Summertime Party Ideas For Sharing Funshine! | M&M’s®

This #ShareFunshine sponsored post has been compensated by #CollectiveBias, Inc. and its advertiser. As always, my pancake lovin’ opinions are all my own. 

I’m a bit partial to M&M’s®. How can you not be? With the sun shining, the festivals are in full swing. And nothing helps get us ready for an amazing day out, than an equally amazing breakfast. And with little ones especially…that means pancakes for us! Is there anything better than syrupy hotcakes fresh out of the pan? Butter pooling on top, whipped cream dolloped perfectly, and fork poised in anticipation. Eyes intently searching for those hidden pockets of melted chocolate we know was stirred into the batter.Oh yes, breakfast is most certainly my favorite of all menus. And when it comes to throwing a fun summer party? Well, there can be nothing better than indulging in a hearty brunch beforehand. Which only makes sense to congregate a bit earlier with the heat of the season. As does the option for creating a foodie pit-stop before inviting everyone out to a backyard pool party or a trip to the local fairgrounds.

That was our case when my daughter turned 2. Both my kiddos were born in the summer. Which meant that birthdays for them morphed into great family and friend get-to-gethers. And I thought ahead to buy custom carnival goodies that we could save. This year, when she turns 7, I’ll be pulling them out again.

And pull them out of storage I did! We got a good peek at all that was put away. And it was fun seeing all the stuff we never got a chance to use the first time. Most amazing trinket? A huge Orange Fizz sign and a Ferris Wheel cupcake holder from Pottery Barn Kids. So to celebrate, we’re going to make our own pancake breakfast and then head to the festival!

And not just any pancake breakfast. We’re going for the ultimate chocolate taste with M&M’s® Original in our pancakes! A straight forward recipe, the goal for this brunch is to keep things easy. That includes using full and half sheet aluminum catering tins.

A simple set-up, you’ll keep it comfortable with your own dishes, mason jars, or paperware as well. And all the grub will be easy to prep early, bake, or stay heated with Sterno cans. After all, you’re goal is to save your time and money for memories at the fair!

For pancakes, we use a ready-mix that utilizes 1 cup of powder per recipe. {Take note that you will be doubling this but not immediately.} So combine your original 1-cup pancake mixture in a bowl. And then rip open your M&M’s®!

With XXL bags are available at Sam’s Club in all three varieties: M&M’s® Original, M&M’s® Crispy, & M&M’s® Peanut, it’s easy to stock up for the summer. So with two bags in tow, my pantry is stocked! These little gems like to scoot around, so use care with a knife or pop them for a few pulses in your blender.

Slide them into your mix and stir in another handful of whole M&M’s®. Now you’ll get to prep some other food as you set the bowl aside for about 5 minutes. This will give the batter some time to settle. Then stir your mix and you’ll see a great swirl of colors from the chopped M&M’s® Original.

Now is the time to double the recipe by adding another 1-cup recipe mixture to your M&M’s® pancakes. Doing it separately simply allows for mixing the chocolate and shell colors more evenly. Griddle them up, and pop them in your serving dish. Now…onto easy to cook sides!

In addition to our hotcakes, we decided on serving eggs, bacon, and potatoes. Ease is the essence of the day. So use your oven! Preheat to 350° and set aside 20-30 minutes to cook all three. First, lay your bacon out on a large cookie sheet. Pop in the oven at least 20 minutes to bake up flat and crispy.

Another easy breakfast item for a summer party? Using a muffin tin to cook your eggs. Literally, crack open and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pop into your 350° preheated oven for 15-20 minutes depending on how well you like them done. As you can see, I like to make sure they aren’t runny.

These are the perfect size egg for serving on a bed of greens for a breakfast salad. Or as a sandwich on a pancake with cheese and bacon. Whatever your penchant, this buffet will make everyone happy. Including my now evident pancake thieves. Serve with butter, syrup, and whipped cream as well.

Another great treat as well, is using M&M’s® Peanut for trail mix as a take-home favor! {I’d love to try a dried fruit trail mix with M&M’s® Crispy next!} Between cooking, mixing, traveling, and snacking…there’s so much I can do with these XXL bag’s this summer!

Which instead of cupcakes, I poured my M&M’s® trail mix into foiled cupcake liners. Then I tucked those into treat bags, tied with a matching twist. I placed these into my tabletop Ferris Wheel.

But they also fit perfectly inside the goodie bags. Another great option if your heading to the county fair after breakfast is including a BINGO sheet for door prizes. Hint…use a mini-sticker sheet for marking the squares. And don’t forget to include that all-you-can-ride admission ticket!

And there you have it! Fantastic, easy, and family friendly ideas for a great summertime get-together. Another great menu option would be gathering for giant pizza slices and deep frying your favorite festival food too! Mmmm…I just love everything about county fairs and local festivals. What do you look forward to the most at the fair?