Filled Strawberries Revisited for Independence Day

“Just living is not enough... One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”  ~Hans Christian Andersen

Enjoy Your Freedom

and

God Bless Our Troops.

Please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our servicemen.

In honor of Independence Day, you might need a quick and easy dessert to bring to a picnic. I make these every year, OK every month of the year ;o)

These cream cheese filled strawberries taste just like mini cheesecakes! And I betcha you will make a lot of new friends at the party ;o) They will gather around and want to know how you made them. And then you'll be asked to bring them to every party, every year.

The recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart. Last year, I added a blueberry to give it the red, white and blue theme for our Fourth of July picnic at the lake.

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Recipe for Filled Strawberries:

8 ounces room-temperature cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 TB tablespoons confectioners' sugar
12 strawberries

Whip room-temperature cream cheese on medium speed until slightly fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 2 TB confectioners' sugar. Trim tops and bottoms of 12 strawberries to level. Use a small melon baller to scoop out tops. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip with cream cheese mixture; pipe into berries until it brims over tops.

Optional: Toast 1/4 cup sliced almonds in a 350°oven until golden-brown, 3 to 6 minutes; arrange slices over filling.

Wishing you a safe and enjoyable weekend.

Thank you for stopping by!
Debbie

Woodland Garden

Just look at this oh-so very handsome moss chair created by Kyle Schuneman. So GREEN, and perfect for a woodland garden.

If you are interested in making your own moss chair, you will find Kyle's instructions by clicking here. Moss Chair

Here's our new addition to the woodland garden.  Doesn't it blend in nicely with the woods?

•Find a side chair that has a nice solid seat. You will need to wet newspaper strips as well. Once you clean the chair, cover it in moist newspaper strips.

•Once the chair is covered in newspaper you will then put a little spray adhesive down and a thin layer of chicken wire so that the moss has something to grab on to.

•Section by section, spray a bit of adhesive on the back of each piece of moss and push it onto the damp newspaper/wire. The bigger the piece the moss the better, so it doesn't look pieced together. Instead, it will feel like it has grown from the earth.

•Once the entire chair is covered in moss, make sure to water it regularly in order to keep it healthy and growing. You can use a spray bottle or a hose with a spray attachment in order to keep it damp. The newspaper acts as something for the water to soak in, keeping the moss healthy.

Thank you for stopping by!
Debbie