Cream Cheese Shrimp Cocktail Appetizer

I made this super easy old-school appetizer for P's birthday - and forgot to take a picture, ugh. This used to be a go-to appetizer and then I sort of forgot about it, time to bring it back! 

In the old days I literally put a block of cream cheese on a plate, pour cocktail sauce all over the cream cheese, and then finish with canned baby shrimp on top. Now I get a little 'fancier' and spread the cream cheese into a thinner layer in a shallow dish, spread cocktail sauce almost to the edges, and top with baby shrimp. 

The next time I make this I will hopefully remember to take a picture and will update this post. In the meantime think about what a layer of cream cheese, cocktail sauce, and tiny shrimp look like hahaha. 

9.3.24: TT layering Cricut vinyl 

9.3.23: 🔥 week 36

9.3.22: cucumbers in vinegar

9.3.21: tiny wedding cake

9.3.20: drunken cherry bombs

9.3.19: TT - clear vanilla

9.3.18: tomato week: stuffed tomatoes

9.3.17: cauliflower waffles

9.3.16: Barbie soap - wrong but funny.

Spongebob Cake and Pineapple Hut

I had a few cake pan molds that I didn't remember having stored in a cabinet way high over our fridge - I decided I'm not making them again so they went in a garage sale. One was this cute SpongeBob I made for Brooke's birthday party when she was little and when scrolling photos and coming across the cake after just getting rid of the pan I thought I'd share how cute it turned out - I'm still not making it again but love the memory haha. Today is her 22nd birthday and I'm definitely sending her a copy of this cake, wonder if she remembers it!

I also made the cute pineapple hut by cutting off the bottom so it'll stand up straight, remove the pineapple, cut a door and you're done. I don't have the finished photo but I'm pretty sure the pineapple hut was the centerpiece of a fruit plate. 

9.2.24: onesie for Georgie

9.2.23: words

9.2.22: giant reese's stuffed cookie

9.2.21: naked cake

9.2.20: crazy peanut butter chocolate pie

9.2.19: happy labor day

9.2.18: 🔥 week 35

9.2.17: birthday cake (heavy sprinkles!)

 

Happy Labor Day '25

 

9.1.24: 🔥 week 35

9.1.23: MSTI raising cane sauce

9.1.22: tamale dip

9.1.21: swiss meringue buttercream

9.1.20: TT- oven heating hack

9.1.19: 🔥 week 35

9.1.18: painted cow skull 

9.1.16: mini succulent shadow box

🔥 Around the Campfire (week 35)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week:

Posts ~

8/24: 🔥 week 34

8/25: kid craft: seahorse

8/26: TT connections game

8/27: classic key lime pie 

8/28: no-bake key lime pie 

8/29: kid craft: rainbow fish 

8/30: words (coffee and Jesus)

That's it for this week! See you next week for more projects, crafts, recipes, whatever we can think of to make at camp - bye :)

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor

 8.31.24: words (2/3 of life)

8.31.23: beef and mushrooms

8.31.22: hawaiian quilt

8.31.21: TT - how to make cake layers

8.31.20: crochet band for face mask

8.31.19: braised short ribs

8.31.18: farmhouse projects

8.31.17: remoulade sauce

8.31.16: coconut cream filled cupcakes 

8/30 ~ Words

8.30.24: turkey tostadas

8.30.23: godzilla cake

8.30.22: TT rv spice cabinet

8.30.21: layered birthday cake

8.30.20: 🔥 week 35

8.30.19: card holder hack by Brooke

8.30.18: photo storage cheat sheet

8.30.17: Robert Redford cake

8.30.16: repotting plants

Kid Craft: Rainbow Fish

Here's the last of the kid crafts that Mickey shared with me after their adventure to NC with friends - we've seen the shell turtle, jellyfish, seahorse and now there's the rainbow fish. Love this one!

It appears miss Georgia got tired of gluing gems on her rainbow fish outline, idea is still cute though hahah. 😂

So their story was (obviously) "Rainbow Fish" by Marcus Pfister. I don't remember their snack but maybe it was Swedish fish - if not just go with either goldfish or rainbow colored fruit-skewers, cupcakes, etc. I'd go with fish shapes or rainbow colors. 

Shout out to Meghan for telling Mickey to share these with me so I could blog them LOL!!! 

8.29.24: thru the years

8.29.23: TT elevate a boxed cake mix

8.29.22: Man-day Monday: walleye sandwich

8.29.21: 🔥 week 35

8.29.20: old world sauerkraut supper

8.29.19: spiral pull-apart pizza

8.29.18: coconut rum cake

8.29.17: to do list by Brooke

8.29.16: bling your shoes!

No-Bake Key Lime Pie

P asked me to make her key lime pie for her birthday, she'd had a piece at Red Lobster recently and was craving it - I asked if it was a baked custard-y one or more of a no-bake fluffy one but she wasn't sure...so I made both!

click here for the baked version I posted yesterday

Here's the recipe for the no-baked pie - everyone liked both versions but this was the favorite. I pretty much followed the recipe other than I assembled this in a springform pan, used key lime juice in the filling, and topped it with cool whip. After it was in the fridge for 4 hours I put it in the freezer and it was great, the texture is light and fluffy - perfect for a summer recipe.

CRUST:

• 1 2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 8 T. unsalted butter, melted

PIE:

• 16 oz. cream cheese, softened 
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 T. lime zest
• 1/4 granulated sugar 

1. In a bowl, combine crushed graham crackers and melted butter. Press firmly into the bottom and sides of a 9" pie dish.

2. Combine the softened cream cheese with condensed milk, lime juice, sugar and lime zest in a bowl until creamy and well incorporated.

3. Pour the pie filling over the crust. Spread evenly and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight. Garnish as desired with limes, lime zest, or whipped cream. 

recipe found here at spend with pennies 

8.28.24: thru the years

8.28.23: pallet board centerpiece box

8.28.22: 🔥 week 35

8.28.21: computer prob, no post

8.28.20: homemade jeopardy game

8.28.19: giant whoopee pie cake

8.28.18: s'more cookies

8.28.17: hoop earrings with beads

8.28.16: steakhouse wedge salad

Classic Key Lime Pie

P asked me to make her key lime pie for her birthday, she'd had a piece at Red Lobster recently and was craving it - I asked if it was a baked custard-y one or more of a no-bake fluffy one but she wasn't sure...so I made both!

This first one is the baked version, I pretty much followed the recipe other than I used a store-bought crust and topped it with cool whip. I made this a few days before her dinner and put it in the freezer, (thaw before serving) and it held up great. 

CRUST

• 12 full sheets graham crackers
• 2 T. granulated sugar
• 6 T. salted butter, melted

FILLING

• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup bottled key lime juice
• 1 T. grated lime zest, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 T. powdered sugar 

1. Preheat the oven to 350'. For the crust: combine the graham crackers and sugar in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. Pour in the melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are well coated and stick together when pinched. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until just set, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. 

2.  For the filling: whisk the egg yolks, condensed milk, lime juice, and lime zest in a medium bowl until combined. Pour the filling into the crust and bake until the center is set but still slightly jiggly, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.

3.  Before serving, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Spread on the pie and garnish with with lime zest. 

recipe found here at pioneer woman 

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8.27.24: TT mini salami rose skewers

8.27.23: 🔥 week 35

8.27.22: roasted radishes

8.27.21: computer prob, no post

8.27.20: comeback sauce

8.27.19: TT wrapping paper holder

8.27.18: newspaper purse update

8.27.17: broccoli salad

8.27.16: Moscow Mule

Tip-sy Tuesday: Connections Game

I play the NYT Connections game with a group of friends and I love trying to figure out the categories. In case you also play but maybe struggle to make the connections, my tip is to look for the trick. It's a game and they definitely sometimes make it seem like it's going to be one thing when really it's another. Don't fall for the easy answers!  

In case you haven't played - every day is a new puzzle of 16 words and you have to figure out 4 groups of 4 words that go together for some reason. Here's the game from last Sunday - if you were playing the game you'd click on 4 words you think go together then 'submit' and it'll tell you if you got those 4 right. If not try again, you can have 4 mistakes:

This is what it looks like after you've made your connections correctly:

Just remember to look for the not-as-obvious answers!

8.26.24: matching tutu (matches highchair tutu) 

8.26.23: words

8.26.22: charcuterie egg plate

8.26.21: marinated goat cheese w/roasted grapes

8.26.20: baked steak fries

8.26.19: giant crepe paper garland 

8.26.18: 🔥 week 34

8.26.17: a funny for the day...

8.26.16: matching game

Kid Craft: Seahorse

Last week I shared a couple fun kid craft day ideas (click here for a turtle theme, and here for jellyfish), today I'll show you this cute seahorse themed craft. They glued multi-colored squares of tissue paper on a seahorse outline and added a googly eye - I don't know what story or snack went along with the seahorse but the craft is really cute for little ones!

I Googled for some snack suggestions:

For a seahorse-themed party, offer snacks like Goldfish crackers, clam-shell cookies, seaweed snacks, and starfish-shaped sandwiches. Other ideas include fish and chips for a fun, ocean-inspired menu.

And for a story maybe "If I were a Seahorse" Jellycat book; "Secret Seahorse" by Stella Blackstone; or "Mister Seahorse" by Eric Carle.

day 1 shell turtle 

day 2 jellyfish 

day 4 rainbow fish

8.25.24: 🔥 week 34

8.25.23: MSTI dish scrubber

8.25.22: easy swedish meatballs

8.25.21: s'more brownie pie

8.25.20: TT - celsius to fahrenheit

8.25.19: 🔥 week 34

8.25.18: skinny margarita

8.25.17: dutch braid pig tails by Brooke

8.25.16: notebook paper frame