My dear Bakers Anonymous family, this has been a week of PURE craziness, and I can’t even explain to you why. With grad school (and the BIG move to grad school only a few months away, I’m more stressed than ever. I’m not ready for such a big relocation (a few hours away from my family is a big deal to me!) and all of the projects I want to do just end up piling in the corner, calling out to me, “Niki! Niki, please work on us!”

This is not a positive note when it comes from my clients’ work. :-/

Anyway, next Monday is Memorial Day and I gathered up some delicious red, white and blue recipes for you to enjoy either on Monday or later, for the Fourth of July. Let’s work our way up to the complicated ones, eh?

Red, white and blue strawberries from The Sisters Cafe make for the perfect summer addition to any outdoor lunch or dinner. It’s just the right amount of sweet and healthy to balance out all the hot dogs and hamburgers.

Frankly, this next one from Love Stitched made me drool. M&M’s, pretzels and Oreos? This is the best cookie bark recipe I’ve ever seen!

Firework cookies made from french vanilla cake mix would have a great base that lends itself to any combination of mix-ins. The Cookin’ Cowgirl made these for a friend’s graduation, so feel free to use whatever colors you want.

If a cheesecake pie is more your style, try this centerpiece recipe, the star-spangled pie from Snackpicks.com. Made with just five easy ingredients and a pre-made crust, this pie can even be made the day OF your celebration.

And if you’ve got more than just a little time on your hands, make these tri-colored peppermint patties from Haniela’s Food & Photography. I made my own peppermint patties a few years ago and while they were one of the hardest things I ever “baked,” they were also one of the most delicious.

So there you have it! Enjoy your beautiful weekend folks. Here’s hoping there’s great weather wherever you are.

- Niki