Cake Mix Cookies

It can't get much easier than these cookies made with cake mixes:

Pineapple Salsa

Here's a delicious and refreshing salsa to make for a summer snack:

Thinking outside the box and inside the "pail"!

I love using beach pails for summer entertaining.  The shovels, sand sifters, and rakes that often come with the pails are often perfect for serving, too!

Read on to see a variety of ways I use pails!

The Bonsai Bar

My Mother's Day gift from Caitlin and family was a night at The Rising Storm Brewing Co taking a workshop on planting a Bonsai Tree.

The NY State Canal System

My friend Deb notified me of the most fascinating event happening on the Erie Canal.  

The Ralph Wilson Park Bridge was being transported through the Canal System from NYC Harbor to Buffalo this week on two large barges.  

Apparently it was too large to travel by the NYS Thruway without causing closures.

It arrived in NYC harbor from Italy in June and has traveled through the Erie Canal this month, with anticipated arrival in Buffalo around July 15.

Today (July 10) I watched it travel through Lock 23 in Brewerton NY.  The two barges were separated for each to travel through the lock individually due to their length.  

Inside the lock:

Watching the locks operate is intriguing,  the water lowering almost 7' and each barge being flushed out of the lock.

The second gate to be opened to release the barge:

From the other side:

The second barge entering the lock, with the tug boat behind it:

Reconnecting the two barges:

This took about 45 minutes for both to pass through and be reconnected.  It travels about 5 miles per hour.

And off to the next lock in Baldwinsville:

We were so close we actually could have jumped aboard and become stowaways!

Info on the NYS Canal System can be found here: CANAL

Info on the bridge, it's purpose and design can be found here: BRIDGE

Cherry Tomatoes

Once a cherry tomato plant starts producing, you can end up with so many that you might run out of ideas....here are a few fun ways to eat them!

Boozy Marshmallow Pops

Here's a fun little BOOZY treat:

Easy Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Here's an easy recipe, especially if you have some leftover chicken.  Perfect for a family of 4, or 2 with leftovers for lunch the next day!

Candy For Dinner

Rule #1:  Don't leave Nana and Papa in charge of the grandkids if you expect them to have a healthy meal.  

I promised the 2 y/o and 4 y/o that they could have "candy for dinner"!

Appetizers

 

I love to serve appetizers. 

These are easy to make afternoon snacks, hors d'oeuvres, amuse bouche, little bites, noshes - whatever you want to call them!!

  Here are a few of my favorites: