I don’t know about you, but the Fourth of July is always a party at my house. My favorite thing is spending time with family and friends and celebrating this beautiful country that I get to live in.  I also love all things red, white, and blue. But then again, who doesn’t?

Charcuterie boards seem to be getting more popular these days. Like I said, they’re such a great party starter. The best thing about them is that you can do anything you want! It doesn’t always have to be traditional meat and cheese. This charcuterie board is the perfect thing for you to add to your 4th of July festivities!

4th of July Charcuterie Board

Doesn’t this make you so excited for the 4th of July?!

Charcuterie boards are SO easy to put together, but first, Let’s think about what snack foods you want to add. For this event we have the theme picked out: red, white, and blue. To make it easier for you, I have given a list of everything that I included in mine.

Supply List: 

• Charcuterie board (really anything will work)
• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Red grapes
• Powdered donuts
• Red licorice
• White chocolate covered pretzels
• Red and Blue Lindt chocolates
• Red and Blue Skittles
• Red and Blue M&M’s
• 4th of July themed chocolate kisses
• Vanilla flavored tootsie rolls
• 4th of July themed cookies
• Muddy buddies (I have linked the recipe below)
• Fruit dip (I have included the recipe below)

Let’s Put it Together:

To start: Find your base. You can use really anything. You can use a cutting board, a large platter, or a charcuterie board. The base I used is circular and I thought it was perfect. I like to start by placing 3 small bowls or containers on my base. This will help you to know where to start. I filled the bowls with skittles, muddy buddies, and fruit dip.

Then you fill the rest of the charcuterie board with the other snacks. I didn’t have a rhyme or reason when I put this together. Just randomly start placing everything. Don’t overthink it!

Muddy Buddies: I used my favorite recipe: birthday cake. Trust me. It’s SO yummy! I added red and blue M&M’s to make it more festive. You can find the recipe here: Birthday Cake Muddy Buddy Recipe.

Fruit Dip: This is so easy to make and it’s SO good. You definitely won’t regret making it if you will be serving any fruit. I just mix 13oz of marshmallow creme with 8oz of cream cheese. Trust me, you can’t go wrong with it!

How cute is this charcuterie Board?! The secret to this is just to do it! It can feel overwhelming not knowing where to put everything. But once you start you’ll get the flow. You can do it! Your family and friends will thank you!

Have fun putting together your 4th of July charcuterie board!

You Might Also Like:

4th of July Party Ideas:

4th of July Parfaits:

Pin It:

The post 4th of July Charcuterie Board appeared first on Fun-Squared.

I’m in love with these firecracker Rice Krispie Treats…tasty and so festive. And the fact that they are adorable is just the sparkler on top!

And have I mentioned how fun they are to eat? I added Pop Rocks for some extra fun while eating them.

Seriously, these Rice Krispie Treats make the perfect patriotic dessert. They look the part with the red, white and blue plus they are perfect for large groups of people.

Patriotic Dessert:

Let’s talk about how simple these babies are to make.

Ingredients:

• Rice Krispies (6 Cups)
• Bag of Full Size Marshmallows
• Butter (1/4 Cup)
• 2 Packages of Pop Rocks (Red or Blue)
• Red Licorice Ropes
• Red and blue sprinkles (optional)
• Non Stick Spray

Let’s put these cuties together.

How to Make Firecracker Rice Krispie Treats:

• Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a microwavable bowl.
• Add 1 full package of marshmallows to melted butter and microwave for 1-2 minutes. You want the marshmallows to be puffy but don’t over cook.
• Stir together.
• Stir in 6 cups of Rice Krispies.
• Once everything is mixed, add one package of Pop Rocks to the mixture and stir. Some of the Pop Rocks will start to pop but that’s okay, plenty will still pop while you are eating them.

• Place in a 9×13 greased pan and pat down. The easiest way to get everything placed in the pan is to butter your fingertips and pat the Rice Krispies into the pan.
• Once you have the mixture flat, sprinkle the top with more Pop Rocks and red and blue sprinkles.

• Let them set up for about an hour. Once firm, cut into squares and add a piece of red licorice in the top of each square. We added a little curly cue ribbon for some added flare.

Aren’t these a perfect patriotic dessert? They will definitely be a hit for any 4th of July party.

Have Fun eating these firecracker Rice Krispie Treats.

You Might Also Like:

4th of July Parfaits:

S’mores Charcuterie Board

The post Firecracker Rice Krispy Treats: Patriotic Dessert appeared first on Fun-Squared.

A Peek at the Fun: Looking for a fun idea for your next backyard BBQ or summer party? This simple S’mores charcuterie board idea is perfect for summer entertaining. It’s so easy to put together and such a fun addition to any backyard summer bash.

“This post has been sponsored by Jet-puffed, HONEY MAID Graham Crackers, and Hershey’s. All thoughts and opinions are our own”

Summer is fast approaching (YAY!!), and that means more opportunities to gather your friends and family together and hang out in the backyard. I’m not sure what it is about summer that makes people want to gather more, but they do and I’m ready for the fun!

This basic s’mores charcuterie board idea, filled with HONEY MAID Graham Crackers, HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Bars, and JET PUFFED Marshmallows, is perfect for your next summer party—I love to make it for all of our S’mores Saturday get-togethers! Serving s’mores guarantees your guests will eat happily and have plenty of opportunities to interact with one another, which is always the goal when entertaining—right?!

This charcuterie board is so easy to put together, but they’re so trendy right now and so much fun to make and serve—I couldn’t resist making a summer fun s’mores version!

Doesn’t that make you want to eat a s’more?! Yum! Hello summer!

Summer Party Charcuterie Board Idea:

Isn’t this such a fun idea for your next backyard party?

When you combine HONEY MAID Graham Crackers, HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Bars, and JET PUFFED Marshmallows, you know a party is about to happen. And what’s even better? I found them all at our local Dollar General. And best yet, they are having an amazing sale.

When you buy 1 HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate 6pk + 1 HONEY MAID Graham Crackers, you get a FREE JET PUFFED Marshmallow. Offer valid 6/30-7/6/19. It’s the perfect time to grab all the supplies for this fun idea!

I promised easy, and it doesn’t get much more easy than one-stop shopping. They had everything I needed to put this fun s’mores charcuterie board together. Entertaining doesn’t need to be costly or stressful, especially when you have a go-to store like Dollar General in your neighborhood!

Are you ready to get started? Let’s put this together.

S’mores Ingredients:

Shopping List at Dollar General:

• HONEY MAID Graham Crackers
• HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Bars
• JET PUFFED Marshmallows

Other Items needed:

• Charcuterie Board: You can use anything for this…a cutting board, large platter, or charcuterie board. If you are using a surface that’s not food safe, place a piece of parchment paper down before placing your s’mores ingredients.
• Skewers
• Chafing Dish Fuel Cans: If you want to provide a place to roast the marshmallows, these can be a fun option. If you have a fire pit or BBQ, you can skip the chafing cans.

Now that you have all of the supplies, it’s time to put this s’mores charcuterie board together.

How To Make this Charcuterie Board:

• Unwrap the HONEY MAID Graham Crackers, HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Bars, and JET PUFFED Marshmallows
• Break the HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Bars into squares
• Place the HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Bars and HONEY MAID Graham Crackers around your board, keeping them together in small clusters.
• Fill in the rest of the board with the JET PUFFED Marshmallows.
• Add chafing dish fuel cans and skewers if you are using them.

That’s it! You are ready for your guests. Place your charcuterie board in a place that people can gather around it and see how social your party becomes. If you are hosting a large party, I recommend doing several charcuterie boards so your guests all have access to it.

These turned out amazing! It just doesn’t get any better than a classic s’more on a summer night!

Head to Dollar General and grab your supplies!

Have FUN making and serving your S’mores Charcuterie Board!

#SmoresSaturday

You Might Also Like:

BBQ Party Games:

Candy Charcuterie Board:

Pin It:

The post Simple S’mores Charcuterie Board Idea appeared first on Fun-Squared.

With fireworks, parties, backyard BBQ’s, games, family, and friends, I think the 4th of July is one of the best holidays to celebrate! I seriously love it! It just feels so happy to hang out in the backyard and relax all while celebrating this great country we live in. It’s my favorite.

I’m always on the lookout for Fun 4th of July Ideas and I’ve definitely found them!  I have a bunch of awesome patriotic foods, games, and decor to add fun to your 4th of July plans.  Come take a look at these fun ideas, and get inspired to start planning your 4th of July party.  It’s time to celebrate our nation’s birthday with these fun 4th of July party ideas!

What do you love most about the 4th of July? The food? The fireworks? Do you go to a parade?

If you’re having family or friends over this year to celebrate, these patriotic party ideas are going to help you throw such a great bash! We’ve got everything from food and desserts to decor and party favors, all featuring red, white, and blue, stars and stripes and all the patriotic fun you need!

Let’s take a look!

4th of July Party Ideas:

4th of July Party Food:

Let’s start with some fun patriotic food. Desserts, cute and festive food, whatever you need!

4th of July Parfaits:

Layered Drinks:

4th of July Whoopie Pies:

Red, White and Blue Rice Krispie Bites:

Firecracker Hot Dogs:

Patriotic USA Cake:

Patriotic Oreo Pops:

Patriotic Chocolate Covered Strawberries:

Berry Icebox Cake:

4th of July Firecrackers Jell-O Cups:

Patriotic Ice Cubes:

4th of July Party Decor:

American Flag Mason Jars:

4th of July Paper Chain:

Paper Lanterns:

4th of July Party Games and Fun:

Here are some simple ways to make your party a success!

Sparkler Shield:

4th of July Popcorn Bar:

4th of July Balloon Dart Game:

4th of July Redvines:

4th of July Bingo:

4th of July Pinata Balloons:

Fireworks Fun Bag:

Star Shirt:

That’s a lot of 4th of July fun, right?!

Have FUN celebrating with these 4th of July party ideas!

You Might Also Like:

Summer Fun Ideas:

Summer BBQ Party:

Pin It:

The post Fun 4th of July Party Ideas appeared first on Fun-Squared.

4th of July Parfaits:

Aren’t these 4th of July parfaits absolutely fantastic!  They are so easy to make and you will look like a super start when you serve them at your 4th of July parties.

Shopping List:

• 1 White Cake Mix (and ingredients to bake it)
• 1 Red Velvet Cake Mix (and ingredients to bake it)
• Food coloring
• Jello Cheesecake Mix (or any sort of cheesecake mix)
• Cool Whip
• Plastic File Folders
• Sprinkles

How to Make:

First, you will want to make your cakes.  Make the red velvet cake as directed.  Make the white cake as directed and divide it in half.  Use blue food coloring to color half of the cake mix.  Leave the other half white.  You are ready to bake!

I used a very small pan (here’s what I used) (affiliate link) to bake each of these separately. (You could also use an 8 by 8 pan and not fill it very full.) Because they were small they baked in about 9 minutes, so watch them closely to see when they are done and pull them out (when a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean).  Each cake will make about 6 cake circles.

Set the cakes aside to cool completely.

I wanted to make these using clear plastic so the full dessert could be seen!  I couldn’t find plastic strips so it was time to get creative, I used plastic file folders!  I just grabbed the file folders at an office supply store, make sure they are sturdy enough to hold your parfaits in place.  I cut ours to the size we wanted for our parfaits (I did 4″x 8″).

Once you cut the plastic to the size you want, just make a circle and tape it together.  You want the size of the circle to match the size of your cake circles.

Once your plastic holder is together, you are ready to start to assemble your parfaits.  Start with a cake layer, so the bottom of your parfait is a solid piece and will be easier to handle.  Cut a circle to fit inside your plastic:

Place the cake circle in the bottom of your plastic ring.

For the cheesecake mousse layer I used a cheesecake jello mix.  Make cheesecake as directed, add equal parts Cool Whip, fold together.  Put your cheesecake mousse in a plastic bag, cut the corner tip of the bag allowing a big enough hole for the cheesecake to push through.  Pipe the cheesecake mousse on the first layer of the cake.  Repeat until all of your layers are complete.  I did three cake layers, and topped it with whip cream and red, white and blue sprinkles.

Doesn’t this make a fun centerpiece?

Have fun making these 4th of July parfaits!

You Might Also Like:

S’more Charcuterie Board:

Patriotic Rice Krispy Treats:

Pin It:

The post 4th of July Parfaits appeared first on Fun-Squared.