If you wash and prep the strawberries and blueberries ahead of time these can be really quick to put together before your party.  Of course the bananas will have to be cut up right before otherwise they will turn brown.

Use as many strawberries, blueberries or bananas as needed for the size of your group.

I just picked up some of these wooden skewers from Target.

Slice up the bananas into about 1/2 inch wheels. Then, using halved strawberries, bananas, and blueberries, layer red, white, and blue onto the skewer.

For the skewers laying flat on the cutting board I did two layers of red, white, and blue.  For the ones in the jar I just did one layer plus one more red.

Totally fun and a great festive look for your 4th of July get-togethers!!

Here is your printable recipe!

Patriotic Fruit Skewers

 

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These are a great healthy snack to have out on 4th of July!

Author: A Fireman's Wife

Ingredients

• Small wooden skewers
• Strawberries cut in half
• bananas sliced into ½ inch wheels
• blueberries

Instructions

1. Wash the strawberries and blueberries. Cut the strawberries in half and set both fruits aside in separate bowls
2. Slice the bananas.
3. Layer on the skewer a strawberry half, banana, and blueberry, then repeat, to make the red, white, and blue.
4. Make as many or as little as you want for the size of your crowd!
5. Enjoy!

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XOXO

JEN

OTHER PATRIOTIC IDEAS YOU MIGHT LIKE….

• Patriotic Breakfast Ideas
• Layered 4th of July Flag Cake
• Breakfast Tacos

PATRIOTIC FRUIT SKEWERS

for some healthy red, white, and blue!

Affiliate links are included for your convenience. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

WHAT YOU NEED:

• 1 giant marshmallow
• 1 jumbo marshmallow
• 1 miniature marshmallow
• 1 black chocolate candy (I also found these at the Party Store)
• 2 candy eyes

These are so easy to assemble and you use nothing but the stickiness of the marshmallows to hold it all together!

DIRECTIONS:

Cut the giant marshmallow in half.  Then cut the jumbo marshmallow into thirds. Discard top and bottom piece, leaving only the middle piece that is sticky on both sides.
Cut the miniature marshmallow in half.

Place the giant marshmallow sticky side up on a flat surface.
Add the middle piece of the jumbo marshmallow to the center.
Add the chocolate candy nose on top of the jumbo marshmallow.
Add the candy eyes above the jumbo marshmallow.
Add the mini marshmallow ears, sticky side down, to the side of the giant marshmallow.

Aren’t they just adorable….I mean look at those faces!!

And your hot cocoa will just be so cute this winter! 

xoxo!!

Here is your printable recipe!

Polar Bear Marshmallows

 

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These will be just adorable on top of your hot cocoa this winter!

Author: A Fireman's Wife

Ingredients

• 1 giant marshmallow
• 1 jumbo marshmallow
• 1 miniature marshmallow
• 1 chocolate candy
• 2 candy eyes

Instructions

1. Cut the giant marshmallow in half.
2. Then cut the jumbo marshmallow into thirds. Discard top and bottom piece, leaving only the middle piece that is sticky on both sides.
3. Cut the miniature marshmallow in half.
4. Place the giant marshmallow sticky side up on a flat surface.
5. Add the middle piece of the jumbo marshmallow to the center.
6. Add the chocolate candy nose on top of the jumbo marshmallow.
7. Add the candy eyes above the jumbo marshmallow.
8. Add the mini marshmallow ears, sticky side down, to the side of the giant marshmallow.
9. Float on top of your hot cocoa and whipped cream!

Notes

These are so easy to assemble and you use nothing but the stickiness of the marshmallows to hold it all together!

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So here is what you need.  As long as you have all the ingredients you can make as few or as many as you want.  The Betty Crocker Cupcake Icing in the can makes it so easy because it can give you just the right small dab of icing that you need without making a big mess.  

Add a small dab of icing to a Nutter Butter.  Those are so good if you have never tried them.  

Stick on a Hershey’s Kiss. 

On the other side of the Nutter Butter add another small dab of icing and stick on your mini chocolate chip.  

My kids love getting involved in the opening up of the Hershey’s Kisses.    I wonder why????  

Simple Thanksgiving fun!

These didn’t last 5 minutes on the table!

Try these out next week for a fun little food craft.

They can also make great take home treats or gifts for friends and dinner guests paired with mini pumpkin pies!  

I would love for you to join my Friday link-up party!

Acorn Treats

 

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These are a fun Thanksgiving food craft to make with the kids, or just fun treats for the table!

Author: A Fireman's Wife

Ingredients

• 1 bag Nutter Butter Bites
• 1 bag milk chocolate Hershey's Kisses
• 1 can Betty Crocker chocolate cupcake icing
• 1 bag mini chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Add a small dab of icing to one side of a Nutter Butter.
2. Stick on a Hershey's Kiss.
3. On the other side of the Nutter Butter add another small dab of icing and stick on your mini chocolate chip.
4. That's it! Make as many as you want!

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I made these last week for my mom’s group and my kids just loved them!  Here is what you need: 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then cut out your shamrocks.  I was able to place two tortillas stacked on top of each other when cutting out my shamrocks.  Helped to speed up the process.  I was able to get 4 shamrocks per tortilla.  

I just stacked them up on a plate while I finished cutting out all my shamrocks. 

When your oven is preheated spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and line up your shamrocks in a single layer.  Lightly spray your shamrocks with cooking spray and sprinkle them evenly with salt.  I usually use kosher salt when cooking but for these I just grabbed my salt shaker to make it easy to sprinkle all over.  Then bake them in the oven for about 8-10 minutes.  Let them cool and then transfer to a storage container.Eat by themselves or with some wonderful Kiwi-Melon Pico de Gallo! 

Then if you want to kick things up a notch you can try this wonderful cinnamon and sugar version!

For these cut out your shamrocks the same way and then spray your cookie sheet with cooking spray and line them up in a single layer.  Then brush the tops of your shamrocks with melted butter.  Mix your sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and then sprinkle generously on your shamrocks.   

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.  Serve with ice cream or wonderful by themselves! 

I would love if you would join my Friday link-up!

Shamrock Chips

 

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These are so fun and festive for St. Patrick's Day!

Author: A Fireman's Wife

Ingredients

• Salt Version
• 1 pack Mission Garden Spinach Herb Wraps ( you can really use as many packs as you need)
• Cooking spray
• Salt
• Shamrock cookie cutter
• Cinnamon Sugar Version
• 1 pack Mission Garden Spinach Herb Wraps
• Cooking spray
• 1 stick melted butter
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Shamrock Cookie Cutter

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. For the salt version cut out your shamrocks with your cookie cutter.
3. Spray your cookie sheet with cooking spray and then line your shamrocks up in a single layer.
4. Spray the tops of your shamrocks lightly with cooking spray and then sprinkle them all over with salt.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool and then transfer to a storage container.
6. For the cinnamon sugar version cut out your shamrocks with your cookie cutter.
7. Spray your cookie sheet with cooking spray and then line your shamrocks up in a single layer.
8. Brush the tops of your shamrocks with melted butter.
9. Mix up your cinnamon and sugar and then sprinkle generously all over your shamrocks.
10. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool and then transfer to a storage container.

Notes

Serve the salted version with Kiwi-Melon Pico de Gallo for a fun St. Patrick's Day snack! The cinnamon sugar version goes great with vanilla ice cream or wonderful by themselves!

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I thought this would be fun to have out on Valentine’s Day.  There is still time to grab what you need at the store.  It is super simple to make!  Here is what you need: 

Here is a closer look at the Kashi Heart to Heart Oat Cereal.  Like I said I found it at Target.  I’m sure they sell it at other stores too.  

In a large bowl measure out your Rice Chex Cereal.  In a small microwavable bowl add the white chocolate chips, peanut butter, butter, and vanilla.  Microwave it for 1-1 1/2 minutes stirring every 30 seconds until melted.

Pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the Rice Chex and stir until evenly coated.  

Place the Rice Chex mixture in a 1-gallon food storage plastic bag.  Add the powdered sugar, seal the bag, and then shake until well coated.  Let that sit aside for a few minutes.  Next, in another large bowl, or clean out the one you were using, add your Kashi Heart to Heart Oat Cereal, Valentine M&M’s, and Valentine sprinkles.  

The Valentine M&M’s mix is perfect for this!  I also found these at Target.

Add your Rice Chex mixture back into the bowl and stir it all up.  

I thought it would be fun to put some of this in little treat bags for friends and neighbors.  I found these cute treat bag toppers at Echoes of Laughter.  They worked great right over the little snack size baggies I already had.  I just printed them out on card stock and then used my paper-cutter to quickly cut them out.  

I then folded in the sides of the bag to make them fit and stapled the topper on.

So yummy!  The kids, and me, gobbled it up!  I hope you all have a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Valentine's Day Snack Mix

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: A Fireman's Wife

Recipe type: Snack Mix

Ingredients

• 4½ cups Rice Chex Cereal
• ½ cup white chocolate chips
• ¼ cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ⅔ cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups Kashi Heart to Heart Oat Cereal
• ½ cup (or more) M&M's Valentine mix
• 2 tablespoons Valentine's Day sprinkles

Instructions

1. In a large bowl measure out your Rice Chex Cereal.
2. In a small microwavable bowl add the white chocolate chips, peanut butter, butter, and vanilla. Microwave it for 1-1½ minutes stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
3. Pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the Rice Chex and stir until evenly coated.
4. Place the Rice Chex mixture in a 1-gallon food storage plastic bag. Add the powdered sugar, seal the bag, and then shake until well coated. Let that sit aside for a few minutes.
5. Next, in another large bowl, or clean out the one you were using, add your Kashi Heart to Heart Oat Cereal, Valentine M&M's, and Valentine sprinkles.
6. Add your Rice Chex mixture back into the bowl and stir it all up.

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At first we just made a few of these and then I packed everything up.  My son was so excited with what he made that he went to show his cracker to his sisters.  Of course they were wondering where THEIR “traffic light” crackers were?  So about an hour later I found myself making a bunch more of these for snack.  They were a hit and they gobbled them up.  I think they tasted pretty good too!

These are so simple.  I just used honey graham crackers, peanut butter and M & M’s.

Break up your graham crackers into small rectangles, spread on some peanut butter, and then have your kids put on the traffic light colors!

Traffic Light Crackers

 

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This is a great snack for teaching preschoolers about traffic safety and what each color represents on a traffic light.

Author: A Fireman's Wife

Recipe type: Snack

Ingredients

• Honey Graham Crackers
• Peanut Butter
• Chocolate candies such as M&M's in red, yellow, and green

Instructions

1. Break the desired amount of graham crackers into small rectangles.
2. Spread peanut butter on each rectangle.
3. Sort out your chocolate candies into groups of red, yellow, and green.
4. Have your kids help create the traffic lights with putting one red candy on top, one yellow in the middle, and then one green on the bottom.

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So first I popped up some popcorn in a pot on the stove.  Then I lightly salted it and let it cool.  Next assemble the rest of your ingredients which mostly consists of these yummy things pictured below.

I recruited a helper or two to open my candy cane kisses.

Put the opened kisses in a microwave safe bowl.  Add about a tablespoon of vegetable oil to the opened kisses and stir it around.

Put the kisses in the microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power.  Stir and then continue microwaving them for 30 second intervals at 50% power until melted.  Make sure you stir it up between each 30 second interval.  Keep going until it looks like this.

Next add your popcorn to a large bowl, pour on the melted kisses and  stir it all up.

Lay the popcorn out on some wax paper and put in the refrigerator for 30 min so the chocolate can re-set up.  After 30 minutes take it out and put it in a serving bowl and try not to stand there and eat the whole thing!

This will be great to have out on Christmas day or any parties you have coming up in the next few days!

Candy Cane Kiss Popcorn

 

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Prep time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: A Fireman's Wife

Recipe type: Holiday Snack

Cuisine: Popcorn

Ingredients

• 8 cups popped popcorn
• Salt to taste
• 10 ounce bag Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses
• 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Pop your popcorn on the stove top in a large pot.
2. Measure out about 8 cups of popcorn, put it in a large bowl and lightly salt it.
3. Unwrap all your Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses and put them in a microwave safe bowl.
4. Add vegetable oil to your kisses and stir it around.
5. Microwave your kisses for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir and then continue microwaving them for 30 seconds at 50% power until they are all melted. (Mine took 2 minutes total but I know all microwaves are different.) Make sure you stir every 30 seconds.
6. When the kisses are all melted pour the melted kisses on the popcorn.
7. Stir it all up and then lay the popcorn out on wax paper.
8. Put it all in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so that the chocolate can re-set up.
9. After 30 minutes take it out and put the popcorn a serving bowl.

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For these I only use Seasoned Salt, garlic salt, and butter….besides the pumpkin seeds that is!

After I take the seeds out of the pumpkin I let them soak in a bowl of  water on the counter until I am ready to get them prepped.

Next I put them in a colander to rinse and clean out all the chunks of pumpkin and orange. (Then I admire the falling water in the picture.)

When they are all cleaned I put them on a paper towel to dry out overnight.

The next day, or when they are all dry, preheat your oven to 300 degrees.   Next, I melt my butter in a bowl that is big enough for all my pumpkin seeds to be mixed in.  I use about 1 tablespoon of butter per cup of pumpkin seeds.  I used about 2 cups of seeds here.

Then I mix my seeds until they are coated in all the butter and I add the seasonings.  I don’t measure the seasonings.  I just sprinkle on some of both and mix it all up.

Then I pour them onto a large baking sheet and spread them out in a single layer as best as I can.

Bake for 45 minutes stirring them up once about half way through baking time.  Your house will start to smell really good about now!

And that’s it!  Super simple and really yummy!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

 

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Prep time

24 hours

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

24 hours 45 mins

 

Author: A Fireman's Wife

Recipe type: Snacks

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• Seasoned Salt to taste
• Garlic Salt to taste

Instructions

1. After you take the seeds out of the pumpkin let them soak in a bowl of water on the counter until you are ready to get them prepped.
2. Next, put them in a colander to rinse and clean out all the chunks of pumpkin and orange.
3. When the seeds are all clean put them on a paper towel to dry out overnight.
4. The next day or when the seeds are all dry, preheat oven to 300 degrees.
5. Next, melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl that is big enough for all the pumpkin seeds to be mixed in.
6. Then add your pumpkin seeds to the butter and mix it up.
7. Season to taste with Seasoned Salt and garlic salt.
8. Mix it all up and spread on a single layer on a baking sheet.
9. Bake 45 minutes stirring them up once about half way through baking time. Let cool and put them in a bowl to serve.

Notes

**If you don’t have two cups of pumpkin seeds just use 1 tablespoon butter per cup of seeds.

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