I know most of you have tried chocolate dipped strawberries — but have you had frosting dipped strawberries? They’re even better! And there’s no worries about melting the chocolate or having your chocolate seize up from moisture on the strawberries.

These Red, White, and Blue Strawberries are dipped in vanilla frosting and then blue sanding sugar for an easy and fast patriotic treat. Strawberries are so good this time of year, and this is great way to use them!

When I realized that I was out of blue sanding sugar, I made my own. It’s so simple. Just add some food coloring to regular granulated sugar and mix it well. You can make it as bright or pale as you want it the color.

Betty Crocker Whipped Vanilla Frosting is perfect for dipping the strawberries in.

Melt it in the microwave for about 5-10 seconds to get it to a dipping consistency and start dipping away. You want to go about 2/3 of the way down the strawberry.

Then immediately dip it in your blue sanding sugar just 1/3 of the way to make beautiful even stripes.

Let the strawberries set in the refrigerator until you’re ready to enjoy them. This is an impressive treat that literally takes no time at all — and they’re pure eye candy for your table!

For an adult version of these strawberries, check out this tutorial on how to make strawberries that have been soaked in champagne. Try those with the red, white and blue decorations for an extra-tasty combo.

Enjoy Red, White and Blue Strawberries while celebrating all the patriotic holidays this year, from Memorial Day and the 4^th of July, through Flag Day and Veteran’s Day!

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Christy joined the Tablespoon team to share her recipes and inspire family food fun. Watch her Tablespoon member profile for great new recipes!

Whether you kick your Memorial Day weekend off with picnics and barbeques, vacations or stay-at-home R&R, make sure to serve desserts that stand out and make the good times even sweeter.

Here are 10 that are sure to shine at your get-together (for recipes, click on underlined title or photo):

1. Grilled Chocolate Banana Melt

Say hello to an ooey-gooey s’mores-style treat you eat with a spoon! It’s got all the warm yumminess of s’mores, with a brilliant banana twist. Perfect for the campfire, grill, or even the oven.

2. Watermelon Cake

A picnic is not a picnic without watermelon. Or cake. So here’s a two-for-one deal that’s as fun to make as it is to eat. Better get ready to steal the picnic spotlight.

3. Star Piñata Sugar Cookies

Patriotism gets pretty peppy with these striped stars that hold a sweet surprise!

4. Campfire Cakes

If your weekend plans include fireside festivities, and if you love scrumptious chocolate with a delicious hint of orange flavor, then you, my friend, are about to hit the jackpot.

5. Broken Glass Torte

Isn’t it about time to break the gelatin mold? Literally? With this fun recipe, colorful gelatin pieces mix together in a soft, delicious torte that’s a real dessert showstopper.

6. “Juicy Lucy” Burger Cupcakes

Give the grill a rest and top off your meal with a heartfelt ode to burgers – but better! These burgers are actually sweet cupcakes. What a picnic hit!

7. Flag Fruit Pizza

Here’s a fruit salute to inspire cheer at your weekend party. And with all those good-for-you berries and bananas, you earn some extra hip-hip-hooray!

8. S’mores Poke Cake

Poke some holes in the theory that you shouldn’t poke holes in a cake. How else will the marshmallow frosting fully pay its respects to chocolate in this hail to the greatness of s’mores?

9. Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

When is the meeting together of peanut butter and chocolate not appropriate? Answer: This is a trick question. Peanut butter and chocolate together is always appropriate.

10. Ice Box Cake

The brilliance of an “ice box” cake is that it swoops in to save you from slaving over an oven for steamy summer celebrations. Now that’s pretty cool.

However you celebrate Memorial Day, make sure to take another bite and savor the weekend. Cheers!

Did you just dig a box of cereal out of the back of your cupboard, only to find just a bit of cereal at the bottom? Turn those lonely leftovers into something magic — these gorgeous confetti Bottom of the Cereal-Box Cupcakes!

It starts like this. Grab your basics. If you’re looking for a pastel-y final product, you can use Cascadian Farms Fruitful O’s. If you want something brighter and schmancier, you’re gonna need some Trix. You’ll also need a white cake mix. And eggs. And butter. And powdered sugar. And gel food coloring. But, that’s, like, totally it!

Mix the cake mix according to package directions, then stir in some crushed cereal. Life doesn’t get any easier than this!

Spoon your batter into cupcake liners. You can fill each muffin cup about 3/4 of the way full without worrying about the cupcakes rising over the edge of your tin.

While your cupcakes bake, prep your homemade frosting. Easy tips for making the colored frosting you see is right up there.

Frost. It looks complicated, but is surprisingly, wildly simple! Try it! This is one décor idea that’s hard to botch!

And….just like that….you have cupcakes. We frosted our Fruitful O’s cupcakes with purple and orange Betty Crocker neon frosting. The Trix cuppies got a four-color Neon treatment. So cute!

Grab a napkin and a glass of milk….you’re gonna need it! And, of course, if you’re feeling like you want to eat it cereal style, feel free to serve these little darlin’s in a bowl!

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Brooke blogs at Cheeky Kitchen where she shares fun family recipes. She joined Tablespoon to share some of her best, so keep an eye on Brooke’s profile to see what she cooks up next!

It’s a well known fact. Sometimes you just want a donut…but without the guilt. Enter Mini Rainbow Donuts.

Yup, they’re as tiny as Cheerios but look exactly like donuts. Who could resist these dollhouse sized treats?!

Thanks to the Unconfidential Cook, these tiny sweets came to life. To make some for yourself, just  grab one of your pantry staples – Fruity Cheerios (for our rainbow effect!). Then get some stuff to make the toppings just like “real” donuts have.

For the powdered donut look, roll the Cheerios in powdered sugar. Easy peasy!

Mix regular sugar and cinnamon Together for another favorite donut topping.

For frosted donuts, mix vanilla Betty Crocker frosting with a drop of food coloring, then dip the top of your little donut in and add sprinkles to your heart’s content.

Display your li’l creations bakery-style in a miniature jewelry box.

You can eat the whole box of donuts and not feel a smidgen of guilt – I promise!  Plus they’re as cute as can be. I love these teeny-tiny sweet treats!

Is there anything more splendidly summertime than potato salad? Me thinks not. And, with the season of potlucks, picnics and backyard barbecues around the corner, we thought it was high time to start celebrating the humble potato salad…all pimped out!

Here are four of our fave Tablespoon potato-salad recipes, and one new one to rock your summer into high gear!

Let’s start with the newbie recipe.

Click on photos or underlined titles to go to recipe pages.

1. Chipotle Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Okay, people. This here recipe is legit. It’s legit for the grillin’ crowd, and the chillin’ crowd. It’s something foodies and finicky folks can get behind. It’s just a darn good Loaded Chipotle Potato Salad. We’re talking crazy good chipotle cream sauce, tender potatoes, tons of sharp cheddar and bacon and more!

This recipe is so basic, you’ll adore it. Just grab these ingredients –chances are, you have most of them in your pantry already. Don’t ya love recipes like that?!

Now, mix it up. Mix it all up. It’s seriously that quick and easy!

Garnish with cheddar, bacon, scallions, cilantro, and your face — because, seriously, that’s exactly where you want this salad. Forks optional.

2. German Potato Salad

Cut a few calories and serve up this simple German Potato Salad for every potluck you’re invited to this summer. No cream, but tons of savory flavor, this is one recipe you’ll be proud to tote to a party.

3. Aloo Gobi Potato Salad

This beautiful Indian twist on plain ol’ potato salad boasts fresh tomatoes, curry, and a few other veggie surprises. Check out the ingredient list, then give it a try!

4. Sweet-Potato Salad

Sweet potatoes take the place of the traditional white potatoes in this incredibly flavorful recipe. The spice list will have you shouting for joy!

5. Curry Potato Salad

A little curry goes a long way in this potato salad recipe. Curry powder adds just a bit of a kick and a ton of gorgeous color.

Brooke blogs at Cheeky Kitchen where she shares fun family recipes. She joined Tablespoon to share some of her best, so keep an eye on Brooke’s profile to see what she cooks up next!

Chances are you’ve been served a bland, boring pasta salad dish before. It’s probably been on the buffet at some sort of family reunion, along with a wiggly green gelatin mold and lukewarm burgers.

It’s a shame, because pasta is an incredibly versatile and easy ingredient to use, and it pairs so well with vegetables and fresh summer flavors.

I set out to create a pasta salad that has spark and won’t be the last lonely uneaten dish on the buffet table.

Since we are all short on time, I started with the Caesar flavor of Suddenly Pasta Salad, a fabulous Betty Crocker product that comes with tri-colored pasta and spices to get you off to a great start.

See, that’s about all you really need for this great salad … except maybe a fab idea for serving it to make everyone go, “Awwwww, cooool!”

Here’s whatcha do:

First, get out that cool salad in a box and boil up the pasta.

Then mix the spices with water and vegetable oil.

And finally toss it all together.

You can stop there for a 10-minute pasta salad dish that will wow a crowd, or you can add veggies to bump up the vitamin factor.

For example, I created a Greek Pasta Salad dish by adding red bell pepper, cucumbers, feta cheese crumbles and a touch of Greek vinaigrette. If you have time to let the flavors meld overnight, you are way ahead of the game.

They (whoever “they” are) say that you eat with your eyes first, so instead of plopping your salad in a big ol’ bowl (so predictable), serve it in individual portions in crystal clear glasses.

Whether you serve a bite-size portion in a shot glass for taste-testing, or a larger portion in taller glassware, the presentation is beautiful — plus you’ve got instant portion control!

Garnish as you please – with sprig of green herbs, a colorful curl of bell pepper, or a simple appetizer fork balanced across the top of the glass.

Moral of the story? Stock up on Suddenly Salad and glasses — and be prepared to be the talk of your summer barbecues!

Warm weather means plenty of sun, fun, and sharing a great meal with friends al fresco, and there’s nothing better for some outdoor grubbin’ than a sandwich!

They’re easy to make, easy to tote, and of course, delicious! So grab your blankets and Frisbee and pack up some of these 10 perfect picnic sammies.

1. Petite French Picnic Sandwiches

Using fresh dinner rolls, these scrumptious beefy sandwiches are perfect for your next afternoon meal. And thanks to their cute little size, you can pack as many as your picnic basket can hold!

2. Picnic Chicken Loaf

Store-bought rotisserie chicken gets dressed up with creamy Brie and tart Granny Smith apples.

3. Ham and Mozzarella Sandwich Wedges

Sandwiches are only as good as the bread they’re made with so toss the plain white bread and use thick, chewy, flavorful focaccia bread.

4. Beef Bacon and Blues Wraps

Roast beef, bacon, and blue cheese make a killer combination. Wrap it up for the perfect travel food!

5. Make-Ahead Dagwood Sandwiches

Want a sandwich piled high with just about everything? This one will make you a picnic superstar — so look no further than the Dagwood!

6. Turkey Cucumber Dill Sandwiches

These light turkey sandwiches are perfect for hot summer days, thanks to the refreshing, cool, crunch of cucumber slices.

7. Super Summer Subs

A rotisserie chicken, some sub rolls, and a mix of toppings are the makings for this classic summer sammie.

8. Roasted Turkey Sandwiches

Garlic-basil mayo takes the turkey sandwich to a whole other level.

9. Cheese and Veggie Sandwiches

Loaded with veggies, cheese, and hummus, you won’t even miss the meat!

10. Honey Mustard Ham and Swiss Sandwiches

Sweet honey mustard and cool, crisp coleslaw add tang and crunch to the usual ham sandwich. Just remember to layer the wet ingredients between the meat and cheese. No one likes soggy bread!

As the weather heats up it’s time to toss off those layers, bid farewell to those winter blues, throw your arms open and enthusiastically declare: “Welcome back, Spring!”

Of course, now that you’ve come out of hibernation it’s time to stop eating like it’s still winter. Instead, try these light dinner recipes that will leave you feeling satisfied without weighing you down.

1. Lemon Basil Chicken Pasta Salad

Lemon adds an extra zing to this fresh, easy chicken pasta salad.

2. Grilled Tilapia Spinach Salad

Nothing says summer like smoky, grilled, flaky fish. Add some mushrooms, lime, candied nuts, and spinach for an awesome salad.

3. Chicken Cranberry and Goat Cheese Salad

This simple salad can be tossed together on the fly with pre-made chicken breast or store-bought rotisserie chicken.

4. Healthified Tex-Mex Chicken Skillet

Serve up this quick skillet with tortillas, rice, or even stuffed in peppers!

 5. Vegan Quinoa and Black Beans

This Mexican inspired quinoa dish is not only healthy and tastes great, but it’s vegan-friendly too!

6. Zucchini Pasta

This “pasta” made from zucchini is so refreshing you won’t miss the noodles.

 7. Quinoa Pilaf with Salmon and Asparagus

Fluffy quinoa and salmon make this dish packed with protein and flavor.

8. Easy Real Fish Tacos

You’ll drool over these fish tacos with edamame, corn, and spicy cream sauce.

9. Grilled Halibut with Herbed Lime Butter

Halibut is a mild white fish, but there’s nothing mild about the ginger, lime, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeno flavors in this dish!

10. Easy Stuffed Avocado Salad

Ditch the dish and use creamy, fresh avocado halves to serve up this tasty salad.

11. Tomato and Corn Risotto

Tomato and corn add springtime flavors to creamy risotto.

12. Rainbow Salad in a Glass

Get big time WOW by carefully layering your ingredients into a gorgeous rainbow salad!

So celebrate spring by grabbing a cold drink and tucking into one of these delicious, satisfying, light meals!

While you can’t limit the beloved comfort and deliciousness of a chocolate chip cookie to just one day, you can celebrate with some tasty twists on this all-time favorite.

Try these recipes for chocolate-chip goodwill that you can crunch, savor, melt in your mouth, and even sip. See for yourself!

1. Candied Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

So you know what synergy tastes like? It tastes like brown-sugar-sprinkled bacon mixed with chocolate chips and cookieness. The sweet and the savory, bringing their powers together as one, ready to blow away your tastebuds.

2. Nutella-Stuffed Brown Butter + Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

Nutella, that euphoric chocolate and hazlenut spread, is dangerous — so be careful. Putting it smack-dab in the middle of these already glorious chocolate chippies could induce frenzied elation to the point of near delirium. And it’s all the fault of Ambitious Kitchen.

3. Pink Chocolate Chip Cookies

It’s impossible for this cookie not to blush. At its heart, it’s a humble and modest cookie, but its sweet crunch and adorable tint gives it a special appeal — and enough attention to make anyone blush!

4. Toasted Coconut, Toffee, & Chocolate Chip Cookies

When you really love something, like a classic chocolate chip cookie, you’ve got to be able to let it grow and explore new ingredients. And that’s okay because change tastes soo good. Let Two Peas and Their Pod prove it to you.

5. Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

What does it mean if a cookie is green? That it’s Irish? Or envious? If you guessed minty-good with chocolate on top, you win! Just like this cookie, a prizewinning Tablespoon recipe.

6. Chocolate Chip Cookie Bailey’s Milkshakes

Milk and chocolate chip cookies are dear old friends. They went to school together. And sometimes they invite new friends over, like ice cream and Bailey’s. The result? It’s one heck of a party, courtesy of How Sweet It Is.

7. Mexican Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happy, regular cookies are fine for everyday. But with this recipe from Mama’s Gotta Bake, chocolate chippers get a Mexican twist of cinnamon and chili-spiked chocolate. And suddenly, the day is festooned with bright colors and everyone is dancing. Just try it and see.

8. Milk Chocolate Butterscotch Café Cookies

Are you tired of choosing? Like, should you have the burger or the salad? Should you save or spend? Well, forget about all that. With milk chocolate and butterscotch all in one cookie, there’s no need to choose. Definitely a yummy no-brainer.

9. Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

It’s likely that blogger No. 2 Pencil would say, the family that eats out of a skillet together, stays together. So gather your family around this skillet of chocolate chip cookie, pass out the forks, and shout “Dig in!”

10. Cherry-Chocolate Chip Cookies

What? Chocolate chip cookies with cherries on top? What a great party presentation!

11. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free)

Pumpkin’s not just for fall anymore! Try it year ’round in these soft and delish chocolate chip cookies with the background flavor of pumpkin bread.

12. Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yah. Like this one even needs description! Calling all chocolate lovers. Get on over here, stat!

13. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

There are oatmeal cookies. And then there are oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Hmmm…which would you rather have? You know it!

14. Pecan Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Because…sometimes a chocolate chip cookie just needs some nuts. And more chocolate.

Don’t you think Chocolate Chip Cookie Day should be a national holiday? Enjoy your cookies today, guilt free!

You know you can’t go a whole 24 hours without an ice-cold glass of your favorite fizzy soda. So, why not use that fizzy fun in yummy treats, too?

From cakes to biscuits to pie, here are six effervescent recipes that’ll have you pouring your soda into a mixing bowl, and not just down your throat. (Though, of course, you can totally sneak a few sips here and there. Because….yum….it’s soda pop!)

So come along and make some of our soda-pop baking faves!

1. Sprite Biscuits

You know when you get a hankerin’ for fried chicken, so you toss your body in the car and head down to the fried chicken joint at the corner of Umpteenth Avenue? You order a meal deal. You get your chicken. Some mashed potatoes. And then….you also get those biscuits. Those tender, flaky biscuits with butter soaked into every ounce of the exterior.

Yeah, so…make these melt-in-your-mouth biscuits, and you won’t have to toss your body into the car!

Here’s your ingredient line-up for these biscuits. Four things. Four thangs!! That’s it. Let’s call it a day and start baking.

To get these things in your boca fast, just mix the biscuits, sour cream, and Sprite together until a soft dough forms. Sprinkle a little Bisquick on a clean cutting board and get ready to knead.

Cut the biscuits. Stick ‘em in butta. Bake them until they look sun kissed.

And that, darling you, is what we call dinner. Or at least the perfect side dish. But if you wanna eat em as your dinner, we won’t judge. We’ll be right there with ya.

More Recipes with Soda Pop

If you liked that recipe, then you’ll love these awesome ones too, from our friends over at Coca-Cola.

(Click on photos or underlined titles to go to recipe pages.)

2. Coca-Cola Cake

This Coca-Cola cake is a moist, rich fudgy chocolate creation. Perfectly sweet and totally tender. It’s so good, you may just bump your granny’s favorite recipe to number two. But, she’ll forgive you when she tastes this cake made with Coke.

3. Coca-Cola Doughnuts

Listen up, folks. We’re gonna whisper a big ol’ secret to you. Come closer….come closer….okay. Doughnuts are the next big thing. Got it? We’re letting you in on a trend here. Doughnuts (especially –oh,cute!– mini ones) are about to be hot, hot, hot again. So grab a whisk and add some Coke and start baking. Just look at ‘em! Who could resist?

4. Light Lime Cheesecake

Light, fluffy, and vibrantly flavored, this Lime Cheesecake uses fizzy soda to create an incredibly memorable, crave-worthy flavor. Think of it as the little, bikini’ed cheesecake riding a cruiser bike on a SoCal beach. This one would be riding a lime green cruiser and sipping soda through a swirly straw.

5. Fresh Banana Cake

(Photo credit: Sarah Catherine Golden)

Banana Cake may be the most underrated dessert of all time. But if you want to get people talking, serve them this banana cake and prepare yourself to be showered in compliments. (Speaking of being showered, this would be the perfect shower cake!)

6. Virginia Peanut Pie

Um, hello. This pie is like a frickin’ candy bar. In a pie. With tons of peanuts. And caramel all slathered around-abouts. As you can see, we’re running thin on words to describe this pie. Oh yes, and it haveth a Coca Cola reduction sauce. Meow. The end.

Brooke blogs at Cheeky Kitchen where she shares fun family recipes. She joined Tablespoon to share some of her best, so keep an eye on Brooke’s profile to see what she cooks up next!