Superstar!

Whenever I hear that word - Superstar! - I think of the Mary Katherine Gallagher character from Saturday Night Live.

Well, I've been given the title of "Cooking Superstar" this week by the kind folks over at Cut Out & Keep. They're featuring seven of my edible art recipes - one per day. Check them out if you'd like. Oh, and there's a fun little questionnaire they had me answer at the bottom too.

So, while I'm not a true cooking superstar like Giada De Laurentiis or Martha Stewart, I'll take creative kitchen kuddos whenever I can get 'em.

Smart Summer Smoothies

Boost your brain power while treating your tastebuds. These blueberry and avocado-layered smoothies are packed full of superfood nutrients. I know what you're thinking: "Ewe..... blueberry & avocado?" No. Really. Trust me. They're delicious. I should know. I drank about 2 gallons of them while I experimented in my kitchen a few weeks ago. I was trying to ever-so-artfully SWIRL the two flavors together in a glass. But alas, my multiple attempts at swirling failed. Instead, I ended up layering them. 

Still pretty. 

Still delicious.

Still interested? Check out the complete recipe and instructions at SheKnows.

Take a Dip!

It's summer! Time for fun, sun and something YUM.

How about this beach-themed pretzel dip? Even the striped towel will please, because it's made of cheese!

It'll be the best-tasting sand you've ever eaten, I promise.

Find the complete recipe and tutorial over at SheKnows.com.

24 Hours in Tulsa

We took some time off last week from work & YMCA camp to kick back, relax and enjoy summer. On Tuesday, we headed south for Tulsa, to check out the Oklahoma Aquarium and the Tulsa Zoo. Both were really great. Bonus: the weather was awesome!

265 photos, $64 worth of gift-shop stuffed animals, and 24 hours later..... I'd just like to say "Thanks Tulsa, we had an unexpectedly-terrific time!"

The kids loved crawling into these tubes that give you a view from inside the tank.

Check out the lips on this guy!

The stingrays were our favorite. So cool.

I think Gus could have watched these stingrays all day long.

Very cool shark tank and tunnel.

Got to watch a diver feed the fish.

Stuffed animals from the gift shop, of course.

We stayed at Aloft - a very cool, hip hotel. 

Managed to find a cupcake shop called Smallcakes. Yum.

One of the only restaurants we could find that doesn't exist in Wichita. Delicious, btw.

The Tulsa Zoo is fabulous. Lots of shade and great animals on exhibit.

Bea is the exact proportions of a chimp. Go figure.

The sea lion show was AWESOME. Wish Wichita's zoo had cool shows like this.

This guy was just beggin' to have his photo taken.

Gus was trying to act like a stone statue. And Bea... was her goofy self.

The only part of the goat he would touch.

Bea wanted to draw pictures of every animal at the zoo.

She sketched everywhere.

And kept on sketching.

Gus even posed as a meerkat for her so she could get the drawing right.

Gus was our navigator. That kid loves a good map.

Glasses-free Gus

It was a big week for our growing-up Gus. He got contacts. Ack!

He's worn glasses for 8 years - since he was 3 years old - so it's hard for us to imagine him without them. But we're getting used to it. And Gus loves the freedom of his new contacts.

Teaching him how to put them in is challenging, but he's getting better. My hope is, he'll be a pro at it by next month, when he has to get himself to the bus stop by 6:30 a.m. for middle school.

Now, I'm sure our next adventure will be braces. Doubtful Gus will be nearly as excited about those.

Gus in 2004 with his first pair of glasses. Playing Legos, of course.

Old fisherman Gus in his spectacles.

His eyelashes are so long, they would always touch the lenses of his glasses.

A Grill to Thrill

Need a simple, fun centerpiece idea for a summertime BBQ? How about this sweet little watermelon grill, and some fruit kabobs to nibble on?

I found these tiny, round watermelons at Target a few weeks ago and just had to make something out of them. They're the perfect shape for a classic Weber Grill. 

Bonus: carving skills not necessary.

For the step-by-step instructions and photos, check out my tutorial at SheKnows.com.

Thanks for the Linky Party feature, Buttercream Bakehouse!

I was featured on Made in a Day!

Fly butterfly, fly!

The calendar says June, but Friday was "Halloween" at YMCA Summer Camp. The kids got to wear costumes. (Which sounds incredibly hot to me, but whatever....)

Bea chose to be a rainbow fairy butterfly. 

Jumping off the deck, she even looked like she was flying.

Ain't Nobody Got Time for That!

I stumbled upon a funny story on BuzzFeed.com last night: 17 Cooking Projects Ain't Nobody Got Time For. And was I surprised to see my little pinata cookies were #17 on the list. 

Ha. So true. I couldn't agree more. Ain't nobody got time to make those damn cookies. Unless you enjoy seeing the world smile. And then you MAKE time. Because that's the whole reason I bake or make anything. Just to see the smiles. 

My whole blog should be called "Ain't Nobody Got Time for That." Or "The Angry Baker." But unfortunately, those are both taken. 

Keep bakin'. Keep smilin'. Thanks for the "love" BuzzFeed!


PS.
I was most pleased to see the other bakers on the same list - Martha Stewart, Bakerella, The Decorated Cookie. I'm in with some pretty damn good company.

Summer Forever

Gus got this new t-shirt and wore it to daycamp at Camp Hyde today. I guarantee it will not be this white when he comes home tonight. If the amount of dirt on clothes equals the amount of fun had at daycamp, then my kids are having the time of their lives this summer. Everyday, they come home dirty and tan and happy from another funny, sunny day.

A few weeks ago, Bea said "Mom, summer camp is just like having recess ALL DAY LONG!"

Yep. Enjoy it kiddo. I wish it could be summer forever too.

Taste the Explosion!

How about a 4th of July treat that's fun and sweet to eat? 

Last year, I made some KABOOM Cakelettes with Pop Rocks inside. So this year, I adapted the idea into candy bottle rockets. Just fill some straws with Pop Rocks, stack some patriotic-colored Life Savers (hard & gummy), and top them off with cone-shaped Airhead candies. You'll have an interactive & edible centerpiece with plenty of TNT for your tastebuds.

The easy how-to is available at SheKnows.