Very Cherry and Blueberry Cheesecake Jars

Ignite a star-spangled 4th of July in your backyard when you serve these cherry and blueberry cheesecakes in canning jars. The individual, eight-ounce serving size makes them perfect for little fingers and big ones too! Great for picnics, just pop them into the cooler and they'll stay nice and chilled until it's time for dessert, that is if they last that long...  

Cherry and Blueberry Cheesecake in a Jar

Servings: 8
Eight 8-ounce canning jars
Two 3.4 ounce boxes of cheesecake flavor Jell-O
4 cups cold milk
⅔ cup graham cracker crumbs
⅛ cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Cherry and blueberry pie filling

In a medium bowl, whisk pudding mix and milk together for two minutes. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set. 

Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Spoon even amounts of crumb mixture into canning jars. Divide pudding among canning jars. Top with cherry and blueberry pie filling.

Coming up next...  light and healthy Red, White and Blue Fruit Salad tossed with a honey, mint and lime dressing.

A Red, White and Blue To-do

It’s mid-summer, and we’ve got a birthday to celebrate. Follow along this week as I will show you how to make this 4^th of July your most star-spangled celebration yet, beginning with a cheerful centerpiece today. Stay tuned for individual-serving cherry and blueberry cheesecake desserts, a light and healthy fruit salad, and iced fruit cubes to keep your beverages chilled. All you’ll need to come up with are the hot dogs and sparklers.

The Centerpiece

Create an all-American table display with one large or a few small cobalt blue vases. Fill each with red mini carnations and daisy mums.  Add small flags and a little something sparkly. 


A patriotic table runner sets the stage for the occasion. Finish the look with white platters and plates and some stars and stripes napkins.  

Up next... canning jar individual-serving cherry and blueberry cheesecakes.

Skinny Crunchy Asian Salad

Summertime is meant for picnics, potlucks and all kinds of outdoor events. Keep your cool this season with a side dish that can accompany just about anything you can throw on the grill. This light and colorful Asian-inspired salad is bursting with flavor and has a hearty crunch thanks to ramen noodles and sliced almonds.

Crunchy Asian Salad
Servings: 15

Dressing
¼ cup canola oil
¼ cup rice vinegar
2-3 tablespoons sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Salad
1 package (3 ounces) ramen noodle soup mix
1 bag (16 ounces) coleslaw mix with shredded cabbage and carrots
8 medium green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup sliced almonds
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

In a large bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until sugar is dissolved.

Break up ramen noodles in bag before opening. Discard seasoning packet. To the dressing, add noodles and remaining salad ingredients. Toss to mix well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
(Recipe adapted from bettycrocker.com)

Meet Me in Marblehead

Memorial Day weekend is here, and it's time for a road trip. Think sandy beaches, lighthouses, water sports, seafood restaurants and spectacular sunsets - all of this can be yours for the day after a one-hour drive east to Marblehead, Ohio.

The iconic Marblehead Lighthouse

Marblehead lies along SR 163, and an easy out and back trip along this route will give you access to all of the town’s amenities.

Coffee Express in Port Clinton

Just prior to arriving, stop in Port Clinton and grab a cup of joe and a quick breakfast at Coffee Express. Located on W. Second Street, this eatery is popular for its muffins and quiche - try Blueberry Cream Cheese and Raspberry White Chocolate muffins and Farmer’s Quiche loaded with ham, cheeses and veggies.

Once in Marblehead, visit East Harbor State Park and feel the sand between your toes as you stroll along the shores of Lake Erie. The park also includes picnic areas, beaches for sunning and swimming, and several miles of trails for hiking or running.

The Erie Social Shuffleboard Club and Bar

When you’re finished beaching it, it’s time to get social and try your hand at shuffleboard – yes, it’s back! The one-year-old venue, Erie Social, is Lake Erie’s first indoor shuffleboard club and bar. Delightfully decorated with a vintage meets industrial vibe, the club features regulation size shuffleboard courts and tables, old English style dart boards, board games and a full service bar. 

The Sandwich Shoppe adjacent to Erie Social

While there, order some lunch at the adjacent Sandwich Shoppe which serves fresh deli sandwiches like The Catawba – roasted turkey, Fuji apples, crème Brie on cranberry walnut bread and The Freighter – roast beef, red onion, sharp cheddar, arugula, and chipotle mayo on rosemary ciabatta bread. All sandwiches come with your choice of Chardonnay Potato Salad or Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Salad.

Next along the road through Marblehead, peruse the many gift shops, antiques stores and art galleries including Ferguson’s Gallery, which carries unique paintings, art glass, antiques and jewelry, and Christi’s Just for Ewe gift shop known for its fun clothing, jewelry and accessories. The shop also carries nautical-inspired decor, children’s toys, gifts for babies and their famous handmade fudge.

    

Rocky Point Winery in the historic Marblehead Schoolhouse

When it’s time for a little wine tasting, head to nearby Rocky Point Winery, located in the historic Marblehead Schoolhouse. Owned and operated by Chris and Kim Redfern, this charming winery recently celebrated its first birthday and features native Midwest wines, small plates and a cozy atmosphere for hanging out with friends. Just upstairs from the winery is the Red Fern Inn, which offers four unique rooms for rent, perfect for a romantic evening away.

The tasting room at Rocky Point Winery

And finally, round out your day with a visit to the iconic lighthouse at Marblehead Lighthouse State Park where you can relax for a moment by water’s edge and watch the waves break on the rocky shoreline.

Waves crashing along the Lake Erie shoreline

Antiquing at The Butter Barn

Attention all you lovers of vintage, antiques and collectibles - this is a serious shopping alert! This weekend I am headed to do some major exploring at The Butter Barn which is located at 5541 Consear Road in Ottawa Lake, Michigan. 

The sale happens just once a month for four days only (Thursday - Sunday) and is an absolute go-to event for anyone who is a fan of the Industrial Country look or of the show Fixer Upper. 

If you aren't able to get there this weekend, mark your calendars for the next sale, June 23-26.

Here are a few more pics of the amazing pieces I saw at the April sale.

See you at The Barn!