Berry Vanilla Parfaits {Easy Patriotic Parfaits}

This easy recipe requires no baking and is a perfect sweet treat with berries, sponge cake and ice cream. So easy to assemble anyone can make this scrumptious dessert that combines 5 simple ingredients.

Unless you spend time in my company on holidays, you wouldn't know this secret fact me. On a holiday, I take a nap! I feel drained after all of the preparations usually and my husband is home on every holiday known to mankind, {hooray!} so there is an able bodied adult to keep our little ones happy.

On Memorial Day, I really wanted to have a nap. I shooed the family out the door for a round of frisbee golf and the house was quiet. As I looked around, I realized it was now or never. I attacked the closets, the massive amount of blankets and the aftermath of a what feels like a constant toy tornado with a vengeance. I folded laundry, sorted out items we no longer need for donation and tidied up my office/studio.

As I smiled and surveyed my impromptu cleaning spree I realized I had not made dessert, and my family had let me know several times they wanted cake. Luckily I had 3 slices of sponge cake left over from a recipe I made a few days prior and a few other simple ingredients on hand.

Ingredients

1 pint of strawberries, cleaned, destemmed sliced

1 pint of blackberries, cleaned

1/4 cup of white sugar

Vanilla Bean ice cream

3 x 2" thick slices of sponge cake, cut into 1" cubes

1/4 cup of water

Directions

Add your strawberry slices and blackberries together in a bowl

Add 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Gently stir.

Layer 3 or 4 cake cubes into a pretty glass or parfait bowl

Add 2 small scoops of ice cream {I used a cookie dough scoop for the perfect size}

Spoon berries and a little of the sugar water/ juice mixture over the cake cubes and ice cream

Add 2 more cake cubes to the glass

Serve immediately as the cake will get saturated with the liquid for a delicious flavor infusion

Repeat until the ingredients are depleted.

This recipe will serve 6.

This was the perfect easy patriotic parfait to make for Memorial Day. I will definitely be serving this to guests on the 4th of July and Labor Day as well! Actually, strike that, this is going to be one of those easy recipes for the hot summer months that I add into my rotation without a doubt!

What is your favorite no bake dessert recipe to serve in the summer months?

You might also enjoy this Fruity Waffle Recipe made with Gerber Baby Food.

Apple, Strawberry, Banana Baby Food Waffles #CookingwithGerber

This is a sponsored conversation, however, the chit chat, opinions, and recipes are all my own!

Moms, baby cereal is a part of life during the early years of a child's life. We have all mixed it with fruit, spooned it into mouths and cleaned it out of hair! But, did you know that even after your child is past the baby cereal stage, there is a good reason to keep it in the pantry! Gerber brand cereal also makes for an awesome baking substitution and there are so many ways to use it to add a little something special to your recipes!

There are 4 varieties of Gerber baby Cereal available at Wal-Mart stores; Oatmeal Cereal, Oatmeal & Banana Cereal, Lil' Bits Strawberry and Banana and MultiGrain. which are great for different stages of feeding baby and introducing textures. 

I have been around the block of picky eating a few times now, my daughter will eat anything and everything, my son, however, is incredibly picky. His famous line is "That makes me weird..." when he is offered almost any kind of food. He will eat waffles, pancakes, chicken and potatoes... you can imagine how I worry about his nutritional needs! At the age of 6 he is growing and developing. He is active and plays sports, the mom in me needs to know he is getting some essential nutrients in his selective eating phase.

Last week I whipped up a fantastic and easy recipe with Gerber Oatmeal and Banana Baby Cereal and Gerber baby food {apple strawberry banana stage 2}. This was so easy to make and my son had NO CLUE I slipped some added goodness into one of his favorite foods.

If you are looking for a healthy recipe with added nutrients that is an awesome and hearty breakfast in its own, you are going to love my recipe for Apple, Strawberry, Banana Baby Food Waffles!

Ingredients

2 cups of all-purpose baking mix

1 cup of Gerber Oatmeal and Banana Baby Cereal

1 container of Gerber Apple strawberry Banana 2nd foods

2 1/2 to 2 2/3 cup of milk

1 banana sliced finely

1 egg

Directions

Add baking mix, Gerber baby cereal, egg and banana together, lightly stir to smash the banana.

Add the apple, strawberry, banana baby food to the mixture, stir lightly

Begin to gradually combine the milk and the waffle mix. When you reach the desired consistency, stir the batter well to smash up any larger chunks of banana.

Add to your waffle iron and cook until done.

Serve warm with syrup or sliced fruit.

My son really loved these fruity waffles. The fruit flavor was not overpowering which is awesome for parents of picky eaters! If your child likes fruit, you could reduce the milk by 6 ounces and add an additional container of baby fruit food.

How do you use Gerber Baby Food? Have you ever added it to a recipe? I would love to hear about your experiences with Gerber Cereal.

You guys, I want to inspire you to create a great recipe with Gerber Cereal!! Would a $50 prepaid credit card help inspire you to pick up a package of Gerber Cereal at Walmart and make a yummy recipe? If so, enter for your chance to win! This giveaway is not endorsed by facebook or any 3rd party applications or other social media channels! The sponsor will deliver the prize to the winner, who must be 18+ and live in the USA.

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Adding Dreaminess With My Wonderful Walls

We moved 53 weeks ago. That is one year plus one week of time. In a way, it seems like it was not that long ago but then again... it feels like we have been here forever. Funny how that works out. The house is an old charmer for sure. It has its own quirks, conveniences, and irritations. Mostly, the place feels like home. Then we get to the master bedroom...

You guys, this is horrible to admit on some level, but the master bedroom was completely ignored. Like, people may use this room... but I can't be certain as it is like... empty! Like I mentioned above, the house has quirks and conveniences, but it also has one massive inconvenience. The stairs twist in 2 spots, this makes taking basically anything up the stairs impossible. On moving day, we realized that getting our mattress up the stairs and twisted to go around the corners was quite a feat. Nothing else was going to go up there... my bedroom furniture was destined to sit in the shed.

Life moves fast... so fast. Finally, one cold winter day I walked in that room and said "Are we college kids, forced to sleep on the floor?! Why have we never dealt with this bedroom situation!?"

The project began, some artwork was brought in, a small dresser was purchased. A bed in a box type of contraption was purchased and brought in. It was starting to look like an actual bedroom. But, it really lacked something.

This is where My Wonderful Walls comes into my story.

I didn't want to do anything permanent to the room, as I am trying to convince my family that my daughter should trade rooms with my husband and I. But, I really wanted to add something to the room while we are using it. My Wonderful Walls happens to offer an impressive selection of decals for your walls that are perfect for what I wanted to do.

The hardest part about adding to my wall decor with this company was this... How do you decide when there are so many cute, fun and gorgeous options?! Really! I finally made use of my best gal pal and ran my favorites by her. We both seemed to have fun with the selection process.

In the end, I decided on a constellation scene, Scorpio and the Blue Ridge. It was absolutely perfect for adding a dreamy touch to a bedroom! The decal arrived quickly and securely shipped in a sturdy tube {this is so important as I have ordered a decal from another site in the past that arrived folded and unusable as it never flattened out properly...} I unrolled it, oohed and ahhed and hopped on to the next moment in this busy life.

This is what it looked like on the site.

A few moments later, my husband asked me to have a look. I couldn't believe he already had it up! It looks fantastic in our bedroom and would look great in a living room, maybe behind a sofa as well! My son suggested putting one on a ceiling too!

Mr. Sweet Silly Sara informed me that the decal was incredibly easy to apply to the wall and that it was practically effortless because of the shape and size of the decal.  {We got the large size.}

This is what it looks like on a wall in my home.

Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better experience with this company. They make great products to bring  new life to any space. Many years ago we featured a canvas print over here and it is still looking fabulous on the wall of my sons room! I know that this decal will be a part of the atmosphere of our bedroom for many years to come. It is so peaceful and pretty I can't imagine anyone ever wanting to take it down. However, should you change your mind about a decal from My wonderful Walls, rest assured these can be removed without damaging the wall, and with little effort.

If you want to add some awesome to your walls, you will not want to miss this giveaway! My Wonderful Walls has graciously offered to give one incredibly lucky reader a $100 gift certificate to the site! This giveaway is not endorsed or affiliated with facebook or any social media site or application. The prize is to be delivered from the sponsor. The giveaway is open to US residents, 18 and older.



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Zesty Pickle Dip

Samples were provided to inspire this recipe.

This Zesty Pickle Dip recipe combines cream cheese goodness and a kick of mouthwatering pickle flavor into one easy to make and even easier to eat dip! Serving alongside John Wm. Macy's Sesame Gruyere Cheese Crisp is the perfect choice for this addictive dip!

My family is busy as the school year comes to a close. My husband is wrapping up the year and busier than ever as students return their books and devices. My son has games, practices, lessons and parties to attend. My daughter and I are trying to get ready for having the guys home with us for a few months, taking in the sunshine and spending extra time at the park. In the afternoon before the rush to a game or practice begins, we all need a snack to hold us over until dinner time!

Last week I surveyed my refrigerator and pulled out 2 simple ingredients to make one unforgettable dip. If you like creamy dips or pickles you have to try this. There is so delicious no one will believe it took you less than one minutes time to prepare!

I served Zesty Pickle Dip with John Wm Macy's Sesame Gruyere Cheese Crisps for an incredible flavor. It took the yum of the dip to a new level of bliss with the perfect crispy crunch! It was devoured in an instant. I honestly had to grab a small dish and run away to snap a few shots. My bunch liked this dip that much!

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Zesty Pickle Dip

by Sara May-16-2016

A creamy dip with lots of pickle flavor!

Ingredients

• 6 ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons zesty pickle relish

Instructions

Combine softened cream cheese and pickle relish.
With a fork, mix the 2 ingredients together for about 30 seconds or until well blended.Serve with crackers, chips or bread.

Details

Prep time: 1 mins Cook time: 1 mins Total time: 2 mins 

You might also want to check out my Crab Cake Recipe made with John Wm. Macy Cheesesticks. These things are divine. Both the crab cakes and the cheesesticks, just to be clear!

This Guide Will Help You To make The Most of Your Time In Costa Rica

If you’re traveling to Costa Rica in the near future, you’re going to want to make sure you make the most of your time there. This post aims to give you a few useful tips so that you can have one of the most unique and amazing experiences imaginable. Enjoy!

Start Being More Positive

If you have an upcoming trip to Costa Rica, one of the best things you’ll do is start being more positive right away. Why? Well aside from the fact you have an incredible experience coming up, Costa Rica is one of the happiest places in the world. Some even consider it to be the happiest! The people are super friendly and will smile at you, so be prepared to smile back. The happiness is usually infectious.

Consider Volunteering

Costa Rica is one of the most incredible places to volunteer. Not only will you become close to members of the community, you’ll be able to make a real difference. You just can’t beat that feeling! Volunteer in Costa Rica if you want to have a go at tree planting, help endangered red monkeys, or teach English. If you want more, there’s too much to name here. You can even head over and then decide once you’ve arrived.

Book A Beach Or Tree House

If you have the cash and want to enjoy a day or two pf pure luxury, book a tree or beach house. You will overlook the jungle, or some other spot of gorgeous scenery. It’s not something you forget in a hurry! You can enjoy a luxurious space, and plenty of privacy too. That is apart from the visitors you’ll get from time to time. Monkeys turning up unannounced!

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Use Public Transport

Make sure you use public transport here. It is much more affordable and run fairly regularly, so you can get to where you want to go quickly. It’s better to have an experienced local taking you where you want to go. Plus, the last thing you want to do is drive when you’re supposed to be enjoying yourself!

Shop At Local Markets

Check out the local markets for unique finds and fresh food. Cook with your fresh local produce at home if you do rent somewhere nice and private.

Make Sure You Don’t Miss The National Parks

There are 32 national parks in total. Here, you can enjoy wildlife, sloths bats, butterflies and more. There are even falcons, tropical land crabs, and racoons.

Spend Some Time Relaxing on The Beach

There are a number of incredible beaches in Costa Rica, and many things you can do on them. You could catch a tan, play frisbee, ride a horse, read a book, watch the sunset, or take a surf lesson at one of the amazing surf schools. Maybe you could pick up a new skill while you’re here.

Don’t Stress

Don’t stress here. Don’t try to cram too much in. Simply go with the flow and enjoy yourself. Costa Rica is all about staying happy and relaxed!