Ritz Caterpillar

Ritz Caterpillar

5 ritz crackers

2 teaspoons peanut butter

1 teaspoon grape jelly, or any other flavor

10 pieces (1 inch each) shoestring licorice

2 small round candies

Spread 3 of the crackers with peanut butter; spread the remaining 2 crackers with jelly.

Arrange crackers alternately on serving tray to resemble caterpillar, overlapping crackers slightly.

Decorate with shoestring licorice and candies for the "caterpillar's legs", "antennae" and "eyes."

Tip: Substitute cream cheese spread for the peanut butter.

Recipe and picture from KraftRecipes.com

Caterpillar Cupcake

Caterpillar Cupcake

1 box devil's food or yellow cake mix

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

1 container (12 ounce) whipped fluffy white frosting

Gel-paste food colors (green, yellow, light blue, and red)

2 mini candy canes (or substitute licorice sticks or pretzel sticks)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 28 cups of standard muffin tins and 1 cup of a jumbo muffin tin with paper liners. Divide batter evenly among prepared cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until tops are firm to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

Tint frosting with green gel-paste food color and frost tops of cupcakes.

To make the head, pipe two yellow dots for the eyes on top of jumbo cupcake, then pipe tiny white dots for pupils. Using a skewer or toothpick, poke two holes above eyes, and insert mini candy canes into holes for antennae. Use red buttercream to pipe the mouth. Pipe dots all over other half of cupcake, alternating between yellow and pale-blue buttercreams. Continue to pipe yellow and blue dots all over remaining cupcakes, then pipe tiny white dots on top of each. Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow frosting to set. Cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at room temperature in airtight containers.

Arrange 12 standard cupcakes side by side in a curving line, with the jumbo cupcake at the front. Serve remaining cupcakes as desired.

Picture and recipe adapted from MarthaStewart.com

The Cherry Hungry Caterpillar

The Cherry Hungry Caterpillar

Bing cherries

Cream cheese

Decorators' gel

Use dabs of cream cheese to attach six bing cherries in a curved line.

Sandwich cherry-stem antennae between the front two cherries.

For eyes, roll two small balls of cream cheese, press them flat onto the head cherry, and top with decorators' gel pupils. Be sure to warn snackers about the cherry pits.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Banana Caterpillar

Banana Caterpillar

2 medium bananas

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup flaked coconut

4 raisins

6 thin pretzel sticks

Peel and slice each banana into 10 segments. Assemble "caterpillar" by spreading segments with peanut butter and pressing pieces together.

Sprinkle half of coconut over each "caterpillar" and press lightly with fingertips to coat. Use additional peanut butter to press raisins on one end to form "eyes." Break pretzel sticks into small pieces for "legs" and "antenna."

Recipe and picture from TLC Cooking

The Very Tasty Caterpillar

The Very Tasty Caterpillar

Store bought pizza dough (half a bag)

2 white button mushrooms, sliced

Olive oil for brushing

Toppings, such as peppers, carrots, olives, fresh basil and pepperoni

Sauce of your choice (ie: pesto and tomato)

Mozzarella (cut into disks with a biscuit cutter)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet so that it extends slightly beyond each end. If needed, let the dough rise according to the package directions. Divide the dough into 15 one-inch balls and combine 3 balls to make the head. Dust your hands with flour, then arrange the balls on the cookie sheet and flatten them slightly with your palms.

Press the mushroom slices under the dough for legs, as shown. Brush the dough and mushrooms with olive oil, then bake until the dough is starting to crisp around the edges, about 10 minutes.

While the dough bakes, create the caterpillar features from your choice of topping (ie: green peppers and carrots).

Remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Using the parchment paper as a carrier, lift the caterpillar off the cookie sheet and set it on a wire rack. When it's cool, paint the surface with sauce and arrange the Mozzarella and toppings. Again using the parchment, set the caterpillar back on the cookie sheet and bake it until the cheese is just starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Let it cool slightly, slice, and serve.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com