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Sandy Bottom Shark Bark

Take a big bite out of Shark Week with this fun and festive Shark Bark. (It’s also great for ocean-themed or shark birthday parties, too!) The “sandy” Ritz cracker bottom tastes like delicious toffee. The swirly water layer is made with melted white chocolate. And if you like a little bloody realism to your Shark Bark, add a few drops of red food coloring! Top with big, blue gummy sharks. Then crack into pieces for an incredibly delicious, totally jawsome dessert! What you will need: cookie sheet spoon parchment paper space in your refrigerator for cookie sheet oven set to 375ºF. Sandy Bottom Shark Bark Ingredients Ritz crackers (about 1 1/2 sleeves of standard size box) 1/3 cup butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 1/2 packages white chocolate chips blue food coloring red food coloring gummy sharks Directions Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place Ritz…

Easy life preserver donuts will save you from hunger during Shark Week

What’s just as important as sunscreen at the beach? Snacks at a shark party! The 31st annual much-anticipated Shark Week begins this Sunday at 8 p.m.. The fintastic lineup is primed to deliver more than 20 hours of all-new shark stories and remarkable insights into the underwater world of these mysterious creatures. And as you come face to face with some of the most unique shark species in the world and learn about all-too-important shark conservation, don’t forget you’re going to work up an appetite! These cute life preserver donuts will save you from spending all of your time in the kitchen making overly detailed shark themed snacks. You can make the donuts, frost them yourself, then add the red striping, OR you can buy them already iced and just take one easy step! Most grocery stores sell white icing donuts without sprinkles. If you can’t find them, another easy…

10 Signs you need to drink more water

There are few things more refreshing than an ice cold glass of water. Despite this, many of us still fail to drink enough water on a daily basis.  By regularly coming up short, we can cause our organs serious damage, but our bodies want us to drink enough water, so they give us plenty of warning signs. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, a simple glass of H20 could improve your situation. 1. Your skin is dry Dry skin is one of the earliest signs of dehydration. Your skin is an organ, so if it feels dry, your other organs could be in trouble, too. Test your skin by pinching a small area on your hand or cheek. If you see it stay or linger in the pinched shape rather than bouncing back quickly, you need some water. 2. You feel like you need a drink Okay, this one…

How to ripen peaches perfectly every time

Few things are more delicious than a perfectly ripe and juicy summer peach. The first sweet and succulent bite that leaves peach juices dripping down your hand is something we dream about all year long. Sadly, it never seems like this classic summer fruit is ready when you want it to be. You get home and realize that the peaches you purchased at market are underripe, tasteless and hard — nothing like a good peach should be! But then you let them sit out to ripen, and soon you have too many to eat at once. With a little care and patience, you can control when your peaches are ready and exactly how firm or soft they are. Here are a few secrets on how to ripen peaches so they’re ready when you are: 1. Keep it sweet and simple If your peaches aren’t quite ready to eat, and you’re…

The best blueberry pie recipe

Fall has apple pie. The holidays have pumpkin pie. Spring screams for strawberry rhubarb, and summer? It’s all about the blueberries. Nothing says summer like a fresh and flaky homemade blueberry pie. Don’t let September set in before you get around to making this sweet summer staple. The blueberry filling is relatively easy to make. Blueberries are great because they don’t require any chopping and barely any prep work. Just take a few moments to weed out any bad blueberries, remove any stray stems, and give them a quick rinse and a good shake. You don’t even have to dry them! Toss them in sugar and flour, and you’re pretty much good-to-go. It’s true that the pie crust takes a certain level of practice, but follow these tips and you’ll master the craft in no time: 1. Keep your ingredients super cold.  Don’t remove anything from the fridge until you are…

Keto blueberry lemon popsicles

Summer is heating up, but just because you’re on Keto doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite cool, sweet treats. Popsicles are a delicious, refreshing snack on a hot day, but if you’re on the Keto diet, you’re going to want to rethink the stand sugary popsicle. Try this low carb, high fat popsicle recipe and stay true to your diet even on scorching summer days. Blueberry Lemon Popsicles Makes about 6 popsicles Ingredients 2/3 cup blueberries, rinsed 1/2 lemon, juiced 1/24 cup coconut oil 1 cup coconut milk (from the carton) 1/4 cup sour cream 1/4 cup heavy cream 20 drops liquid Stevia Directions Add all ingredients to blender and blend on high for 20-30 seconds. Pour mixture into popsicle molds. Place stick in mold and set cover in place. Freeze for at lease 3-4 hours or until frozen. Run mold under hot water for easier…

10 benefits of drinking water

Drinking more water lately? Even if you’re not trying, chances are the hot weather has you reaching for a few extra cups of something cool. And that’s great news for your body considering nearly all of our major organ systems rely on it. But how exactly do we benefit from from drinking water? Here are 10 ways water benefits our bodies: 1. It boosts skin health and beauty Not drinking enough water can lead to dehydration, making the skin more vulnerable to premature wrinkling and even some skin disorders. If you don’t like the taste of water, try slicing up from strawberry or cucumber slices to give it a little flavor. 2. It regulates body temperature Water is stored in the middle layers of your skin. This water appears as sweat when your body heats up, and then evaporates to help keep you cool. Science suggests that without enough water…

12 foods you should definitely not serve at your cookout

What’s a backyard cookout without burgers, dogs, and fresh fruit salad? While we welcome these summer staples, there are a few dishes that just don’t belong outside for long periods of time. If you’re planning an outdoor feast or the 4th or any other hot summer day, you should probably skip these 15 foods: Fried Foods Enjoy your burger and fry combo another day. Outdoor cookouts are no place for fried foods like French fries, onion rings, or mozzarella sticks. They’re all delicious finger foods, but they’re best eaten hot and fresh. Let them sit outside on the buffet table, and they’ll just get cold and soggy. Chocolate There is really no way around this one. Anything chocolate is going to melt and make a mess. Cheese plate Cheese plates are an elegant appetizer for a dinner party, so save it for that type of event. Your summer barbecue is…

The very best way to freeze peaches

Is there anything as delicious as a fresh peach? Peaches on ice cream, peach sangria, peach barbecue sauce — my mouth is already watering. Some summers the crop is extra delicious, juicy and fragrant. It’s these flavors I want to capture and savor all year long. When you come across a crop like this, you’ll be tempted to buy the whole bushel, and that’s what I say go for it! Delicious fresh peaches make for delicious frozen peaches, too. What good are frozen peaches? Well, you can pretty much do just about anything with them that you would have done when they were fresh: savory dishes like peach topped pork chops, kebabs, cobblers, pies, jams, sangria, smoothies. Or use them as ice cubes in your iced tea or lemonade for a fruity treat when you reach the bottom of your glass. So what’s the best way to freeze peaches? The…

10 foods you’ve probably never grilled before

You’ve uncovered your grill for the season and have already eaten more chicken and burgers than you can count. You’ve even grilled some peppers and veggies as extra sides. But besides these basics, does the lack of diversity have you wondering what else can you make on the grill? Get the most out of your grill this summer by whipping up these unexpected recipes. 1. Mussels Cooking mussels might be the easiest item to cook in the history of grilling. Just heat up the grill and set the mussels onto of the grill to cook. You know they’re done when they open (about 5 to 10 minutes). Garnish with a bit of parsley and black pepper. Serve with melted butter. 2. Oysters Bring that vacation beach vibe to your backyard with grilled oysters. They take on a light, smoky flavor that’s sure to be your new favorite way of eating oysters.…