Faux French Fries

Faux French Fries

1 package of plain, prepared breadstick dough

Sugar

White envelope

Seedless strawberry jam

Begin by unrolling the dough and separating the breadsticks. Use kitchen scissors to cut them into 1/4-inch-wide sticks.

Roll all the sticks in sugar, then bake them on a cookie sheet according to the package directions or until golden brown (about 8 minutes). Leave them on the tray until they're cool.

Make this mix-up even more fun by putting the fries in a fast-food fry sleeve (the cutoff end of a sealed envelope; about 2-1/2 inches deep) and serving them with a side of "ketchup" (jam whisked with a fork to a smooth consistency).

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Faux Fish Sticks

Faux Fish Sticks

Cornflakes

Sugar wafer cookies

Peanut butter

Green taffy candy (ie: green apple AirHeads)

Seedless strawberry jam

For the fish sticks, place a couple of handfuls of cornflakes in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Cover 2 sugar wafer cookies with peanut butter, then toss them in the cornflake crumbs to coat.

For the peas, tear off and roll small pieces of the taffy candy into balls. If the taffy is too stiff to work with, microwave it for about 6 seconds.

For the ketchup, use a fork to stir a few teaspoons of the jam until it's smooth.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Faux Grilled Cheese

Faux Grilled Cheese

Pound cake

1 cup buttercream or white frosting

Yellow and red food coloring

Cut the pound cake into bread-like slices and toast them in a toaster oven just until they turn golden brown. Once they've cooled for a few minutes, stack two slices for each sandwich and cut the stack in half diagonally (slicing the sandwich before you fill it makes for fewer crumbs).

Now tint the frosting by stirring in a few drops of yellow and red food coloring (more yellow than red) to get a shade of orange that resembles American cheese.

Carefully spread frosting between the slices of each half sandwich. If you mound the frosting on one slice, then top it with the other and gently press down, the frosting will ooze out a bit and look all the more like melted cheese.

Yield: Makes one sandwich

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Faux Fried Marshmallow Egg

Faux Fried Marshmallow Egg

2 teaspoons butter

12 marshmallows

2 dried whole apricots

Place a piece of aluminum foil on a flat working surface and then grease the surface of the foil with 1 teaspoon of the butter.

In a small saucepan, melt the second teaspoon of butter over low heat. As soon as it has melted, add the marshmallows to the pan and turn up the heat to medium-low. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the marshmallows are completely melted and have just started to bubble.

Immediately remove the pan from the heat and spoon the melted marshmallow, in 2 separate blobs, onto the greased foil. You have to work fast, before the marshmallow begins to solidify again. Tip: When spooning the melted marshmallow onto the greased foil, work quickly, using the back of the spoon to spread out the "egg white" a bit.

Shape 2 dried whole apricots and gently press each one, round side up, into the center of a marshmallow blob. Tip: To make a dried apricot look just like a dome-shaped egg yolk, use your thumbs to push the center of the fruit until it is concave.

When the marshmallow has set enough to hold together, but before it stiffens too much, use a spatula to transfer the eggs to a breakfast plate. Tip: Once the candy eggs have set, insert a plastic spatula beneath each one and, at the same time, use your fingers to gently peel the marshmallow from the foil.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Make 'n Eat Picture

1 roll (0.5 ounces) fruit roll-ups chewy fruit snack (any yellow variety)

1 roll (0.5 ounces) fruit roll-ups chewy fruit snack (any blue variety)

White decorating icing (from 4.25 ounce tube)

1/4 to 1/3 cup cheerios cereal

6 to 8 raisins

1 small paper flag, if desired

1 roll (0.5 ounces) fruit roll-ups chewy fruit snack (any red variety)

Unroll and flatten yellow fruit snack roll. Place on sheet of waxed paper for background of picture.

Unroll and flatten blue fruit snack roll. Cut into 2 unequal pieces to look like large wave and small wave. Attach large wave to yellow background with decorating icing.

Spread about 2 tablespoons icing into a triangle on yellow background just above large wave. Arrange cereal and raisins on icing to look like mast and sail. Attach flag to top of mast with dot of icing.

Unroll and flatten red fruit snack roll. Cut into shape of boat. Attach boat with icing to large wave. Attach small wave to bottom of boat with icing.

Tip: You don't have to make a boat. Try creating a page from your favorite storybook instead.

Recipe and picture from BettyCrocker.com

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

Hot Rod Dog

1 beef frank

1 hot dog bun, split

1 little wiener

1 tablespoon cheese dip

1 cherry tomato

9 small pretzel sticks

1/2 of a tomato slice

1 cheese single

2 teaspoons ketchup

2 stuffed green olives

4 dill sandwich pickle slices

1 ritz cracker

2 green onion slices

1 pitted black olive slice

Heat frank as directed on package or grill until heated through. Place frank in bun to form the lower part of the "driver's body". Place little wiener upright at one end of the frank to form the upper part of the driver's body, using cheese dip to secure pieces. Attach cherry tomato to top of the little wiener with pretzel stick to form the "driver's head."

Place tomato slice upright at one end of sandwich, in front of the driver, to resemble the windshield, attaching to frank with a dab of cheese dip. Place cheese single over the frank, in front of the windshield, to form the "hood." Decorate with ketchup.

Add green olives to front of hood for the "headlights," using 2 of the pretzel sticks, then attach pickle slices with 4 of the pretzel sticks to both sides of the bun for "wheels." Add the cracker for the "steering wheel."

Attach the white parts of the green onion to the driver's head with a dab of cheese dip to resemble the goggles. Attach ripe olive slice, cut in half, to driver's head, using dab of cheese dip, to form "smile." Cut remaining half of olive slice crosswise in half for the "eyebrows." Attach remaining 2 pretzel sticks to both sides of little wiener for the "arms."

Recipe and picture from KraftFoods.com

Ladybug Ladybug Fly Away Home

I must admit that I do not understand this cruel nursery rhyme; however, these ritz crackers turn into a mighty cute ladybug.

Ladybug Ladybug

4 ritz crackers

2 teaspoons cream cheese spread

1/4 teaspoon jelly

4 pieces black shoestring licorice (1 inch each)

Spread each of 2 crackers with 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese spread. Cut remaining crackers in half.

Insert cut-sides of cracker halves, at a slight angle, into cream cheese spread to form the "ladybugs' wings."

Place small drops of jelly on wings for the ladybugs' spots." Add licorice for the "antennae."

Recipe and picture from KraftFoods.com

Snail Snack

The video shows up in the edit section but since the video is not showing up on the blog, click here to check it out.

From FamilyFun.go.com

Rainy Day Cloud Nines

1/2 pint heavy cream

Few grains salt

1 teaspoon pineapple juice

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups mini marshmallows

Fresh or canned pineapple slices

In a chilled stainless steel mixing bowl, combine the heavy cream, salt, pineapple juice and vanilla extract. Whip until soft peaks form. Fold in the mini marshmallows, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The marshmallows will sweeten the cream as it sets.)

Just before serving, trim the outer edges of the pineapple slices to resemble sun rays. Place each pineapple slice in the center of a plate and top with a generous dollop of marshmallow cream.

Yield: Serves 6-8

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Green Eggs and Ham

Green Eggs and Ham

1-2 tablespoons butter

4 slices ham

8 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1-2 drops of green food coloring

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Melt a teaspoon butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add sliced ham and brown until edges are slightly crisp. Remove the ham from the pan, cover with aluminum foil, and set aside.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Beat with a whisk until frothy. Then add 1-2 drops of green food coloring until you reach the desired shade of green.

Heat a tablespoon butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until the butter begins to sizzle. Then add the egg mixture to the pan.

Stir the egg mixture with a spatula until the eggs are firm and not too runny.

Transfer the eggs to individual plates. Garnish with a sprig of parsley. Add the ham prepared earlier. Serve with toast or warm rolls.

Recipe and picture from Seussville.com

Pot O' Gold Cupcakes

Pot O' Gold Cupcakes

Jenae over at I Can Teach My Child made the cutest Pot O' Gold Cupcakes. Click here to head over there to check out the step by step directions.

Picture from ICanTeachMyChild.com

Shamrock Sammies

Shamrock Sammies

Loaf of white bread

2 containers whipped cream cheese

American cheese slices

Cilantro or your favorite green vegetable

Cutting out bread with a cookie cutter can be a difficult task. Here's a handy tip that will help you: freeze the bread first! The cookie cutter will go right through the bread, giving you a nice clean edge. It also helps you spread your topping more easily. Since bread thaws so quickly, it'll be soft again in no time at all.

Cut one-third of a shamrock shape from half of a slice of cheese and place it on top of the left edge of the cream cheese-coated bread. On the other side, sprinkle your cilantro or other green. Leave the center white and you are left with a shamrock with the colors of the Irish flag. Arrange shamrocks in a single layer on plates or a large tray, and serve.

Recipe and picture from ChristmasTimeClipart.com

Shamrock Cakes

Shamrock Cakes

Cut a prebaked pound cake into 1-inch slices. Cut each slice with a shamrock-shaped cookie cutter. Microwave an open container of vanilla frosting just until you can pour it, about 10 seconds, and tint green with food coloring. Place shamrocks on a wire rack over a sheet of wax paper. Pour frosting over shamrock slices. Sprinkle edges with green crystal sugar. Let shamrocks set 5 minutes before transferring to serving plate.

Recipe and picture from Parents Magazine

Blarney Stone Cupcakes

Blarney Stone Cupcakes

24 chocolate mint chip cupcakes baked in green paper liners
1 cup vanilla frosting, divided
Green and black food coloring
1/2 cup green decorating sugars
24 spearmint leaves
6 breakfast treats
1 can (16 ounces) chocolate frosting
1 1/2 cups ground chocolate cookies


Tint 1/4 cup of the vanilla frosting bright green. Spoon into a small ziplock bag. Press out the air, seal and set aside.

Break the breakfast treats into 12 small uneven pieces. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper and place a wire rack on top.

Tint the remaining 3/4 cup vanilla frosting with a drop of black food coloring to make gray. Microwave in a 1 cup microwaveable measuring cup, stirring frequently, until it is the texture of lightly whipped cream, about 25 seconds total. Drop several breakfast treat pieces into the frosting and stir to coat completely. Use a fork to remove pieces, allowing the excess to drain back into the cup, and transfer to the prepared wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until set.

To make the shamrocks, sprinkle the work surface with the green sugar. Press 2 spearmint leaves together and roll out with a rolling pin, coating with more sugar as necessary, to make a 4 inch circle about 1/16 inch thick. Repeat with the remaining spearmint leaves and sugar. Use a 1-1/4 inch heart shaped cookie cutter and cut out 3 heart shapes from each flattened disc (you can also cut them out free-form using a paring knife or scissors, just make the hearts about 1-1/4 inches high). Cut a 1-1/2 inch stem from the scraps. Reroll scraps and cut out an additional heart to make 4 leaf clovers. Pinch the pointed end of each heart shape to make the cloverleaf shapes.

Spoon the chocolate cookie crumbs into a small shallow bowl. Spread the tops of the cupcakes with the chocolate frosting and smooth. Roll the edges of the cupcakes in the cookie crumbs. Arrange 3 to 4 green candy petals on top of 12 of the cupcakes, pointed end in center. Add a green stem. Transfer 2 of the chilled gray dipped breakfast treats on top of each of the remaining cupcakes. Sprinkle with additional cookie crumbs. Snip a small (1/8 inch) corner from the bag with the green frosting. Pipe pulled dots to make patches of grass in random areas next to the blarney stones.

Recipe and picture from HelloCupcakeBook.com

Awesome Alien Cupcakes

1 box (18.25 ounces) devil's food or yellow cake mix

Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

6 cups Kix cereal

3 tablespoons butter

4 cups miniature marshmallows

1/4 teaspoon orange neon gel or paste food color (from 2.7 ounce tube)

48 gummy peach ring candies (from three 4.25 ounce bags)

48 candy-coated chocolate candies

Black decorating gel (from 0.68 ounce tube)

48 thin pretzel sticks

20 drops green food color

1 container (12 ounce) whipped fluffy white frosting

Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.

Bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes, using water, oil and eggs. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, line 2 cookie sheets with waxed paper. In large bowl, place cereal.

In 4-quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows; stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in orange food color. Pour marshmallow mixture over cereal in bowl, stirring until well coated.

For feet, place 2 gummy candies on cookie sheet. Spray inside of 1/4-cup measuring cup with cooking spray. For body, fill measuring cup with warm cereal mixture; place over feet, releasing cereal mixture and covering back half of feet. Repeat with remaining gummy candies and cereal mixture to make 24 aliens. Use 2 candy-coated chocolate candies for eyes and black decorating gel to make centers of eyes. Insert 2 pretzels for antennae.

Stir green food color into frosting container; frost cupcakes with frosting. Place 1 alien on top of each cupcake; press gently to secure. Store uncovered at room temperature.

Recipe and picture from BettyCrocker.com

Funny Face Desserts

2 cups cold milk

1 package (4-serving size) vanilla flavor instant pudding

Decorations, such as miniature marshmallows, chocolate chips, shoestring licorice, worm-shaped chewy fruit snacks or other assorted decorations

Pour milk into medium bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended.

Spoon pudding evenly into 4 dessert dishes or plastic or paper cups. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

Make faces on pudding with decorations just before serving.

Tips

-Use cut-up fresh fruit such as strawberries, blueberries and banana slices to make the funny faces on these adorable desserts.

-Omit milk and pudding mix. Prepare any flavor gelatin as directed on package. Pour into cups as directed. Refrigerate several hours or until set. Decorate as directed.

Recipe and picture from KraftFoods.com

Kid Friendly Snacks

Hedgehog Cake

1 package (8 ounces) Neufchatel cheese, softened

6 squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted

2 tablespoons sugar

1-1/2 cups thawed whipped topping

18 chocolate chip cookies, divided

2 bars (3.52 ounces each) Toblerone swiss milk chocolate with honey and almond nougat, broken into triangles

4 dried apricots

2 white chocolate chips

2 pieces shoestring licorice (2-1/2 inches each)

1 jelly bean

Beat Neufchatel cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add melted chocolate and sugar; mix well. Gently stir in whipped topping. Remove 1 tablespoon of the Neufchatel cheese mixture for later use; spread small amount of the remaining cream cheese mixture between each of 16 of the cookies to form two logs of 8 cookies each.

Place logs, side-by-side, on serving platter for the "hedgehog's body." Add remaining 2 cookies to one end for the "face". Spread face and body with remaining Neufchatel mixture until completely covered.

Cut each apricot to resemble a foot with claws; attach to the body with the reserved Neufchatel cheese mixture. Press chocolate triangles into the "body" to resemble quills. Decorate with white chocolate chips for the "eyes," jelly bean for the "nose" and licorice for the "whiskers." Store in refrigerator.

Tips

-Prepare cookie logs and spread with the Neufchatel mixture as directed. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Remove from refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving, then decorate as directed.

-How to serve: Remove chocolate triangles, then cut dessert vertically in half. Cut each half into eight pieces. Top each piece with 2 chocolate triangles.

Recipe and picture from KraftFoods.com

Whooo wants a cookie?

Owl Cookies

1 tube (18 ounces) refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

18 yellow candy coating disks

18 semisweet chocolate chips

9 pieces candy corn

In a large bowl, beat cookie dough and flour until combined. Set aside 4-1/2 teaspoons of dough for the ears. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls into nine mounds 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Coat the bottom of a glass with cooking spray; flatten dough with glass to about 1/8-inch thickness.

Position two candy coating disks on each cookie for eyes. Place a chocolate chip on each disk. Use 1/4 teaspoon of reserved dough to shape each ear; position on top of head.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately position a piece of candy corn on each cookie for beak. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Yield: 9 cookies

Picture and recipe from TasteOfHome.com

Flower Power

Flower Power

Cut red pepper into long strips while tapering off one end to form a "petal" shape. Arrange in a circle with a bowl of ranch dressing in the middle. Place a green onion as the flower "stem".

Recipe and picture from Parents Magazine

Bug Bites

Bug Bites

Wings

Cut a cherry tomato in half. Place one half cut side down and partially slice so it's still intact at the top. Spread it apart and attach it to a cucumber slice or chunk with low-fat cream cheese. Place olive pieces on tomatoes with more cream cheese.

Face

Place a pitted black olive horizontally against the tomato. Put on dots of cream cheese and olive pieces for the eyes.

Antennae

Poke two small holes in the top of the olive. Insert chive stems. Add carrots under the tomato for legs.

Place entire "bug" on halved cucumber.

Recipe and picture from Parents Magazine

Time to Eat Your Vegetables

Veggie Clock

2 grape tomatoes, halved

8 thin slices of yellow squash

2 spears of asparagus

1 olive, halved

Use tomato halves as the "12, 3, 6 and 9" numbers with slices of yellow squash as remaining numbers. Asparagus spears are used as "hands" while the halved olive will become the eyes on the clock.

Recipe and picture from Parents Magazine

Corn Flowers

Corn Flowers

Slice a cooked ear of corn horizontally into pieces that are four rows wide. The kernels will look like petals. Push in a lollipop stick for the stem. Stick "flower" into half a zucchini put inside a small flower pot.

Recipe and picture from Parents Magazine