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Fun summer/kid-friendly recipes

Chef and mom blogger Megan Dow joined GDL to show off some of her ideas.

SAINT PETERSBURG, Fla. — Try out these fun, creative summer recipes the kids will love! Chef and mom blogger Megan Dow joined GDL to show off some of her ideas.

4th of July Shaved Ice Treats

(serves 3)

Ingredients:

2 cups crushed ice

2 cups blueberries

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups strawberries, diced

2 cups water

3 cups vanilla ice cream

3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

To Make the Simple Syrups:

Place 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar into a small saucepan. Stir and place over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved. Blend with an immersion blender or blend in a blender (release the steam if using a blender). Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

Place 1 cup strawberries, 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar into a small saucepan. Stir and place over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved. Blend with an immersion blender or blend in a blender (release the steam if using a blender). Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

Assembly:

Place 2 cups crushed ice into a blender and blend until the ice is soft and resembles shaved ice, about 30 seconds.

Place 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream into your serving dish.

Top with 1/2 cup shaved ice.

Top with 1-2 tablespoons of blueberry simple syrup and 1-2 tablespoons strawberry simple syrup.

Top with 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk and 2 tablespoons fresh blueberries and strawberries.

Assemble the rest of the shaved ice cups. Serve immediately.

Homemade Drum sticks with Pop Rocks Topper

Ingredients:

6 sugar cones

3 cups vanilla ice cream

2 cups white chocolate candy melts, melted

2 tablespoons red Pop rocks

2 tablespoons ted, white and blue sprinkles

Directions:

Scoop vanilla ice cream into the sugar cones.

Freeze for 30 minutes if you have time to harden.

Melt candy melts in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave for another 30 second interval. Stir and repeat one more time.

Place the sprinkles in a small bowl and open up your pop rocks.

Dip the cones into the melted candy melts and then dip into the sprinkles. Top with a sprinkling of pop rocks. Freeze until you are ready to serve.

American Flag baked Donuts

Cooking Spray

1 Cup Kodiak Cake Flapjack Mix

¾ Cup Water

Multicolored Red, White and Blue Sprinkles

Frosting Ingredients:

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

Red Gel Food Coloring

Blue Gel Food Coloring

2-3 Tablespoons Water

Directions:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Dump the pancake mix into a bowl with the water and mix to combine.
  • Place a piping bag inside a glass cup.
  • Fill with the donut batter.
  • Spray a donut pan with cooking spray.
  • Cut about a 1/2 inch tip off the piping bag and pipe the batter into the greased pan.
  • Finish piping all the donuts. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.
  • To make the icing add 1 cup of powdered sugar to 2 bowls.
  • Then add 1 tablespoon of water to each bowl. Stir to combine.
  • Add 1 teaspoon water to each bowl to thin further. Stir to check consistency. The icing should fall off the spoon semi-easily. If it's still too stiff add more water.
  • Add a spoonful of icing from each bowl to another bowl.
  • Add one drop of red gel food coloring to one bowl and one drop gel blue food coloring to the other bowl. Stir to combine. Leave one bowl white.
  • Take the donuts out of the oven and carefully invert them onto a wire rack. Make sure to wear oven mits. Let them cool completely.
  • To decorate, add a small spoonful of each color of icing onto a paper plate.
  • Swirl with a toothpick. Dip the donut into the icing and then place on the wire rack. Add more icing after each donut.
  • Continue dipping the donuts. Sprinkle the donuts with sprinkles while the icing is still wet.
  • Ice the remaining donuts and top with sprinkles. Enjoy!

Kids grill out Charcuterie Board

4 Hot dogs

4 Hot dog buns

Condiments of choice (ketchup, mustard, relish)

1 pound ground beef

6 mini burger buns

1 tablespoon Montreal steak seasoning

4 leaves of iceberg lettuce

1 tomato, sliced

1/2 onion, sliced

1/2 watermelon, sliced into wedges

1 package frozen mac and cheese bites

1 package frozen waffle fries

1 can baked beans

2 cans peaches

1 box yellow cake mix

1 stick butter

Tools:

Mini mason jars for baked beans and cobblers

Large board or cutting board

Directions:

Assemble the board with items of choice.

Hot Dogs: Cook the hot dogs to package directions. Place in the buns and cut in half. Top with condiments of choice and then place on the board.

Hamburgers: Mix the hamburger meat with the Montreal steak seasoning. Grab about a golf ball size amount of meat and form a patty. Grill for 5 minutes per side or place in a cast iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes per side. Remove the patties and place on mini buns with lettuce, tomato, onion and condiments of choice. Place on the board.

Watermelon: Slice in wedges or cube if you have small children.

Mac and cheese bites: Follow the package directions to re-heat.

Waffle Fries: Follow the package directions to re-heat.

Baked Beans: Place the beans into a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until warmed through. Spoon 1/4 cup into mini mason jars and place on the board.

Mini Peach Cobblers: Place the canned peaches into the mini mason jars, filling it half way up. Top each jar with 2 tablespoons of dry yellow cake mix. Then top each with 2 tablespoons butter and bake in the oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Learn more about these recipes and Dow’s on-demand cooking courses at MoreMomma.com.

Tune into “Great Day Live” weekdays from 9 to 10 a.m. on WTSP-TV.

Hosts Kendall Kirkham and Java Ingram bring you the latest in what everyone’s talking about, from trending stories, lifestyle and entertainment news, buzz-worthy, pop culture moments, and all things fun and exciting happening around Tampa Bay.

Whether it’s people making a difference, talented artists and musicians, delicious food, fun activities to do and make with the family, lovable animals, entertaining events and big names coming to town, we’ve got you covered. We hope to bring you a wealth of information to live your best life and start your morning right!

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If you have an interesting segment idea, send an email to

About Kendall: 

Kendall Kirkham joined “Great Day Live” in November 2017 from Memphis, Tennessee, where she served as morning co-anchor for WMC Action News 5. Prior to her stint in Memphis, Kendall served as co-host of "Tulsa Live" at KOKI in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Kendall also worked at KETK in Tyler, Texas, The Dallas Morning News and started her career as an intern for “The Ellen Show” and E! Entertainment.

Kendall has interviewed countless celebrities and notable figures, from Bob Woodward to Arsenio Hall, John Travolta and Paula Deen. She’s hit 9 Gs with the U.S. Airforce Thunderbirds, raised money for various charities in three local “Dancing with the Stars” competitions, and even played a gangster on stage for a traveling Broadway show. Kendall is most proud of her work with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She continues to support the hospital in various capacities today.

Kendall is a proud Texas native. She grew up in the Fort Worth area and graduated from Texas Christian University with a degree in Radio/TV/Film.

Kendall is thrilled to join the “Great Day Live” team and is having a ball highlighting this thriving community. She hopes to bring a smile to viewers at home every single day. In her spare time, Kendall enjoys exploring the countless sights, sounds and eats of Tampa Bay with her husband Jason and son Knox.

About Java: 

Java Ingram is a New Orleans native/Texan and is excited to call Florida home! Prior to joining the “Great Day Live” team, Java served as host of a lifestyle-entertainment show in Birmingham, Alabama. She also woke up dark and early, weekday mornings to help drivers make it to their destinations safely as a traffic anchor.

Java started her on-air broadcast career in the birthplace of Elvis Presley, Tupelo, Mississippi. In Tupelo, she served as morning news anchor, producer and reporter.

Javanté is an award-winning journalist, having been recognized by the Associated Press for Best Anchor, Best Reporter and Best Franchise Reporting, just to name a few.

When she's not working, Java is very passionate about giving back to the community, having served on the corporate boards for The Boys and Girls Club of North Mississippi, The Civic Ballet Company, The Doniphan Dance Project and the Leadership Council for the Boys and Girls Club of Central Alabama. She has volunteered also with a number of civic organizations.

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