Cookies and Cream Cupcakes From The Big Book of Cupcakes presented by Southern Living

Makes: 24 cupcakes
You'll Need:

• 1 recipe Chocolate Cake
• 2 recipes Cookies and Cream Frosting
• 24 cream-filled miniature chocolate sandwich cookies (whole or coarsely crushed)

Chocolate Cake

• 1 cup Dutch process cocoa
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups superfine sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose soft-wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. chocolate extract
• Paper baking cups
• Vegetable cooking spray

1. Combine cocoa and 2 cups boiling water in a large heatproof bowl, stirring until blended and smooth; cool completely.
2. Beat butter with a mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
3. Combine fl our and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with fl our mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in chocolate extract.
4. Place paper baking cups in 2 (12-cup) muffin pans, and coat with cooking spray; spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full.
5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely.

Cookies and Cream Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup whipping cream1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. clear vanilla extract
• 15 cream-filled miniature chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed

1. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternately with cream, beating at low speed until blended. Add salt and vanilla, beating until blended. Stir in crushed cookies until combined. Beat at high speed 2 minutes or until creamy. Makes 4 cups.

Finishing Touches:

1. Fill each cupcake with Cookies and Cream Frosting. How-To Fill: To fill cupcakes, insert the end of a wooden spoon or dowel into the center of the cupcake to make a hole. Fill a zip-top plastic freezer bag with filling or frosting. Use scissors or kitchen shears to snip about ¼ inch from one corner of bag; insert bag into the hole in the cupcake. Squeeze gently until filling comes to the top of each cupcake. Note: If you want to fill and frost 1 recipe of cupcakes with the same frosting, you will need about 6 cups of frosting total.
2. Frost each cupcake with Cookies and Cream Frosting using metal tip no. 12. How-To Frost by Hand: Place a heaping spoonful of frosting in center of cupcake. With an offset spatula, push frosting to edges while turning cupcake. Rotate cupcake, and lift the frosting with the spatula to create peaks.
3. Top each with 1 sandwich cookie or, if desired, crushed cookie pieces.

More ideas of things to do with your kids from Brassy Apple

http://brassyapple.blogspot.com/2009/08/what-to-do-with-your-kids.html

1. First of all, my day to day fun activities usually are very inexpensive and I grab and use what I have one hand first before going out and spending any money 0n supplies.

2. Use your Resources! The library is full of books with great ideas, plus they have activities all year long too. Keep a craft/supplies box, trade supplies with friends and best of SHARE your ideas! :) (it's always nice to share right?)

3. Don't be so worried about the mess. Yes if you get out paint there is probably going to be a bit of a mess. Let them get a bit dirty without you being uptight or upset about it. Enjoy the creative moment together and clean it up when they are all done - better yet, have them help!

4. Be willing to improvise - use what you have on Hand, go with the flow, be flexible.

All these ideas are just a jumping point for you. Take them and tweak them for your family size, kids ages, likes and dislikes and apply them for all year round!

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• Schedule the fun! Kids love some structure or to know or count on certain things. Sit down as a family and "plan" some fun. EX. - First Friday of every month is family movie night. Then make is special. Whether you go the theater or stay home. Bake a goodie together before hand, have a sleep over in the living room, etc.

Summer Fun!

• Create a summer journal - when school let out for the summer we created summer journals. Just a fun way for my kids to to stash away the magic of summer and create an informal scrapbook. It's full of their thoughts, handwriting, pictures they drew and pictures we took and simply printed out and glued in.

The first page of their journals also contains a current picture of them, weight, height, current friends, shoe size, favorites, etc. Just a few fun statistics to read when they are older.

• Create a Summer Fun Calendar/Schedule. Ask them what they want to DO this summer - list it on one side of the paper and title the other side - Things we DID. Keep a running tally of all the fun! They can't say they never did anything fun this summer when it is all listed out! Other ideas - Books we want to READ/Books we READ, Places we want to go/Places we WENT. Also have them help you compile a BOREDOM BUSTERS list they can refer to when they get bored! Hang it up where they can see it (at their level).

• PICNICS! Who doesn't love to have a Picnic! I shared a 2 sided handout full of different picnic ideas for Summer/Winter/Rainy days. (click HERE to download a copy)
• Camping outside in the backyard

• Try a new park each week - don't forget about school playgrounds too.

• Go on a Nature/Scavenger Hunt - give your kids a small paper sack and have then collect certain colors, textures, etc.

• 100 days of Summer - Activity ideas from Memorial Day to Labor Day (click here to download a copy)

• Letterboxing.org - It's like a local treasure hunt that your kids will LOVE

Road Trips

• Mary Poppins Bag - (refer to my previous tutorial on how to create this) Extra ideas - Print out a map, games, dot to dots, mazes, etc. Convert an old metal cookie sheet into a game/lap board. I sprayed painted one blue, took a paint pen and drew a tic tac toe board on side and then drew some X's and O's on the tops of some small magnets. Create an I SPY BOOK to slip in too!

• The "mary poppins bag" theme can easily be adjusted for a fun day at home too! Pick and theme and have activities lined throughout the day.

Everyday Activites

• Spin Art
• Placemats
• Paper Plate Masks - We create these all the time! From Jack Sparrow to Power Rangers to Princesses. Cut out the some eye holes for your kids if they are too young to use scissors and let their imagination RUN! Add yarn for hair, use construction paper to add hats, crowns, etc. Then use some elastic thread and a hole punch to make it slip on and off easily!

• Newsprint Paper - Does your local newspaper get rid of sell the end of the newsprint paper rolls? Ours does for only a couple of dollars on a certain day each month. Snatch up a roll or two! These are great for activities all year long. Cover the table and then color/paint. Trace their bodies and have then fill in their features, draw clothing etc. Hang a long piece outside on your fence in the summer and let them paint, or fill spray bottles with water and a couple drops of paints and spray the paper. Then it can dry while it's hanging and you can let the kids run through the water to clean up!
• T-shirt Capes - These are a great no sew item to create. Be sure to click on the link for the tutorial.

• Muffin Tin Monday - Oh your kids will LOVE you for creating such a fun lunch! Ooodles of ideas and answers to all your FAQ's about how to do this!

• 50 Activities for Kids - a wonderful list complied by The Long Thread blogFunnertime Blog - A mom posting about the fun crafts she does with her kids!

• The Crafty Crow - HUGE amount of crafts for all sorts of topics/types and ages

• Book/Activity - Take a book, read it together and create a fun activity that goes along with it. Take a look at what Nic did with her kids and the book Sweet Dream Pie - GREAT family activity!!!!
• Mini Camps - Gather your friends/neighbors and set up some mini classes/camp for summer or during the school year too! 1 wk they go to so and so's house for a Sewing Class, then the next week go to another house for Painting Project, etc. (remember - use your resources!)
• Papier Mache - we have had fun creating our own pinata. Create masks, globes, etc.
• Decopauge - fun for ANY age and so many uses too!
• STAYCATION - make the most of staying in town! Be sure to visit the link for ideas, instructions and print outs!!! they are fabulous!

100 free things to do with your kids from Digital Reflections

A little break from our summer activity to bring you list of things to do this summer, that wont break the bank, and if you are handy they will actually be FREE. If you are keeping up with our summer you know I am all about keeping the kids from being bored, but also about enhancing their education in the process and bringing them back to nature. (update on Wild West Week tomorrow).... so here goes (if its blue its a link for more information)

1. Library-check out books that have IDEAS - give reason for further hands on study (activity). Reserve books through your online service at your local library that have items of interest for your childs age group, how to make paper airplanes, science experiments, craft projects, etc. even as we are learning about different artists we are practicing our learning by completing art projects...get creative with the books you can get...

2. Library-STORY TIME - something about a different setting breaks up the routine for the kids, gives them something to look forward to.

3. Local Park - go early, pack a lunch, bring a drawing tablet, enjoy the outside before its too hot.

4. Take a field trip.

5. Visit a fire department.

6. Play in the water - but aside from the everyday play in the sprinkler, kiddie pool - make games with the water - use the water with paint brushes and paint the fence (it dries clear, lol)...put coloring in the water and stretch paper across a fence - fill water guns with this colored water and then they are really painting with water colors.

7. Build a fort, go to nearby woods, gather sticks, broken branches, etc. build a fort, or house this will provide days worth of enjoyment both in the gathering/building/playing inside.

8. Take a nature walk.. take along a journal, let the kids bring cameras, then go home, identify everything your photographed, create a nature book. Thats a whole nother days activities (paper, photos, glue, scissors, notebook) this is especially good saved for a rainy day.

9. Take an "Alphabet tour"... again camera(s) in hand, journals - letter guides for younger kids - drive to town/city - begin with the letter a (Apple street) b (building) c (colosseum) d(dairy queen) e(eatery) you get the drift - when you are done - each child has a personal and creative alphabet memory book.

10. Check out kids free days at your museums.

11. Make homeade ice cream (if you dont keep heavy cream on hand you will have to buy it, but hey its still pretty cheap entertainment/enjoyment). Make popcicles, smoothies, ice cream sundaes.

12. Go on a scavengar hunt

13. Host a neighborhood carnival (we're talking bean bag toss, use the water gun to shoot the ducky, egg on the spoon, those kind of games) - each neighbor hosts a game/activity and gives out a snack/drink - makes for a very fun day..

14. Go to an outdoor concert (most towns/cities have a website where you can see what/when and which ones are free.)

15. Check your movie theatre for free summer movies (usually morning showings)

16. Go to the beach.

17. Check out your local hardware store - they offer free kids club building projects.

18. Cook with your kids (my kids are still loving to cook the evening meals with me) but let them plan it, be apart of the shopping, table setting - make dessert!)

19. Host a cooking party - invite some friends (your kids arent the only ones home and wanting something to do) - have each mom bring a few ingredients and spend the day making cookies, treats, etc. (maybe you know someone who could use some extra love and attention - make a whole meal with these friends, let the kids make cards, and go make someones day brighter and happier).

20. Teach the kids frisbee golf.

21. Go fly a kite (why not make them first).

22. Do a sewing project together. Make a picnic or story time blanket, apron, or summer dress.

23. Make sock puppets - put on a puppet shows.

24. Go outside for reading time.

25. Make and blow bubbles.

26. Hide all the army men, mini animals, etc. in the sand pit - have a excavation. (even read a book about archeologists before hand).

27. Play dress up.

28. Have a tea party.

29. Make an obstacle course out of your back yard and have races.

30. Play jacks.

31. Go fishing.

32. Go on a bike ride.

33. Camp in your back yard.

34. Melt and create with crayons.

35. Visit a local state park.

36. Go bowling (a lot of the alleys offer students 2 free games over the summer).

37. Plant a garden using seeds from your vegetables/fruits.

38. Tour local historic sites.

39. Make a star gazing map.

40. Teach the kids to knit.

41. Check with a local farm - offer to help feed the animals.

42. Set up a lemonade stand.

43. Set up hotwheels races in the driveway. (my guys love this - they always want to see which of their 100's of cars is awarded 'the fastest" - have them make a trophy to give to the winning car - then next time - the new winning car gets the trophy.

44. Have a LEGO building contest (using x# pieces, only using blue pieces, creating something a certain height, create something that moves, etc.)

45. Make a doll.

46. Hunt for animal tracks. (get a book from the library to help identify them).

47. Have a dress up party (doesnt have to be halloween to wear those costumes).

48. Learn bird calls.

49. Use magazines to make mosaics.

50. Check your craft stores for make and take craft projects (Michaels, Hobby Lobby, etc.).

51. Tour a factory.

52. Make musical instruments and become a 'home band' sensation! (think - pie pan tamborine, papertowl holder rain stick, string and cereal box guitar) - dont forget to dress the part!

53. Make tye die shirts. (play some groovy tunes, too)

54. Take a picnic to dad/mom/grandma/ etc... give them a nice break from their work day.

55. Make a tent in the living room.

56. Go to an Arboretum.

57. Make a bird feeder with pine cones & peanut butter (and bird seed of course).

58. Paint with fruit and veggies (and anything else you will let them paint with - think q-tips, old toothbrush, sponges, leaves.... etc.)

59. Play charades.

60. Have a "BORED" game day - pull out all those dusty games and let each child pick a game - if its nice outside - take em out on your picnic blanket.

61. Walk your neighbors dog.

62. Blow up Diet coke with mentos.

63. Make sillouettes.

64. Check out local VBS offerings - a lot of time you can volunteer while your kids attend.

65. Learn/Go Orienteering.

66. Make a compass. (ties in to 65)

67. Gather friends and have a "clean" the park day - celebrate your good deed with a picnic and play time.

68. Sculpt with homeade SALT CLAY.

69. Collect Seashells. (then sort by color/size. etc. - make a seashell necklace or use the shells to decorate an empty jar - adults should use the glue gun).

70. Play "I Spy" as you walk around your neighborhood.

71. Go to a farmers market.

72. Check with a local pizzaria to see if you can come in for a tour (they will probably want you to buy a pizza - so it may not be "free" - but fun!)

73. Check your newpaper for local summer festivals.

74. Make school related activities fun - create your own matching cards (I make mine using these cute digital supplies found here and here). Use maccaroni for math reinforcement, make a clock with a paper plate, help with geometry by giving building tasks, etc.)

75. Learn (play) street games.

76. Make Taffy.

77. Make a checker board and your own checkers. then play for a bit...

78. Make your own board games.

79. Make a Milk Carton Boat - and head to a pond.

80. Have a Christmas in July party and ask all the guests to bring donations for your local food pantry.

81. Participate in a free activity at Bass Pro Shop.

82. Have a major league team in your area - call about free kids tickets this summer.

83. Take a trip to tour your state capitol, local courthouse, etc.

84. Gather, paint, make pet rocks.

85. Plan a theme week (keep checking back here for more details about our themes this summer).

86. Volunteer at a local charity/Habitat for Humanity.

87. Have a pajama day, enjoy movies and popcorn (great for a rainy day).

88. Color.

89. Make a Windchime.

90. Write your own poems.

91. Do a toy swap (pack up those forgotten toys and swap with a friend - kids love new "to them" toys as much as they love :NEW: toys.

92. "Play" school.

93. Make paper dolls for boys, for girls, or for the more advanced.

94. Travel around the world. Have English scones for breakfast, Chinese Stir Fry for lunch, Italian for dinner. Make a craft to go with each country, get a library book with photos of these places. (maybe even see if you have a friend your child can become pen pals with.)

95. Have a switcher-oo day, you send your kids to someone elses house and their kids come to yours... kids LOVE this... just plan a few activities (you can choose from some on this list) and give them a great day as your friend will do with your kidos.

96. Play tennis, soccer, kickball, football, etc.

97. Make slime.

98. Make glowing fireflies. we get our glowsticks at Target's $1.00 bins and they come with 10, so its practically free.

99. Make a sandcastle. If you dont have a sand box, gather up all sorts of containers and some water jugs and head over to your local park - spend the day building a great sand castle together -lots of kids will want to get in on the action so its a great social time, too.

100. Enjoy an art lesson.

Most importantly remember the simplicity of childhood is found in the quality of the time spent together - enjoy each moment, create an environment of joy and excitement, learning and fun and I am certain this summer will be one we all remember for a very long time.

(basic paper yellow alpha by katie pertiet at designerdigitals.com)

Please note that if you use this list in part or in whole you should please credit and link back to digitalreflections. Thank you. Found Here:

http://www.digitalreflections.typepad.com/digital_reflections/2009/06/100-free-things-to-do-with-your-kids-this-summer.html

Arts and crafts:
*make a pet rock
*potato painting
*finger knitting - check out this blog post.. imagine childhood
*salt clay:
1 cup flour
3/4 cup salt
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cooking oil
Food coloring
mix wet add to dry -mix both and let kids sculpt something and cook 300degrees 1-2 hours
*give the kids watercolors and paper and let them go outside and paint what they see (fun if you can get a cheal frame (ikea) or some canvas and then hang their paintings
*place a box or bin in the kitchen and collect items that would usually be trash during the week - such as papertowel rolls, glass jars, egg cartons, food boxes, junk mail, etc... then add some basic craft items - like yarn, glue, etc. and let them have a fun craft time
*tie dye tshirts
*shrinky dinks - or do you remember melting plastic spoons and forks
*spaghetti art - its messy its fun - cook pasta - put out paperplates of paint - hang LARGE paper across a fence or hanging from a tree - they throw the pasta at the paper - its makes cool designs, patterns, its fun - but messy (did i say that already)lol
*get large (butcher paper) and take a light and shine it on the child standing in front of paper and trace their shadow - then the kids can color and decorate their selves
*make goo - using baking soda and water - we like to stick our army men in them or just play in the 'quick sand'
*paper mache eggs - any easter crafts would be fun...
favorite kids craft blog::: crafty crow

nature:
*let kids plant some veggies or flowers from seedlings or sprouts - they can make a chart and watch it as they grow
*go geocaching - or go trail blazing (something we like to do) mark a path going out on some trail or in nature in general with ribbons - etc. have the kids mark in a nature journal the coordinates using a compass and then let them find their way back using their coordinates and see how close they get to finding their ribbons, etc. - its fun
*take pinecones and coat in peanut butter and roll in bird seed let the kids hang it from tree branches
*give the kids disposable cameras and take a nature or neighborhood walk, its fun to see what gets their attention and what is at their eye level - they can make a little photo journal with the developed pics
*get magnifying glasses for the kids and take them in the back yard, let them do a macro discovery day - and find all the things on and under the ground, its great when they move rocks or leaves, or find snails or rollypollys...
*make birdfeeders (you can buy little kits from a home store) the kids paint them, and build them (may only require glue or possibly nails - which your oldest should be able to do with supervision)
*make a fort/teepee/hut
*make boats and go to a creek or pond and see how they float -check out this blog post
unschool me
*pack a picninc - have each child responsible for one item to add to the picnic basket (making sure they count how many people and how many items -its a great counting reinforcement) then go somewhere new to enjoy the picnic, or just the backyard :o)
*visit a science center or arboretum

literary/drama
*go to story time at the library - check their activities

*visit a firestation, postoffice, polica station, etc... then when you go home have the kids dress the part or make puppets or invite neighbor friends over for some role playing
*read them their favorite story then let them dress up and reinact the story
*get a book on cd and let them listen to it (while you tend to the baby) and then let them make puppets and act out the story with their puppets
*pick an era and do a day in the life (requires some prep time and thought - but its soo fun)
*play hide and seek - check out this blog post teach mama with the kids favorite things - print out the kids favorite cartoon or toy - printing off several of them for each kid then hide them (easy for the younger and harder for the oldest) then either outside weather permitting or inside have a hide and seek party
*go to the zoo and have the kids pick out their favorite animal then come home and make paper plate masks or paper bag puppets

Spring Break Boredom Busters

just because:
bake bread
make homeade icecream
make cards and deliver to a childrens hospital
rake a neighbors yard
have tea time
deliver cookies to a friend

the Lemon Squeezy Home: The Poppy Dress Tutorial

had so much fun browsing online for beautiful poppy images. I wish I lived somewhere with poppy fields!

Let’s make this Poppy Dress, shall we? The dress portion is very easy and sews together quickly. While adding the poppies takes longer, it’s a great touch!

You’ll Need:

-fabric (how much depends on your measurements you’ll get below) *I used white cotton fabric, but the turquoise you see pictured behind Miss B would look great with orange poppies! **Please note: thicker fabrics and doubled layers tend to shirr a lot less, so the thinner your fabric, the better it will shirr**

-orange thread

-thread matching fabric

-elastic thread

-marking tool, optional

-felt

-lighter

-tweezers

-fusible interfacing (I didn’t use any, but it might be good to back the sewn-on poppies)

Take your measurements. B is 2 1/2, but a little large for her age. I’ll give you the information you need to make this dress for any size, but also the dimensions I used for my dress.

FOR THE DRESS PORTION:

First, measure around the chest, just under the arms. B’s was about 21”. This is for the large rectangle used for the dress portion. Add at least half that number. **Remember, it is better to add more than less, depending on how tight your fabric shirrs.**

Next, determine the length you need. I wanted to make a dress, so I measured from her neckline to her knee, giving me about 17”. You could shorten it for a shirt. Add about two inches to that measurement for hemming.

I only added one inch to the length measurement because I planned on using the selvage edge for the top of the dress.

SO, for the dress portion I cut a 32” x 18” rectangle.

FOR THE SHOULDER STRAPS:

Measure from just below the armpit in the front, to just below the armpit in the back. B’s was about 11”. This is for the shoulder straps. Add at least half that measurement to the length. Also determine the width you would like. I wanted 3” wide straps, so I cut my two strap pieces 4” x 16”.

Ok, now that your fabric is cut, let’s move on!

If the top edge of your dress fabric piece isn’t the selvage edge, then fold over 1/4”, then another 1/4” and sew. You could also serge, then fold down 1/2” and sew.

Since I used the selvage edge, I just started to shirr. Wrap the elastic thread loosely around the bobbin (research online to see if your machine is the best candidate for shirring this way). Set your thread length to the longest stitch (mine is only a 4). You’ll want to sew on the RIGHT side of the fabric, so the elastic thread is on the wrong side. I just used my pressure foot edge to guide how far apart I wanted the shirring lines.

Shirr, shirr, and shirr some more. I left a 1” gap for design after shirring for rows. Shirr as far down as desired, and whatever pattern you desire. You might just want to do row after row and not leave a gap, how most dresses are that have shirring.

Wrap your now shirred rectangle around the person who will be wearing it and determine how much you need to take off. Do not cut it until you sew it! You don’t want to loosen up that elastic thread! After sewing, try it on again to make sure it’s how you like. Then cut away any excess.

I serged mine, but you could sew it and then zig-zag the raw seam edges if you are worried about fraying. You can see how I kind of slowly tapered out, so the bottom portion of the dress under the shirred part was a little bigger.

Hem the bottom of the dress as desired.

On to the straps. Fold over the long side 1/4”, then 1/4” again and sew each long edge. I serged, folded, and then sewed.

Shirr all or just a part of the sleeves. When you leave it like this pictured below, you get a nice ruffle on the edge.

Try it on and pin the straps in place, being careful not to poke them with the pins while taking it off!

Sew straps in place, and the dress is finished. Time to add those poppies!

Take your felt and draw a whole lot of circles.

You can make them whatever size you please, but here is about the size of mine.

Using the tweezers to hold the circles…

start burning the edges with your lighter. See how the edges are just slightly darker?

I like the swiftly burn over the top of the circle as well. It makes it have more color, plus it starts to curl the circle edges more, making it look more like a petal, in my opinion.

Pin them on in place. (If you opted to use fusible interfacing, iron those on inside the dress where you will be sewing the flowers on.)

Sew a line through each poppy. If you are worried about them being pulled off, sew around each circle. You could add beads, but I was afraid it would make it less washer-friendly if I did that.

Thanks for letting me join in the Color My Summer series! Yay for COLOR andSUMMER!