Tuesdays Tip-4th of July Safety

If fireworks are legal in your area and you plan to have them at your Fourth of July party, it’s important to know how to handle them safely. Here are some fireworks guidelines:

• Follow the directions on your packaging. • Only allow responsible adults to handle them. • Do not aim at people, houses, dry leaves, grass or other flammable materials. • Always have water handy in case your fireworks ignite. • Do not attempt to re-light malfunctioning fireworks. • Dispose of fireworks safely by soaking them in water before throwing them out.

While you’re waiting for the sun to set and the fireworks to start, there are plenty of ways to keep your guests entertained. At a family party, classic outdoor games like a tug-of-war, egg-and-spoon races and balloon tosses (with red, white and blue balloons, of course) go over well with all ages. If your party is taking place in a large outdoor area, break up your guests into two teams for a friendly tournament of flag football, volleyball or Ultimate Frisbee. A bonfire is great for keeping guests warm. Assign some guests to keep the fire blazing, a few others to toast marshmallows for S’mores, and ask any musicians in the group to bring a guitar so you can have a group sing-along.

For a season-appropriate treat you’ll remember all year long, plan a traditional New England-style clambake, a lobster feast or a down-home barbecue with ribs, burgers, hot dogs and fresh corn. Cool sides like potato salad, pasta salad and cole slaw make great accompaniments to any of the above main courses. For dessert, serve fruit salad in a hollowed-out watermelon, all-American apple pie and a rectangular sheet cake frosted with white icing and topped with raspberries and blueberries to resemble the American flag. Also, as with any warm-weather holiday, you want to make sure your food doesn’t spoil in the heat. Keep all perishable food in bowls over ice, and keep food in a cooler as much as possible

Honey-Chipotle Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

from Cooking Light

Recipe: Honey-Chipotle Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

July 4th Craft Idea

Lady Liberty Door Hanger

The Lady Liberty door hanger can be filled with fresh flowers, stick candy, or lollipops. A simple crepe paper pocket is glued to the back of a printout of Lady Liberty on heavy paper. Embellish with a rosette; hand tie with ribbon. Click here to print this Lady Liberty image

Win an Apple iPod Touch

Win an Apple iPod Touch by going here. Isn't this awesome? Devri has a great new twitter background blog. Good Luck!

Patriotic Paper Hat Place Cards

4th of July Paper Hat Place Cards

Make these charming patriotic paper-hat name cards with simple step-by-step folding instructions.

Country Living Magazine

Step 1:

Fold the square in half diagonally.

Step 2: Fold both sharp points up to the right-angled corner.

Step 3: Rotate the model 180 degrees, then fold one of the sharp points to the upper corner .

Step 4: Create the horn by folding the sharp point outwards, shown. As a guide, try folding the point so that when you have done so, the upper edge rests parallel to the horizontal center crease.

Step 5: Repeat step 4 on the other side. Then fold up a single layer of paper at the bottom, to a point approximately halfway between the top of the helmet and the center line.

Step 6: Fold bottom point to where the brim will be.

Step 7: Fold again.

Step 8: Fold again

Step 9: Fold the remaining corner on the back as steps 6, 7, and 8.

Step 10: Fold right and left side back at ends and staple down from inside. Add touches of red, white, and blue crepe paper, sparkles, and pipe cleaners.

Tuesday Tip AND a Recipe

Buying Potatoes

SOUTHERN LIVING Compiled by Claire Solomon Machamer

What to Look For: Buy potatoes that are fairly clean and smooth; firm with no soft spots, nicks, or cracks; and sprout free. Disclaimer: A pretty potato on the outside can have a blackened space in the center called “hollow heart.” It indicates a change in the growth rate. Discard.

The Green Issue: If a potato is exposed to light, a component called solanine builds up and causes a green tinge on the skin. It will taste bitter. Don’t buy a potato with green patches―it has been mishandled. At home, store potatoes in a dark, cool place, such as your pantry. Cut away small areas of green tinge at least 1⁄4 inch below the peel. A potato stored at room temperature lasts one week. Do not store in the refrigerator―the starches turn to sugar. Cleaning: A good rinse and rub with hands is all that’s needed to prep thin-skinned potatoes. Use a soft vegetable brush on thicker skins, such as russets. Sprouts (nicknamed “eyes”) are not poisonous and can usually be rubbed off by hand.

Bacon Potato Salad

SOUTHERN LIVING Ralph Anderson, William Dickey / styling Buffy Hargett, Rose Nguyen / food styling Vanessa McNeil, Compiled by Claire Solomon Machamer

Bring a heaping bowl of comfort to your warm-weather table with this terrific potato salad recipe. Though your family favorite may be the traditional mayonnaise-and-sweet pickle variety, try one of this recipe for a fresh twist. Jazz up your presentation by serving this salad in paprika-rimmed glasses. (Simply dip the rims in lemon or lime juice, then into paprika.)

Recipe Here: Bacon Potato Salad

Fresh Strawberry Pie

I can't wait to make this pie.
 This pie recipe was created by test kitchen director Ruth Cousineau, from Gourmet magazine. 
 She suggests the berries are key. 
 Her Advise: look for local ones (those that travel least taste the best) that are plump, fragrant, and fully ripe, with no white shoulders. 
One of the biggest praises with this pie is that the gelatin will be set just enough so that you can easily cut a slice, but it's not bouncy.

  Fresh Strawberry Pie with Whipped Cream

INGREDIENTS:
 For crust:

• 1 (5-ounce) package shortbread cookies
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

For filling:

• 2 pounds (1 1/2-inch) strawberries, hulled (see cooks' note, below)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin (2 1/4 teaspoons)

Accompaniment:

• lightly sweetened whipped cream

PREPARATION:
Make crust: Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
Pulse cookies in a food processor to fine crumbs, then pulse in sugar and butter until combined. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and up side of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
Prepare filling and assemble pie: Select 20 large strawberries as close to same size as possible and set aside. Cut remaining berries into 1/4-inch dice and toss with sugar and lemon juice. Let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Drain berries in a sieve set into a large glass measuring cup. Add enough water to measure 2 cups. Transfer liquid to a medium saucepan and reserve berries.
Sprinkle gelatin over strawberry liquid and let soften 1 minute. Bring to a bare simmer, stirring until gelatin has dissolved. Add diced berries, then transfer to a metal bowl set into an ice bath and stir frequently until mixture begins to mound, 20 to 30 minutes.
Spoon 1/2 cup filling into pie crust and arrange reserved whole berries, stem ends down, on filling. Spoon remaining filling over and between berries. Chill pie until filling is set, at least 4 hours.

Cooks' notes: ·Pie crust can be made 2 days ahead and kept (covered once cool) at room temperature. ·Filled pie can be chilled, loosely covered, up to 1 day. ·While not as dramatic as whole large berries, if you find juicy small berries, cut them into quarters or halves. It may take longer for mixture to set, but pie will taste just as good.

Devoted to Dad - Barbeque Recipes

10 Father’s Day BBQ Recipes

Give Dad a delicious grilled dinner on his special day

Photo by Charles Schiller

Recipes from Woman's Day Magazine:

1. BBQ Pork Chops with Nectarine Slaw

2. Southern BBQ Pork Burgers

3. Classic All-American Bacon Cheeseburgers

4. Boardwalk-Style Grilled Sausages with Polenta

5. Outback Special

6. Steak with Blue Cheese and Fries

7. Brined Barbecue Turkey Breast

8. Finger-Lickin' Chicken with Broccoli Slaw and Corn

9. Baby-Back Ribs with Texas Blackjack Sauce and Peach Coleslaw

10. Barbecue Spareribs

Devoted to Dad- Centerpiece

I love this idea

from Better Homes and Gardens

Soda Bottle Centerpiece

Give Dad the VIP treatment this Father's Day with a simple handful of blossoms in personalized soda bottles. Remove the bottle labels and spell out a message on printable round stickers.

Tuesday Tip-Devoted to Dad

My favorite Father's Day quote:

"The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother."

by Henry Ward Beecher

Wonderful, don't you agree.

Here's a fun website full of quotes, poems and ideas to celebrate Dad.

My Dad is the Best

Devoted to Dad- The Golfer

Father's Day Tee-Time Cupcakes

courtesy of Martha Stewart Cupcakes

Present Dad with a bunch of golf-themed cupcakes, complete with putting greens and sand traps, on his special day. The mini greens are adorned with colored sanding sugar, a candy golf ball, and a ribbon flag; graham-cracker crumbs stand in for sand.

Ingredients:

Makes 24

• Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes, or One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes
• Swiss Meringue Buttercream for Cupcakes
• 1 to 2 cups green sanding sugar
• 18 round white candies, such as candy-coated mint balls
• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (3 to 4 sheets finely ground in a food processor)

Directions:

1. Using an offset spatula, spread each cupcake with a smooth layer of buttercream. Pour green sanding sugar into a small bowl. Dip tops of frosted cupcakes in the sugar, then sprinkle more on top to coat completely.
2. To create putting greens, make flags (you will need 18): Cut out lengths (3 to 4 inches) from white grosgrain ribbon. Fold each length around one end of a wooden skewer, and adhere folded sides together with hot glue or double-sided tape. Cut ribbon into a triangle shape, and plant the skewer into a cupcake. Place a small white candy "ball" near the flag.
3. To create sand traps, spoon about 1 teaspoon graham-cracker crumbs in the center of each of 6 cupcakes. With your thumb, make an indentation in the middle of each pile of crumbs, shifting it to one side to form a steeper side or to form an irregularly shaped trap. Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow frosting to set.

Devoted to Dad - Coupon Book

Father's Day Coupons

Give Dad a coupon booklet filled with unbelievable deals: 100 percent off a lawn mowing, car washing, delicious breakfast, and more.

My husband always LOVES these.

Martha Stewart Living June 2004

Coupon Booklet How-To

Print the coupon template. (You can also duplicate them on a color photocopier if necessary.) Then cut them out. To decorate the cover, we used a 1 1/4-inch round craft punch to create a hole that frames the coupon picture underneath. Here are a few more presentation ideas:

1. Fasten Cut card stock to the same size for a cover; stack on top of coupons. With a standard hole punch, make a hole in the upper-left corner of the stack; insert a paper fastener. 2. Sew Cut a cover, and place on top of coupons. Secure stack with paper clips; machine-sew along the left side (use the dotted lines as a guide). 3. Staple

Cut card stock to 2 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches. Fold end of strip over 3/4 inch; slide coupons inside flap, and staple though its center. Bend opposite end of cover over coupons, and insert under flap (like a matchbook cover); crease.

Click HERE for printable Coupon Books

from Better Homes and Garden

Have tiny kids?

Father's Day Coloring Pages

WE HAVE A WINNER

A big THANK YOU to all of those who participated in celebrating the launch of the new sewing site coming soon .... SEWN!

Pineapple Hill hosted a Give-Away in their behalf. A pair of our Glamour Gloves (not even listed in our store yet).

drum roll please....

and the winner is Dream It.

{Random Integer Generator: Here are your random numbers ... 15

Timestamp: 2009-06-10 17:39:09 UTC }

Dream It, please e-mail your address to pineapplehilldesigns at msn dot com. ♥Hurry, we can't wait to send them to you.♥ Glamour Gloves coming soon to Pineapple Hill Etsy and Pineapple Hill Designs! Be the first to own a pair. (If you participated in our contest, we'll be giving a coupon code for Glamour Gloves) Stay Tuned!

Devoted to Dad - Day 4

You'll love this one!

Surprise Dad with the Smallest Toolbox Ever!

This fun idea came from Altoid Tin Mini Toolboxes for Father's Day By Brenda Ponnay

Go HERE for complete detailed instructions.

Some from the kids:

Here is a downloadable pdf that you can print out, let the kids color and then use a decoupage sealer (like Mod Podge) to the top of your Altoid tins.

Devoted to Dad - Day 3

Celebrate Dad with this edible shirt-and-tie gift. Father's Day Shirt Cake courtesy of Good Housekeeping Magazine triple-tested at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute

• 1 recipe Rich Chocolate Cake, see directions for link to recipe
• 1 recipe Decorating Butter Cream, see directions for link to recipe
• Yellow, blue, and green food-color paste

---

Directions

1. Prepare our Rich Chocolate Cake as directed for 13" by 9" baking pan. Bake and cool as directed.
2. Prepare our Decorating Butter Cream. Tint 2 cups butter cream light yellow. Tint 1/2 cup butter cream deep royal blue. Tint 1/2 cup butter cream kelly green. Leave remaining butter cream white.
3. With metal spatula, spread yellow butter cream over top and sides of cake. With toothpick, trace outlines in butter cream to resemble a shirt collar and tie.
4. Spoon all but 1/4 cup white butter cream into a decorating bag fitted with a small writing tip (1/8-inch opening). Wrap bag with plastic wrap to prevent frosting from drying out; set aside.
5. With small metal spatula, spread remaining white butter cream inside collar outline. Spread blue and green butter creams in alternating 1-inch-wide bands inside tie outline. Use white frosting in bag to pipe outline around collar and tie, then pipe thin white lines between blue and green bands. Use blue butter cream to make dots for buttons on collar points. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Devoted to Dad - Day 2

A Father's Day Tip

What does Dad want most on Father's Day? To be surrounded by family and food. So take him by the hand, lead him to his favorite chair, and let the pampering begin.

Dad's Favorite Meals

From Better Homes and Gardens

By Jeanne Ambrose

Because the cliche is true -- the way to a man's heart is through his stomach -- plan on making Father's Day extra special by giving Dad the day off and plying him with his favorite foods. Most dads are easy-to-please kind of guys, so it's not necessary to add a lot of fussy food to the dinner menu on that special Sunday set aside to honor all fathers.

The Better Homes and Garden Team created a slightly macho menu based on Dad's desires, according to those who know him best: you. Nearly 2,500 people responded to a Better Homes and Gardens survey about dads that was posted on bhg.com. According to those who took the survey, Dad's favorite meal includes steak and potatoes, corn on the cob, and pie or ice cream -- preferably both.

This easy meal means that kids can help Mom with some of the prep work in the kitchen and still have plenty of time to decorate a homemade card, tussle with Dad on the floor, or take him outside for a game of catch. Teens in the family might want to burn a compact disc for Dad, with his favorite tunes or songs that feature father and family themes.

Because one of Dad's favorite pre-dinner munchies is a bowl of chips with dip, treat him to a homemade version. They're one of those quick fixes that wind up making a yummy impression. In this case, the crispy snacks are prepared from fresh corn tortillas or flavored flour tortillas with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

These chips are baked, making them extremely crispy without extra oils. They're ready in 10 minutes, giving the kids plenty of time to stir together the ingredients for Salsa and Cheese Dip.

View crispy tortilla chips recipe

View salsa and cheese dip recipe

The basic seared steak takes on a bold profile when topped with a thick slice of sizzling bacon and a homemade steak sauce that adds a hint of fruity sweetness.

View sizzling steak recipe

View peach steak sauce recipe

View roasted potato kabobs recipe

View skillet-toasted corn salad recipe

For dessert, they took a cue from the story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" to creat Big, Bigger, Biggest Plum Pies that are easy for little helping hands.

The pies can be made in three sizes: junior pies for the small fries in your family, medium-size pies, or great, big Papa Bear portions. Bake one, two, or all three pies, depending on how many people you're serving.

One of the best things about the pies is the fact that they start with purchased pastry that you cut to size, pile with yummy plums and apricots, and top with another piece of pastry. Pinch and roll the edges together to seal in all the goodies before slipping it into the oven on a baking sheet or pizza pan. Serve it up with a scoop or two of ice cream for a delicious finish to your Father's Day.

Devoted to Dad - Day 1

Happy June! Father's Day is just around the corner and to celebrate Dad's we are hosting 21 Days Devoted to Dad Tune in each day for gifts, recipes, crafts and giveaways .... Devoted to Dad - Day 1

Folded Shirt Card

Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living June 2004

A shirt and tie are a traditional gift for Dad -- a card to match is something new. Use legal-size (8 1/2-by-14-inch) decorative paper.

1. Place paper facedown. Fold in half vertically; unfold. Line up left edge with centerline fold, and crease; repeat with right edge. Unfold, and lay flat.
2. Fold top-left corner in to line up with outermost crease, forming a triangle; repeat on top-right corner. Using index fingers and thumbs, pinch together outside points of each triangle so they meet, and crease.
3. While still pinching triangles, fold down top edge (this will make sleeves).
4. Turn paper upside down, and flip it over. Fold down top edge 3/4 inch.
5. Flip paper over. Fold top left and right corners so tips meet at centerline.
6. Tuck bottom edge under collar, and flatten by creasing. For the tie, cut out an 8-by-1/2-inch strip of decorative paper. Knot paper. Snip close to knot on one side; trim other to a point. Glue to shirt.