Apple Teacher

Apple Teacher

1 large marshmallow

1 red or golden delicious apple

2 rops black or red licorice

2 teaspoons flaked coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla frosting

2 miniature chocolate chips

1 maraschino cherry

For head, secure marshmallow to apple with a toothpick. Cut licorice into two 1-1/2 inch long pieces for arms and two 3 inch pieces for legs. Secure arms and legs to apple with toothpick halves. For hair, combine 2 drops yellow food coloring and 3 drops water in a small resealable bag. Add coconut; toss to coat.

Spread a small amount of frosting on top of marshmallow. Press coconut hair in place. Dip chocolate chips in frosting; insert into marshmallow for eyes. Cut a wedge of cherry into a smile; dip in frosting and place on marshmallow.

Recipe and picture from TasteOfHome.com

Stop and Go Cookie Pops

Stop and Go Cookie Pops

1 sugar cookie mix

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

About 30 each red, yellow and green candy coated chocolate candies

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, egg and flour until soft dough forms.

On floured surface, roll dough about 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough into 3x1 inch rectangles, using pastry wheel or knife. Insert 1 inch of wooden stick into a 1 inch side of cookie. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cookies 2 inches apart.

Bake 7-9 minutes or until eges are light brown. Immediately preess red, yellow and green candies into each cookie. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooking racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Recipe and picture from BettyCrocker.com

School of Fish

School of Fish

Dried apricots

Mini pretzels

Cream cheese

Mini chocolate chips

For each fish, slit one end of a dried apricot and insert the bottom of a mini pretzel. Pinch the apricot around the pretzel to hold it in place.

For a fish eye, pipe on a small dot of cream cheese and press a mini chocolate chipe, tip down, into the cream cheese.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Chew on Your Pencil

Chew on Your Pencil

Cheese sticks

1/2-inch thick slices of bologna

Mustard

Bugles corn snacks

Raisins

For each pencil, cut off one end of a cheese stick so that it’s flat. Use a paring knife or apple corer to cut a 3/4-inch circle out of the bologna.

Dab one end of the circle into the mustard, then attach it to the flat end of the cheese stick.

Snap off the end of a Bugle so that its edges are even, and gently press it onto the other end of the cheese stick. Slide half a raisin onto the Bugle for the pencil tip.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

School Bus Cake

School Bus Cake

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup shortening

8-9 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons black paste or gel food coloring

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon yellow paste or liquid food coloring

2 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, cut in half

2 yellow gumdrops

6 red gumdrops

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour batter into two greased 8x4-inch loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to a wire rack to cool completely.

Place cakes end to end on a 22x8-inch covered board. Level if needed. From the top of one end, form the front of the bus by cutting out a section 1 inch deep and 3 inches long.

For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter and shortening until fluffy. Add 6 cups confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla and salt; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining confectioners’ sugar until desired consistency is reached.

Tint 3/4 cup frosting with black food coloring; set aside. Tint remaining frosting yellow. Frost top and sides of cake with yellow frosting. Frost cut edge of cookies with yellow frosting to form wheel wells; place two cookie halves on each side of bus.

Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert a round tip. Fill the bag with black frosting. Outline windows on both sides of bus; pipe stripes under windows. Pipe windshield and back window; fill in with black frosting. Pipe lines on front of grille. Place yellow gumdrops on front of bus for headlights; place red gumdrops on front and back for lights.

Recipe and picture from TasteOfHome.com