Kids in the Kitchen: Christmas Tree-ts

Hello friends!  How was your Thanksgiving?  Ours was great!  And we have wasted no time in getting up our Christmas tree and holiday décor.  I love this time of year!!  I will update the sidebar in the next day or two with lots of our most favorite holiday recipes.  I wanted to start off the season with these adorable little Christmas trees.  They make the perfect holiday treat for little ones. They are easy to prepare, so fun to make and relatively healthy:)  Perfect for class parties or after school snacks!  You will find these are  a big hit!  Children LOVE "decorating" their own little trees.  Yum!

Kids in the Kitchen: Christmas Tree-ts

Author: Melanie

Ingredients

• Green Apple Sliced thin


• Tootsie rolls, unwrapped


• Cheese cut into a star with the tip of a knife


• fruit loops cereal

Instructions

1. Lay apples on a plate to form a tree (three to a side--see picture)


2. Lay Star on top, tootsie roll at the bottom for the stump and decorate with fruit loops for ornaments. Enjoy!!

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Witches' Brooms with Reeses Cups

Well, hello again! Sorry for the little dry spell there!   I am back with a very simple, but oh so fun Halloween treat!  These are perfect for Halloween parties.  Kids get such a kick out of these little "witches' brooms" and they could not be easier to make or tastier to eat!

Did you notice that we have lots of frightfully delicious Halloween recipes listed down our sidebar and get even more ideas here.

Hope you have a wonderful Halloween!

Witches' Brooms with Reeses Cups

Author: Melanie

Ingredients

• 1 bag of Miniature Reese Peanut Butter Cups


• 1 bag of Pretzel Sticks

Instructions

1. Unwrap peanut butter cups and place top down on plate.


2. Carefully place a pretzel stick in the center.


3. Viola--you have  witches' broom!  Easy, fun and delicious:)

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*too make them gluten free, simply use a gluten free pretzel stick.  We think these ones are the best!

 

 

 

Kids in the Kitchen: Celery Fishing Poles and Gold Fish

Cutest thing to watch my little guys giggling and "fishing" at snack time the other day.  And even better was when my 4 year old slowly munched his way through his celery stick!  Isn't it funny how a lot of kids have such a hard time with textures and new foods?  I find myself encouraging, bargaining, and then threatening my own little eaters to get them to try new things.  So this snack was a major hit with me along with the little guys.  Anything that fills my kitchen with laughter AND accomplishes eating a new veggie is alright in my book.

Kids in the Kitchen: Celery Fishing Poles and Gold Fish

Author: Mindy

Ingredients

• Celery, cut into sticks


• Peanut Butter


• Gold Fish Crackers

Instructions

1. Sprinkle fish crackers on a plate.


2. Spoon some peanut butter in a mound on the plate.


3. Then use celery sticks to dip into the peanut butter, and go fishing!

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Adapted from Creatively Blooming

Snowman on a Stick

My little boy and I made these cute little snowmen on a stick for his preschool birthday party today.  I'm crazy and had two babies in December.  And one day apart no less!  Those of you with Christmas babies can relate.  We are very busy Mamas this time of year what with trying to make sure our little darlings' birthdays don't get beat out by holiday to-do.  This year I got lucky.  My 4 year old asked for a "Candy Cane Christmas Party."  I may not want his birthday to get beat out, but I am not crazy enough to argue with such a wonderfully easy request.  So I am planning a birthday party complete with fun Christmas and winter oriented activities and treats, and I am keeping everything as easy as possible.  Hence these adorable, easy, and quick birthday snacks today.  They were a hit with the preschool kids, and I loved that my little guy could help me make them for his class.  In fact, I am thinking Snowmen on Sticks will make a second appearance with some creamy hot cocoa after actually making a snowman this winter, too!

PS A few helps:

1.) We made these the night before, and the next morning all the Fruit Roll-Up scarves were gooey from sitting in a closed container with the moist donuts all night.  I had to put new scarves on all the snowmen before I could deliver them to preschool.  So scarves are a to-do on the day of.
2.) Also, I bought two boxes of donuts.  One was not as fresh and the donuts cracked when skewered.  The fresh, moist donuts did not crack at all when skewered.  So as always, fresh is best!

Snowman on a Stick

Author: Mindy

Ingredients

• 10" bamboo skewers


• Powdered mini donuts


• Orange and Green Mike and Ikes, cut the green ones in half


• Fruit Roll-Ups, cut into strips


• Black Food Coloring, Black Icing Gel, or mini chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Thread three donuts onto the skewer.


2. Place the halved green Mike and Ikes into the center of the lower two donuts for buttons.


3. Place one orange Mike and Ike in the center of the top donut for the nose.


4. Wrap the strip of Fruit Roll-Up between the top two donuts for a scarf.


5. Then dip a toothpick in black food coloring and touch to the top donut to create charcoal eyes and mouth (I've also tried the black icing gel, which looks cute but can smudge easier.  Mini Chocolate Chips work, too).

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Recipe Source: Dukes and Duchesses

Halloween Pretzel Bites

This is a Halloween snack for little fingers to make.  Amy and my crazy little boys (all younger than 5) were running around like little tornadoes at my house last week.  Desperate for a little more peace, I whipped out the ingredients to Halloween Pretzel Bites and let these little boys go to town.  Worked like a charm.  And I felt like the world's greatest Mom/Auntie to boot! They were so cute and intense putting these little treats together.  And so proud of themselves!  Isn't it cute how little people love to create in the kitchen?  Especially festive treats! I loved finding something that was at toddler level so they could really do it all by themselves.  I think these Halloween Pretzel Bites are perfect for a Family Home Evening treat to jump start the Halloween Season.  (These are a variation of Easy Pretzel Turtles)

Halloween Pretzel Bites
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

Small Pretzels (Snyder's Snaps work best)

1 bag Hershey's Hugs
Candy Corn

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place small pretzels on a cookie sheet (line with silpat or parchment paper for easy clean up). Top each pretzel with a Hershey's Hug candy. Place in the oven for 3-4 minutes. The Hugs will look shiny but will still hold their shape. Remove from oven and push a Candy Corn on top of each one. Let firm up for 30 minutes (longer if kitchen is warm).

Egg in Toast (aka Egg in a Nest)

Instead of serving your eggs with toast, why not serve the egg IN your toast?  Such a great idea!  This breakfast classic, has many names, including' Egg in a Nest', 'Egg in a Saddle', 'Popeyes', and more.  You can also have fun with the look by using a cookie cutter to punch a hole in the center of your bread.  You can imagine how cute a sunshine shape would be first thing in the morning!  Pictured above is the grown up version of this simple dish.  Using chewy artisan bread from Costco (try the Rosemary one--yum!), butter and an egg you can create a mouthwatering delicious meal in minutes!  Pleasing to both the young and older in your family!  This a really fun dish for your kids to help with.  My boys love this recipe.  Simple and delicious!

Egg in Toast (aka Egg in a Nest)
submitted by Melanie~The Sisters Cafe

1 slice of Toast (artisan bread or regular sandwhich bread)
1 egg
Butter
salt and pepper

Heat pan to medium- medium high heat. Take your bread and cut out the center if using artisan bread, or use a 3inch cookie cutter for sandwich bread.  Butter your bread on both sides and toast in hot pan.  When one side is toasted flip it over to toast the other side.  Add your egg (careful not break the yolk).  Salt and pepper the egg and cover the pan for 2 minutes.  Once the whites have set, carefully flip and cook the other side for 1 minute or longer if you want the yolk set.  We like it runny to dip our toast into.  Don't forget to butter and toast the piece of bread from the center!  yum!

*You do not need to cover the pan-I just like to do that because I think it shortens the cook time when you use the lid.

Cinnamon and Sugar Disappearing Rolls

I was a guest blogger today over at Rhodes.  If you've tried Rhodes before, you'll agree their products are awesome.  If you haven't... well, you're missing out.  In fact, I just picked up a bag of cinnamon rolls this morning.  I may love to cook, but Rhodes is as close as it gets to homemade without the messy kitchen.  The recipe I featured was Cinnamon and Sugar Disappearing Rolls.  These easy, buttery, cinnamon & sugar rolls are beautiful and absolutely delicious. And they are a favorite with kids! It's like doing a magic show at home. Imagine your kids' surprise when they help insert a marshmallow into the middle of a roll, then find that the marshmallow has "disappeared" when the baked rolls are cut open!  For the recipe head on over to the Rhodes blog HERE.

Rainbow in a Bag for St. Patricks Day

This just might be the simplest "recipe" on our site:).
I guess you could call it an edible craft!  It will take you only moments to make and  will delight your friends and family for St. Patrick's Day!

I made these for my boys last year and they LOVED them so much that I thought I would make it a yearly tradition.  I am going to pop these little rainbows and gold into their lunches this Friday.

For more St.Patrick's Day Recipes click here and here
For some of our fun family St Patrick's Day Traditions click here.

Rainbows in a Bag for St Patrick Days
submitted by Melanie~The Sister's Cafe

Rainbow Twizzler Twists
Rolos
celephane bags
ribbon

One bag of Rainbow Twizzlers will make 5 bags.  Take a handful of Rolos and put in celephane bag.  Take one of each color of the twizzlers and line them up.  Bend them like a rainbow and place in bag over the gold Rolos.  Tie with a cute ribbon.  ENJOY:)

Recipe Source: Maple Memories via Our Best Bites

Football Whoopie Pies (from a cake mix)

Have you heard that whoopie pies are the new cupcakes according to a New York Times article.   This was the first time that I have attempted them and I have to say they were YUMMY! I don't know about replacing the cupcake, but they were a fun change!   There are so many recipes out there, but I choose this  "cheater" one using a cake mix because it was super easy and fast.  Perfect treat to make with my boys on a Sunday afternoon.  Having 5 boys who LOVE football, you can imagine these were a HUGE hit at my house!  To make the football shaped cake, I simply spooned the batter onto a silpat lined cookie sheet and using the back ot the spoon created a nice oval.  Really simple to make and these would be a perfect treat to serve for the Super Bowl coming up.

Football Whoopie Pies
submitted by Melanie~The Sisters Cafe

1 chocolate cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegtable oil

Butter-cream filling
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1-2 TB milk

Preheat oven to 400.

In a mixer, combine cake mix, eggs, water and oil.  Whip together for 2-3 minutes.

On a silpat lined baking sheet, spoon batter in rounded mounds.  Use the back of the spoon to round out the batter into football shaped ovals.

Bake for 8 minutes.  Cool completely.

For the Butter-cream:  Mix powdered sugar and butter in mixing bowl  Stir in vanilla and milk.  Beat until smooth and spreadable.
Scoop into a pastry or ziploc bag with the end cut with a 1/2 inch opening.

Pipe butter-cream onto the bottom cookie 9wrong side up), then top with another cookie (right side up).

Enjoy!

Recipe Source:  Cake batter from jennysteffens.blogspot.com  Butter cream from Betty Crocker

Monster Mash Cupcakes and Marshmallow Monster Pops

Some of you might remember from this post that I have two cute little monsters with birthdays just one day apart... and in December no less!  (I know... what were we thinking, right?).  They turned 3 and 1 this year, and to celebrate we threw a Monster themed birthday party that turned out to be a blast.  Seriously, I recommend it to all you boy (and even you girl) mamas out there.  I had monster coloring pages for the kids when they first arrived at the party.  Then the games consisted of a monster hunt where I hid little pictures of monsters all over the house and the kids had to find them and feeding the monster (I made a bean bag toss into a monster's gaping mouth).  I considered letting the kids build their own monster cupcakes... but I have light carpet and limited space, so I decided against it.  I mean, keep the party fun for Mom, too, right?  The cupcakes were so much fun to make.  I got a kick out of putting together each unique little guy.  And those monster marshmallow pops were not only pretty easy, they were adorable!  And a serious hit with kids to boot.  (I linked to all the ingredients on amazon if that helps, but you can pick up most of these ingredients at Wal-Mart, too).

Monster Mash Cupcakes and Marshmallow Monster Pops
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

For the Monster Mash Cupcakes:
Cupcakes
Frosting in various bright colors (Icing paste works a lot better than regular food coloring for bright colors)
candy melts in various colors
Wilton Candy Eyeballs (or make your own with white candy melts and mini chocolate chips for pupils... I did both)
Disposable Decorating Bags
Lollipop Sticks

One color at a time, microwave the candy melts at 50% power for 2 minutes.  Stir until bowl is no longer warm.  Then microwave at 50% power for 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the candy is melted.  Transfer into decorating bags with small round tip or ziploc bags with a small hole cut out of the corner.  Pipe horns, arms, mouths, noses and eyes on wax paper or a silpat.  Use sprinkles or edible glitter immediately if desired.  Allow to harden in a cool place.  (If you place the wax paper or silpat on a cookie sheet, you can transfer the piped designs into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes to harden.)  This can be done ahead of time.

Pipe the various brightly colored frosting onto the cupcakes using an extra large round (1A) tip (or the extra large star tip is cute, too).  Place a dot of frosting on the cupcake and pull away, repeating until your cupcake has a spiky appearance.  Just do it quick since the frosting doesn't need to be perfect.  Decorate with the previously made candy horns, arms, mouths, noses and eyes as desired.

For the Marshmallow Monster Pops:
marshmallows
candy melts in various colors
Wilton Candy Eyeballs
Disposable Decorating Bags
Lollipop Sticks

Place a lollipop stick into each marshmallow.

One color at a time and in separate bowls, microwave the candy melts at 50% power for 2 minutes.  Stir until bowl is no longer warm.  Then microwave at 50% power for 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the candy is melted.  Immediately dip the marshmallows into the melted candy, sparing the top.  Immediately place three eyeballs on the fronts of the pops.  Place the dipped marshmallows pops on wax paper or silpat to harden.

If needed at this point, remelt the partially hardened candy of different colors in the bowls at 50% power at 30 second intervals until melted again.  Then transfer the melted candy into decorating bags with small tips or ziploc bags with small holes cut in one corner.  Pipe "hair" on the monster pops by starting at the stick and piping a strip outward to cover the exposed marshmallow, repeating until covered.

Source: I saw this idea on tip junkie and winged it!

Candy Christmas Trees for the Table

Some years, my boys and I make these little candy trees for our Christmas table. We place one next to each plate, along with a place card and this little poem:

The pure green color of the stately fir tree
remains green all year round,
depicting the everlasting hope of mankind. 
All the needles point heavenward,
making it a symbol of man's thoughts
turning toward heaven.

 I love all the symbols of Christmas and I am always looking for fun ways to teach my family what they represent.

We  hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Candy Trees for the Table
submitted by Melanie~The Sisters Cafe

Rollos, wrapped in gold
Miniature Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, wrapped in green
Hershey Kisses, wrapped in green

Start with a Rollo for the base of the tree.  Using some craft glue or a glue gun attach two Reese's peanut butter cups and a Hershey kiss to form a tree. Place one tree next to each plate along with the poem.

Salt Dough Ornaments

Making salt dough ornaments is a fun family tradition for Christmas-time that we do in our home.  The kids love creating these fun ornaments to give away as gifts to their school teachers, church teachers, and grandparents.  They feel extra excited to offer these special people a gift that they made themselves.  :)
Making these ornaments is very easy!  I hope you enjoy this with the children in your life!

Salt Dough Ornaments
submitted by Erin  ~ The Sisters Cafe

1 cup salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup luke warm water (or perhaps a bit less)

Mix salt and flour together and add water. Mix well until dough forms a ball. If it is sticky, add a little flour. Knead in a standing mixer for 5 minutes, or until smooth.  (You may also knead it by hand.)  Empty dough on a floured surface and knead a few times until it is not sticky and can easily be rolled out.  (You can store the dough in an airtight container for a few days before proceeding.)

Roll out to about a 3/4 inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut out Christmas shapes.

Place on a greased cookie sheet and poke one hole in the top of each ornament using a chopstick, skewer, or straw. (Be aware that the hole will close up a little as the dough expands and bakes.) Bake in a 200 degree oven for 1 to 2 hours, or until dry. (Pictured below before being baked.)
For a family fun night, gather the family together and paint the dried and cooled ornaments. (I highly recommend Crayola Washable Kids Paint in 10 (2-oz each) assorted colors. You can buy them at Walmart for $5 or so, and they are much more washable than regular craft paints.) Even my little 21-month old loved this!

Tie a square knot around the holes of the ornaments using string, and attach green wire hooks (purchased in the Christmas isle at grocery/market store) to the ornaments so they can hang on a Christmas tree.
This year my 1st grader gave an ornament to his teacher at school, taped to a potted poinsettia with a handmade card and some homemade caramels.  He wrote on the back of his ornament with a black permanent Sharpie marker. He was very excited to give it to his teacher. :)

Merry Christmas, everyone! And have fun making these ornaments at home!

Children's Homemade Play-do

Making homemade play dough is a super fun activity for the kids, especially in the wintertime when they are cooped up inside. They love to help make the play-do and since exact measurements are not crucial, they can help out more than they otherwise could. The play-do this recipe makes is soft and supple, and the kids love playing with it while it is still warm. We doubled the recipe last time when it was three kids, and it was more than enough and to spare. If you are making it for three or so children, you probably don’t need to double it.  My daughter wanted pink this time, so that is what we made. But you can make it any color you like.  Enjoy!

Homemade Play-do
Submitted by Erin  ~ The Sisters Cafe

1 cup flour
½ cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon food coloring

Combine flour, salt and cream of tartar in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in water, oil and food coloring. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until a ball forms and cleans the sides of the pan. Stir it around a few more times to ensure that it is all thickened and then remove it from the heat. Dump the dough out and allow it to cool until you can handle it, and knead it until it is nice and smooth.  Let the children play with it while it is still warm because that makes it more exciting!
Store it in a ziplock bag, with the air squeezed out. It will last for months.

Kids in the Kitchen: Candy Turkeys

I came across this picture in my files from last year and had to share the idea with all of you!  My boys and I had so much fun making these candy turkeys together. They were a big hit at the Thanksgiving dessert table too.  They may not be perfect looking but the boys were so proud of their work:)  It was really fun, and very tasty too!

Candy Thanksgiving Turkeys
submitted by Melanie~The Sisters Cafe

Double stuffed Oreo cookies
Candy Corns
Reese's miniature peanut butter cups
Whoppers malt balls
Chocolate sprinkles
Royal Icing (recipe follows)
Orange Food Coloring

Royal Icing
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 egg whites, beaten

In a bowl, sift together confectioners' sugar and cream of tartar. Using electric mixer, beat in 2 beaten egg whites for about 5 minutes or until mixture is thick enough to hold its shape.

Directions:
First put the peanut butter cups and malt balls in the freezer.  It is much easier for the kids to work with cold and firm chocolate.

Make the royal icing.  Take about a 1/3 to  1/4 out in a separate bowl and dye it orange with food coloring. Put both colors  in a pastry bag with a small tip (or use a ziploc bag just snip a very tiny hole in the corner--it works great:)

Gently pull  the Oreo cookies apart.  The candy corn pointy side down along pne edge of the oreo.  Add some white icing and close it up again.  With a dollop of icing attach one Oreo on top and towards the back of another to form the base and tale. (**see picture)  Hold in place for a minute to set.

Next take the peanut butter cups out of the freezer and with a sharp knife slice a small amount off to make a flat surface.  With the white icing as glue, attach the peanut butter cup to the base and tail.

With a bit of icing attach the whopper on top of the peanut butter cup.  Add the broken off tip of a candy corn for the beak and create two white eyes with your icing.  I used two little chocolate sprinkle for the eyes--you could also use black icing or mini M&Ms.

Take the orange icing and pipe on little orange feet

ENJOY:)

*** Remember that Sunday is the last day to enter our GIVEAWAY on this post! ***

Witch's Stew

Hello my pretties!

Imagine receiving an invitation to attend a a halloween bash hosted by Hagatha the Witch.  You arrive at the witch's home on a dark, dark night.  The only light comes from flickering jack-o-lanterns and spooky faced luminaries as you make your way up the walk.  Haunting music eerily emanates from the darkness.  Suddenly, the door swings open and cackling is heard just before a grinning witch welcomes you into her party.  Delicious and spooky looking food adorns the table, but the main course is still brewing... witch's stew!  All that is left to do is add a few final ingredients and chant the magic spell, and the witch's brew will ready...

Witch's stew is one of the best traditions we ever stumbled into!  Our seriously fun and creative mom started witch's stew several years ago, and it is the highlight of the party.  Seriously, the kids LOVE it.  You can use any soup recipe, as long as you come up with lots of spooky names for the ingredients.  Or you can even use soup from a can or mix.  Just choose some ingredients that can be added.  One of my favorite soups we've done for Witch's stew is Zuppa Toscana, because I think the kale looks so spectacular as swamp weed... and let's face it, that soup is delicious!

Witch's Stew
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

1 witch's hat
1 magic wand (Could even be a wood stick)
1 cauldron (or stock pot)
1 wooden spoon
1 recipe for your favorite soup  with spooky names for all ingredients
Containers for ingredients (examples include old honey jars, canning pint jars, glass votive candle holders, small drinking glasses.  Choose a few different containers if possible, because the effect is better)

Save out a little of each of the main ingredients and place in containers with assigned names (I made labels for each of mine, but you could even just use a mailing label or similar).  I think it is easier to save out ingredients and just microwave to cook them rather than trying to fish the ingredients out of the soup once it is all done.  Cook the rest of the soup as directed.  Now for the fun part!  Put on your witch's hat and assume character.  Gather all the children around the Witch (you) and tell them that the witch's stew is almost ready.  Now call for each ingredient by its spooky name and have each child add one ingredient at a time as you stir with a large wooden spoon.  After all ingredients have been added to the stew, wave your magic wand over the stew and chant the following spell:

Gobble dee gook
With a wooden spoon
The laugh of a toad
at the height of the moon

Boil and bubble
Dance a jig
If you eat all this
You're a polka dot pig

And believe it or not, that bewitching stew will make your party  one of the most amazing and memorable Halloween bashes you've ever had!

Example: Zuppa Toscana

ground sausage:         rat's brains
sliced red potatoes:    sliced troll's toes
chopped onion:          mummified toenails
chicken broth:            gargoyle sweat
whipping cream:       werewolf saliva (I like to say, "Werewolf saliva collected at the full moon" when I add it to the stew)
kale:                              swamp weed
Parmesan cheese:     white wood worms
salt:                               crushed spiderwebs
pepper:                         ground beetle legs
crushed red pepper:  dried fire ants

Other examples of fun names for ingredients:
toad's eyes
sliced vampire heart
monster brains
chopped bat whiskers
swamp slithers
frozen ghost mist
fish eggs
hair from a skunk's tail
ogre teeth
dried spider legs
(the possibilities are endless!)

Stay tuned for tomorrow... Brittany will share more ideas for scaring up ghoulish goodies for haunting halloween party!

Scary Spider Cookies

Are you looking for a fun but very simple Halloween activity for your little one? These Scary Spider Cookies are perfect! It doesn't get any easier than this. My four year old loves making his own spiders and my two year old especially loves eating them! I think these cookies turn out the cutest using black string licorice for the legs. Unfortunately, the store I went to didn't have black string licorice or Halloween Oreos:( Oh well, a quick project like this isn't worth multiple trips to grocery stores (in my opinion) so just grab what you can find and go! Have fun, your kiddos definitely will!

Scary Spider Cookies

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe
Recipe Source: adapted from Betty Crocker Celebrate

Black twist licorice (or black string licorice)
Oreos (any flavor works fine, but you might want to grab the orange-filled Halloween Oreos if you can find any!)
3 T. ready-to-spread frosting (chocolate is best)
Mini M & M's

Cut licorice in 1 1/2-inch pieces. If using twists, such as red vines, cut each 1 1/2-inch piece in fourths length-wise. If using string licorice, just pull apart 1 1/2-inch pieces. Carefully twist open cookie. Insert 4 pieces of cut licorice into the icing of each side of cookie to make legs. Push those legs into the icing pretty good and gently close the cookie. With frosting, attach 2 mini M & M's to top of each cookie for eyes.

Layered Drinks

Layered Drinks
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

There is only one word for layered drinks -- FUN!  Kids are crazy about these, and every adult I've served layered drinks to has loved them, too.  Plus, you know me... I love easy, quick ways to make special occasions even more special.  I featured a red, white and blue drink for the Fourth of July, but these drinks are great for baby showers, birthday parties, summer barbecues... you name it!  Have fun and let us all know what combination of drinks turned out well for you.

Directions:
Choose 2-3 drinks with different sugar contents for the layers (for example: 30 g sugar, 15 g sugar, 0 g sugar).  Now fill your cup with ice all the way to the top.  Pour the drink with the highest sugar content into the cup, filling it approximately one third full.  For the second layer, pour the second drink with the lower sugar content slowly through the ice to fill approximately the second third of the glass full.  Finally, pour the sugar-free or lowest sugar drink slowly through the ice until you've reached the top of the glass.  Enjoy!

(4th of July Layered Drink: Sobe Pina Colada, Gatorade Fruit Punch, G2 Blueberry-Pomegranate)

Bunny Buns

Bunny Buns are my new favorite Easter tradition!  We are going on year one, but I can just tell that this is something that will be a family favorite for years to come.  Do any of you get The Friend magazine for your kiddos?  This month there was a "Kitchen Crafts" recipe called Bunny Buns.  My two year old was obsessed with the picture, so I decided I'd better try them out.  I made them (swapping shortening for butter), and they turned out pretty good.  The bread is yummy.  It reminds me of an orange roll, but the glaze wasn't my favorite.  I put it on a few of the buns, and it reminded me of the glaze you get on cheap glazed donuts.  So I tried a cream cheese glaze, which was just okay and didn't look very pretty.  So I'm on the lookout for a better recipe.  Do any of you have a good glaze for an orange roll?

These rolls were such a hit with my two year old that I rolled some Rhodes dough (frozen dinner rolls) into the shape of bunnies again last night with dinner (pictured above).  It worked awesome!  I think the idea would probably work with any dough.  I plan to make some dinner rolls again in the shape of Bunny Buns to go with Easter dinner every year, and I'll probably make the orange rolls as a treat leading up to Easter.  Such a fun idea!

PS Don't forget about Easter Morning Rolls (AKA Resurrection Rolls) for breakfast on Sunday!

Bunny Buns (orange roll version - recipe below)

 

Bunny Buns
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup milk, warmed not quite to boiling
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening (I used 1/2 butter)
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tablespoons grated orange peel
5 1/2 cups flour

Glaze: 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup hot water, 1 teaspoon butter (not my fav... anyone have a better one?)

1. Wash hands with soap and water.2. Sprinkle yeast in the warm water and set aside.

3. In another bowl, blend milk, sugar, shortening, and salt. Cool until lukewarm, then add eggs, water with yeast, orange juice, and orange peel.

4. Stir in flour a few cups at a time to make a soft dough. Let stand for 10 minutes.

5. Knead dough 5–10 minutes on a lightly floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic (I used my Bosch for 5 minutes). Place it in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover bowl with a clean towel and put it in a warm place. Let dough rise for 2 hours, or until double in size. Punch dough down and let stand for 10 minutes.

6. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a rectangle 1/2 inch thick. Cut dough into strips 1/2 inch wide and 14 inches long. Roll between hands into rounded snake shapes. Cut one strip into pieces 1/2 inch long, and roll into balls.

7. Place one long piece of dough on a greased cookie sheet. Place one end of the strip over the other to make a loop; bring the end that is underneath up and cross it over the other end. Place a ball of dough on top of the bottom loop.

8. Cover bunnies and let rise in a warm place for 45–60 minutes, until nearly double in size. Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 12–15 minutes.

9. For the glaze, stir powdered sugar, water, and butter together. Frost bunnies with the glaze while they are still warm.

Stained Glass Cookies

These Stained Glass Cookies from The Sisters Cafe were featured in a Utah based newspaper this week, the Deseret News.  You can see the article and the published picture of our blog here:
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700108248/5-simple-and-sweet-creations-for-Valentines-Day-treats.html
These cute cookies definitely deserve the spotlight this Valentines!  Aren't they fun?!

I made a big batch of them this week so that I could give them away with the kids' Valentines when they exchange Valentines at their parties.

This Sunday I am teaching a lesson to the 12-18 year old girls ('Young Women') in our church, so I made one for each of them as well.  And the kids will give one to each of the Primary teachers.  Can you tell that I just love Valentines Day?  And having a darling Valentines treat to give away with my Valentines just doubles my fun!

Valentines Stained-Glass Cookies

Submitted by Erin ~ The Sisters Cafe

Originally posted on The Sisters Cafe in February of 2010

*You can use any roll-out sugar cookie recipe with this 'Stained Glass' idea. So if you have a favorite, go ahead and use it.*

Printable Recipe

1 stick butter, softened
½ c. sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 ½ cups flour
1 c. colored hard candies

Unwrap candies and double bag them. You may want to wrap the bag in a dish towel as well. Break the candies into small pieces with a mallet or rolling pin. Set aside.
Mix butter and sugar together until they are smooth. Add the egg and vanilla. Add flour and stir until combined. Take batter out of bowl and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
On a floured surface, roll out dough 1/3 at a time, to 1/3-inch thickness. Cut out cookies with heart shapes, then cut out the middles with smaller hearts.
Cover a cookie sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 4 minutes. Take out cookie sheet and carefully put candy pieces inside each heart cookie, filling the tips of the hearts. (Do not fill too full. The candy will melt and fill in the empty space. You want just a thin sheet of candy in the middle so it is still easy to eat.) Put cookies back in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the candy is melted and the dough is golden. Let sit for a few minutes before removing from foil, to allow the candy to harden.

Easy Pretzel Turtles

In our home, Monday night is reserved for Family Home Evening (FHE). We gather in our family room for an opening song and prayer, followed by a scripture and short gospel related lesson and some "talents" (aka a time to be the center of attention and show off). But the BEST part of the night for my children is the treats. FHE just wouldn't be complete without treats at the end. We switch off who is in charge of each of the components of FHE and getting to pick and make the treats is a favorite responsibility. These little pretzel turtles get chosen quite often. My boys LOVE these little guys. They taste great, come together in minutes and don't mess up the kitchen! "Easy peasy" as my 5 year old likes to say. :) My boys are not big fans of nuts, but let me tell you, pecans in place of the M&Ms taste amazing!! With only 3 ingredients, they are simple, fun and delicious! Perfect for a family home evening, after school snacks, treats for the neighbors, a party ...and the excuses to make them goes on and on!

Weekly Menu ideas here

Also, recently I taught a class on the importance of family dinner. Tomorrow I will post my class notes--full of ideas and tips that have worked for me, for stress-free family dinners here.

Easy Pretzel Turtles

Submitted by Melanie ~ The Sisters Cafe

Small Pretzels

Rolo candies

M&Ms or pecans

Preheat the oven to 350. Place small pretzels on a cookie sheet (I like to line it with parchment paper for super easy clean up). Top each pretzel with a rolo candy. Place in the oven for 3-4 minutes. The rolos will look shiny but still holding their shape. Remove from oven and push a M&M or pecan on top of each one. Let firm up for 5 minutes and enjoy!