using the yellow cake, it is a lower point alternative to a Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

1 white or yellow cake mix
1 can crushed pineapple, packed in juice not syrup
1 tsp. butter extract (optional)
1 tsp. rum extract (optional)
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

Combine dry cake mix, undrained pineapple, extracts, and cinnamon. Bake according to cake directions in a 9 X 13 pan. Serve topped with a drizzle of carmel sauce, light Cool Whip, and a cherry.