Summer may not officially be in session until June 21, but it’s safe to say that most of us are in a sunny state of mind, including the kids. We’re just weeks away from the last final exam, which means visions of swimming pools and summer camp are dancing in their heads.
But, as every parent knows, it’s only a matter of time before boredom sets in. This year, instead of planting in front of the television or the computer for a few hours of mindless entertainment, get the family together in the kitchen to whip up five sweet summer snacks.
1. Frozen Strawberry Sandwiches
Find out what's happening in Upper Macungiefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 tbsp. strawberry jam
1 cup whipped topping
8 thin waffle cookies
Place four waffle cookies on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Combine sliced strawberries and jam in a mixing bowl and stir until well blended. Use a rubber spatula to add the whipped topping to the berry mixture and mix until the berries are blended. Spoon about ½ cup of the mixture on top of each cookie, and top with the remaining cookies to make a sandwich. Place the cookie tray in the freezer until the filling is set, about one hour.
Find out what's happening in Upper Macungiefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
2. Sparkling Fruit Punch
½ cup chopped strawberries
½ cup frozen blueberries
1 small orange, peeled and chopped
2 tsp. sugar
2 cups ice cubes
3 cups ginger ale
Combine strawberries, blueberries and orange pieces in a medium bowl and toss with sugar. Spoon the fruit mixture into four glasses and top with ice. Pour ginger ale over ice and fruit, and serve. For some added pizzazz, add a fun party straw.
3. Yogurt Pops
8 oz. container of yogurt in your favorite flavor(s)
Paper cups and wooden sticks (or popsicle molds if you have them)
Plastic wrap or aluminum foil
Pour yogurt into cups and fill almost to the top and cover each cup with wrap or foil. Pierce the center of the wrapping lightly with a sharp knife and insert wooden stick into each cup. Freeze until yogurt is solid, and enjoy! This one is even better with fruit on the bottom yogurt.
4. Dessert Pizzas
1 roll refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 container whipped topping, thawed
Assorted gummy fruits or candies for ‘toppings’
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Knead cookie dough with flour until smooth. Divide the dough into six equal pieces, and shape each piece into a 5-inch disc. Arrange discs about 2 inches apart on lined cookie sheets. Bake until cookies are golden and slightly firm, about 15 to 20 minutes.
As cookies are baking, spoon half of the whipped topping into a plastic bag. Press out the excess air and seal the bag. Snip a ½-inch corner from the bag. When cookies are finished, pipe whipped all over each cookie and make smooth. Place the cookies in the freezer until the whipped topping is frozen, about one hour. Once the topping has hardened, decorate with toppings of your choice!
5. Fruit Kabobs
Your favorite summer fruits
Wooden skewer sticks
1 cup vanilla yogurt
This has always been my favorite recipe, because it’s the easiest to make and the most refreshing. Wash and, if necessary, cut the fruit you’ll be using for the kabobs. Once all the fruit is prepared, everyone can design their own kabob combination by sliding their favorite fruits onto the wooden skewers. Vanilla yogurt can be used for dipping.