Hi, Kristen here!

Are you ready for summer?  I know I am.  And here at Betty Crocker, we just can’t wait to share our best summer ideas with you – perfect for those barbecues, campfires and relaxing nights on the front porch that we look forward to all year!

Betty Crocker is releasing the Betty 10: Red Hot Summer Trends – a look at the top 10 food trends that will be hottest this summer, along with a great new recipe for each one.  They’re fresh, they’re fun, and they’re oh-so-easy.  You can even check out a few of our videos (starring yours truly!) to get inspired.

And in addition to the great recipes that we know you love, we’ve teamed up with DIY guru Erica Domesek of PSIMadeThis.com to develop some really fun DIY ideas on how to create festive summer decorations for your get-togethers.  

 

Hungry for more?  Check out the trends, recipes and DIY ideas below or at www.BettyCrocker.com/redhot
 

Cheeky Tiki

Originally inspired by South Pacific culture, the fun, over-the-top Tiki trend is back in a big way - from food to drink to home décor to fashion.

• Recipe:  Mai Tai Tiki Pops  -- Rum-spiked frozen treats take the flavors of a Tiki cocktail – the Mai Tai – and turn it into a fruity (and boozy) ice pop. 
• DIY Idea:  Mai Tai Brooches - Don’t throw out those tropical drink umbrellas - use them to craft a colorful Mai Tai brooch – a fashion must-have that’s perfect for any summer fete!  Just cut off the umbrella’s wooden stick, flatten the colorful umbrella tops and layer a few on top of each other, overlapping.  Use small dabs of hot glue to secure the umbrellas, then add bright beads and glue them into the center of the design for a finishing touch.  You can get even more creative with colors and patterns by cutting the umbrella tops into different shapes!
  
  

New Takes On Cupcakes:

Dessert lovers everywhere are inventing new and interesting twists on the classic cupcake  – even looking to retro refrigerator, or “icebox,” desserts for inspiration!

• Recipe:  Lemon-Ginger Icebox Cookie Cupcakes - These “cupcakes” are made with cookies – which, when stacked between layers of whipped cream and then chilled, become cake-like.
• DIY Idea: Cupcake Liner Flowers - Create colorful, flower-like centerpieces and bouquets that last all summer simply by using cupcake liners and floral wire to create the illusion of petals.  Just glue, roll and wrap cupcake liners around a floral wire base, cutting slits every few inches to create the illusion of petals.  Attach green construction paper for leaves if you want to go the extra mile!

Spice It Up

Bold and big flavors are all the rage, updating classic foods through new flavor combinations and cooking techniques – and we are seeing this more than ever in flavoring heritage, do-it-yourself dishes with trendy ethnic spices.

• Recipe: Fresh Sriracha Refrigerator Pickles –A dd a new twist to classic refrigerator pickles with a hot, Thai-inspired sauce that spices up your garden bounty – no canning equipment required!
• DIY Idea: Spicy Statement Necklaces - Tap into one of the summer’s biggest fashion trends and turn up the heat by creating a bold statement necklace using colorful beaded trim and ribbon.  Take two pieces of wide ribbon, knot the ribbon on either end of the trim, cut off any excess, and tie it in a big bow.  You’ll get a show-stopping necklace that’s both festive and fierce!

Move Over, Meat

With vegetarian (and flexitarian) eating gaining popularity, more and more people are seeking meatless options that don’t skimp on flavor.

• Recipe:  MONSTER Veggie Burger - This larger than life veggie burger is loaded with fresh vegetables and tasty chickpeas and moves veggies from the side to the center of the plate.
• DIY Idea: Fruit and Veggie Place Cards - Use your garden go-to’s to create place cards for your dinner parties by cutting veggies in half and hollowing out the insides.  Cut out paper tags, scribble your guests’ names and slice an opening on top of vegetable to hold name tag.  Make sure that the veggies are able to stand upright evenly on a flat surface.  Cut out paper tags and scribble your guests’ names.  Slice an opening on top to hold your paper name tag.

Easy.  Freezy.  Fun.

Frozen ice cream novelties are the ultimate summer treats for adults and kids alike.  And more and more are enjoying it at home, interest in homemade ice cream and frozen pops on the rise.

• Recipe:  Fruity Fro-Yo Fun Bars - Make fun frozen yogurt treats yourself!  This novelty-inspired dessert has only four ingredients and a few simple steps, so it’s easy to make with the kids.
• DIY Idea: Accent Mirrors - Save your sticks for a chic sunburst mirror that will brighten up any room.  Use a round mirror as a base and glue sticks around the edges.  For an ultra luxe look, spray paint the sticks gold.   You can get even more creative by layering sticks on top of each other to create depth for vivid sun rays.  Hang it anywhere that needs a sunshine infusion!

Thrillin’ Grillin’

Grillmasters everywhere are taking lessons from the “tableside” preparation trend, using the grill to bring excitement and flavor to unexpected dishes.

• Recipe: Grillside Guacamole - Fresh avocados, sweet onions and other tasty veggies take on flavor from grilling, while a sprinkling of Mexican Cotija cheese gives this dish an even more delicious twist.
• DIY Idea: Grilled Place Mats - Get inspired by the iconic checker and diamond patterns created on a grill near you.   Use fabric markers and a ruler to create a grill-like motif on plain pieces of cotton fabric, turning them into one-of-a-kind place mats.   Use a pencil to mark your design before adding color with fabric markers – which means that after your meal, you can throw it in the wash just like any other placemat!

Kid Food Grows Up

The foods that we loved best as kids always inspire special memories – and none of those are more memorable than the foods of summer.   Adding a grown-up twist makes them even better than you remember, like upscale mac and cheese or cocktail-inspired malts.

• Recipe: Beer Snow Cones - These grown-up snow cones are made from granita-style beer “snow” and a drizzle of fruity simple syrup.  
• DIY Idea: Tie Dye Everything - Tap into your summer camp days when tie dye was all the rage by gathering your friends and family together for an outdoor party where a DIY day is all about DYE.  Reach for rubber gloves, rubber bands, a clothes line with pins and a bevy of colors to create with.  You can create tees, bags and dresses that you'll want to sport all summer long.  

Pie Lovin’

This has been declared the “Year of the Pie” and we are seeing (and eating) creative takes on pies everywhere – from sweet to savory.

• Recipe: Mini S’mores Hand Pies - These mini hand pies take everything we love about s’mores – crunchy graham crackers, melty chocolate, ooey-gooey marshmallows --  and put it into a handheld pie pocket that delivers a perfect taste of summer.
• DIY Idea: Pie Dish Candle Centerpieces  - Create a sweet tabletop sensation by repurposing a pie dish into a multi-wick candle.  Set short wicks in a circular formation in the pie dish and pour candle wax into dish, infusing your candle with your favorite scent and colors.   Opt for mini pie dishes for great party favors that will make your guests light up!

Backyard Green Grocer

Gardens are a summer staple.  And more people than ever are “shopping” in their own backyard gardens – or the local farmer’s market - to create flavorful summer dishes full of their favorite veggies.

• Recipe:  Green Garden Fries - Fast food meets the backyard!  These crispy green “fries” are made from fresh garden veggies.  Oven fried and served with a lemony Greek yogurt dipping sauce, they are the perfect summer side dish.

• DIY Idea: Green Thumb Stationary - After you plant your garden, cut out the vivid images of produce and flowers on seed packets and découpage them to plain note cards, creating cute collages.  Send summer greetings, or tie several cards and envelopes with a piece of string for a gift set of personalized summer stationery!

Switch Up The ‘Wich

Sandwiches are the ultimate comfort food – from old favorites like PB&J and grilled cheese to new obsessions like Korean tacos.  We’re seeing this trend in everything from food trucks to restaurants devoted to a singular type of sandwich.

• Recipe: Greek Grilled Cheese Tacos - This Mediterranean-inspired dish reinvents the familiar grilled cheese sandwich in taco form.  Grilled Greek halloumi cheese, fresh veggies and herbs are stuffed in a flour tortilla for a portable, fun new take on the sandwich.

• DIY Idea: Flying Disc Sandwich Trays - Combine the food and fun factor this season and serve your sandwiches on a playful platter - the flying disc.  Line a flying disc with a colorful bandana and arrange sandwiches neatly.  
  
  

Check out all of the Red Hot Summer Trends at www.bettycrocker.com/redhot.  And now if you’ll excuse me – I have some Mai Tai Tiki Pops to make!

Kristen

Tags:  Cupcakes, Summer, Betty 10, Fruity Fro-Yo Fun Bars, Tiki, Fun Bars, S'mores Hand Pies, Summer Trends, Mai Tai Tiki Pops, Beer Snow Cones, S'mores Grilled Cheese, Garden Fries, Red Hot Summer Trends, Mai Tai, Pickles, Betty Crocker Trends, Grilled Cheese Tacos, Guacamole, Icebox, Snow Cones, Grillside Guacamole, Veggie Burger, Sriracha

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