Rachel Donaldson.

Welcome back to Dining with Donaldson, the place where I try recipes so you don’t have to! I wanted to share a crowd favorite that I have been making for…well…let’s just say a long time.

Picture it: You’re in a house covered in patriotic decor, it’s hot outside, so you decide to grab a drink to cool off. You walk over to the refreshment table and grab a white cup with a blue straw. You fill it with red-colored ice before pouring in a bright blue punch. As you take a refreshing sip, your eyes wander to the food table. It’s overflowing with red, white and blue treats. At the far end of the table, something catches your eye. They look a little like sparklers, but they can’t be, they’re on the food table. You wander over for a closer look and realize they’re actually pretzel rods.

If you have ever been to a party at my house, this is the type of experience you would have. I LOVE a good themed party. And when I say themed party, I don’t mean just some decorations and maybe a themed cake. I mean every detail reminds you of the theme. The amount of food coloring I use to dye everything from pasta to deviled eggs may be alarming at times, but it brings me an odd sense of joy. What can I color? What can I make that people would never expect to find at a Fourth of July party? Which brings me back to the recipe for this week, something I like to call Sparkle Sticks.

These sweet-and-salty treats are always a hit. If you’re anything like me, I like to end a meal with something savory, and this dish delivers. If you are the opposite and want to end on something sweet, just flip it around and start from the bottom. Either way, they’re a win! They’re incredibly customizable, surprisingly easy to make, and they look much more impressive than the amount of effort they require.

Sparkle Sticks

OG recipe from Rachel Donaldson’s kitchen.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS

-12 pretzel rods

-1 cup white almond bark, chopped small

-1 cup chocolate almond bark, chopped small

-2 T vegetable oil, divided

-Sprinkles (to match the theme)

DIRECTIONS

1-Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper.

2-Put almond bark in two microwave-safe bowls – one for the white and one for the chocolate

3-Add 1 T vegetable oil to each bowl.

4-Microwave the mix one at a time, 30-second increments until melted (make sure to stir each time).

5-Pour melted almond bark into a tall glass.

6-Dip half the pretzel rods into the almond bark 3/4 of the way down, one at a time.

7-Place each pretzel onto the wax paper, separating slightly.

8-Repeat with the other almond bark.

9-Allow to cool slightly, but not hard; top with sprinkles.

10-Allow to cool completely before moving.

Pros

-Super simple to make

-Sweet and salty

-Cute addition to any party

-Easy to customize for any holiday or theme

-Budget-friendly

Cons

-Melting almond bark or chocolate can be tricky

-Coating the pretzels evenly takes a little practice

-Almond bark and chocolate have a tendency to cool quickly, so you must work fast

-Pretzel rods can sometimes be hard to find

Suggestions

-Make sure to melt your almond bark or chocolate slowly to prevent scorching.

-Add a splash of oil while melting. It helps create a smoother consistency and gives the finished product a nice shine.

-For an extra festive flair, melt small batches of almond bark, tint them with food coloring, place them in a sandwich bag, snip the corner and drizzle away!

-Make them as a gift! They make cute little bags that are the perfect size to individually wrap them.

Rachel Donaldson is an author, self-described foodie and the current family and consumer sciences teacher at North Tama Community School District. She resides with her family in Vinton.