The Cutest Fourth of July Sweets......EVER!

What could be more American than a burger?

Does this little slider make you think of a BBQ on the Fourth or what? Only it's not a slider- it's a cupcake/brownie with buttercream icing! What's cuter than that? Here's how I did it..

First, I used plain old Better Crocker Super Moist Cake Mix to make about 20 cupcakes....I only got this brand because it was on sale. so any brand will do.

Next I baked them off and let them cool while i made the brownies. Like my St. Pattys Day cucpake liners? That's all I had at the house! You have to line them so they don't look like burnt buns.
Next, I made the brownies (from the box also). This time I used what I had, which happened to be Ghirardelli that we got from Costco a few months ago.
Notice that I didn't even use my trusty Kitchen Aid. No need! These really could not be easier to make. Look how lonely she is.... but still sittin' pretty!
So after the brownies cooled, I actually used a Champagne Flute to cut the brownies into little patties. This is only because I don't own a cookie or biscuit cutter....a girl's gotta improvise! There will be lots of brownie scraps leftover (this is where Jeff comes in to help...or eat). Then I sliced the cupcakes in half and filled them with the brownie patties and they look like this...
I think they are really cute like this, but they need a little extra something. I took one container of buttercream frosting and divided it into three bowls. Then, dyed them green, yellow and red (for lettuce, mustard, and ketchup of course!). Here is the process of icing becoming condiments....
Next, just spoon them into little quart sized ziploc bags and cut a tiny hole in one side to squeeze out the icing onto the patties...
Once you have iced them, dip you finger in some water and dab it on top of the cupcake,

then top it with a few little sesame seeds. Every burger is better with a sesame seed bun!

Add a flag to be patriotic, and you're ready to serve em' up! ENJOY!

A Little Gift For My Sister....

We have had this hand-me-down light wood table for about 7 years. The Benvie's were nice enough to give it to Megan and I when we got our 2nd apartment together and had no furniture....so it's been around a LONG time.

It made the move to the house with us, starting in the kitchen (and looking awful against those yellow walls!)....

Then moving into the dining room during that transition. Here it is before Dad's dining room furniture arrived...SO....other than the dated wood finish, this was a strong, heavy, good quality table. However, once we got all the furniture from Dad's house, we ran out of room....and it became our outdoor dining table, and all the rain and weather turned it into THIS!

That shot was even after a good scrub! Here is a close up of the condition it was in....so sad.

But I knew we couldn't ditch this good, solid table! It had been through so much! I decided that I needed to pass this one down again since we don't have room, and since my Sister is staying in Atlanta another year- I thought that would be perfect for her new apartment! I primed it and added two coats of white semi-gloss paint and it looks brand new!! Check it out:

And guess again how much this cost me to refinish.........NADA. What would I do without leftover paint!