What is more, they look super cute on the festive table. And it sure feels like we’re on vacation!

It’s only April but here I am dreaming of the beach.  I guess I’ll have to eat a Pudding Sand Cup instead…

What do you need to make this Pudding sand cups recipe?

In fact, these are so easy to make, you will need no more than 10 minutes tops. In addition to the ingredients in the recipe, you will need small cups and some more decorations such as cocktail umbrellas. You can find these in the party section of your grocery store or a party supplies store. 

Remember that you make these for the grandkids, so they don’t have to be in large cups. They will be a hit at your beach-themed party!

These pudding sand cups are:

• easy to make 
• tasty 
• don’t require any special skills
• summery snack
• creamy

Make a Pudding sand cups recipe for your beach-themed party

To begin with, planning and organizing a party for the little ones can be a difficult task. If it is possible, begin preparations the month before to be sure you won’t miss anything. 

Make a party plan, choose the theme, cake, decorations, and schedule the activities and games for the grandkids. Make a food menu, and organize it all in a folder on your tablet. It helps the party to be less stressful for you.  

Helpful tips:

• You can crush the biscuits in a food processor or a ziplock bag using a rolling pin.
• Feel free to use the candy you already have.
• Instead of gummy bears, you can use different types of summer-themed treats.

What do you need to make the perfect beach-themed party?

Save on time and stress by choosing the theme first. If you decide on a beach theme party, start with the cake and then plan the decorations for the room and the table. You should include the theme colors in the appetizers, desserts, and other tasty treats you serve.

For your party you will need:

• Party theme
• Invitations
• Cake
• Food menu
• Table and room decorations
• Fun games and activities for the grandkids

What is more, make sure you send out the invitations a few weeks in advance. For more excitement, grandkids can get involved in making the invitations and get crafty. They can make the invitations by using paper, pencils, stickers, and other craft supplies. 

Write a list of all the beach-themed items you want to include at your beach party:

• seashells
• starfish
• sand
• beach or pool
• umbrellas
• fish
• boats
• palm trees
• pineapples
• flamingos
• beach balls

Make super funny food names and put labels on the table

Would you like to try these pudding sand cups with bears? Or some beach party dip? How about a starfish sandwich? Come up with cute and amusing names for the tasty treats and label them.

Put the labels on the table. It will make the party a lot more fun! Even the picky-eaters will be enjoying this party food!

Try some of these ideas:

• Starfish sandwiches
• Swimming teddy bear dip
• Bikini beach bear cupcakes
• Beach party pops
• Surfing bear cupcakes

Plan the party outside

Grandkids need to be outside to get more Vitamin D. Also, to have more space for running and expressing their excitement. They need to play outdoors for at least 30 minutes a day. This party will give them lots of reasons to stay in the sun and have fun.

Easy-to-make party food snacks

Party food should be related to the topic. And it is great to have beach theme shapes and decorations, too. Get creative in the kitchen! Search the internet for some party food ideas and create them with the products you want to use. 

We have many recipes on our blog where your grandkids can help make the food item. This Pudding Sand Cups Recipe is no different. I’ve mentioned before that these are my favorite kind of treat to make because it keeps my little ones busy for a bit in the kitchen and then they always love to eat what they make. Just wait until they see this!

In addition to our Pudding Sand Cups recipe, here’s another “beach” type snack that I have made many times with my littles and they love it! It’s our Beach Theme Fruit Dip and it’s always a hit!

With summer quickly approaching, you may want to grab some of the ingredients for this recipe so that you have everything on hand. I know that my refrigerator is often sparse because there is just my husband and me at home. We don’t eat that much. 

Our little 6-year-old granddaughter was here the other day, and she opened our refrigerator, and then she said “Grammy, now I know why you and Pa come to our house for Sunday dinner because you don’t have a lot of food!”

I may not have a lot of food. But I do have lots of things to make recipes for with my grandkids. I guess I better go to the store and get some pudding! Using instant puddings makes this recipe an easy one. So let’s get started! 

Print

Pudding Sand Cups Recipe

Kids of all ages love to make this Pudding Sand Cups Recipe. Using instant puddings makes it so easy!

Course Snack

Keyword Pudding Sand Cups

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Chill time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author WritersID2

Ingredients

• 1-2 pkg small box (3.4 oz) instant vanilla or white chocolate pudding mix
• 2 cups cold milk
• 1 tub 8 oz whipped topping (thawed)
• Blue Food Coloring
• 6-8 Golden Oreos, crushed
• Gummy sea creatures, stars or shells
• Teddy Bear Grahams

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, add cold milk
• Sprinkle pudding over top and whisk until well combined
• Add food coloring and mix well
  
• Place in refrigerator about 10 minutes or until set
• Fold in whipped topping until well combined
  
• Add to glasses or cups
  
• Place in refrigerator 20 minutes to chill
• Crush cookies in food processor or resealable plastic bag until fine
• Sprinkle on top
• Add your gummy sea creatures and Teddy Bear Grahams
  

Notes

You can adapt this recipe to a "dirt cup" recipe by following the same recipe but using these ingredients:

 

1-2 small box (3.4 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups milk
1 tub (8 oz) whipped topping, thawed

10-12 regular Oreo cookies, crushed
Gummy worms

 

How to make table and room decorations for the beach-themed party?

It is no surprise that the general color is blue. You can combine it with white and other bright colors for accent. White table cloths will make your dishes and decorations more visible. 

For the perfect beach themed-party provide:

• decorative fishnet wall hanging
• fish and boat ornaments
• seashells centerpiece for the table
• white table cloth
• beach signs
• colorful balloons
• a small pool with inflatable fish and boats

For the table setting, you may use a blue scarf or organza fabric to drape in the center of the table. Put decorations on the top. For example, seashells, and boats. Stretch a fishing net across the table cloth or hang it on the wall. Use blue napkins and straws. You can even put an umbrella on each straw to make it more fun!

Fun party activities for the grandkids

Thirty minutes for each game is enough for the grandkids to have fun and then move on to the next activity. Plan some quiet games, too, such as puzzles or board games. This way grandchildren won’t be exhausted before the cake arrives.

You can give all the grandkids some beach-theme items like goggles, sunglasses, flippers. Make them participate in the beach-themed photo booth wearing them and take photos.

For instance, hide some beach-themed items somewhere in the garden and organize a scavenger hunt. Grandkids will be having a lot of fun while finding them. Leave clues in different places and watch them playing. 

Schedule different beach-themed party activities, such as:

• scavenger hunt
• decorating seashells
• craft with tropical items
• beach-themed photo booth
• make a beach-themed sensory bottle
• catching fish in the small pool with inflatable fish

Get some seashells, paint, glitter, and get crafty. The grandkids can make their painted seashells and take them home as a gift from the party. 

Besides, we have already shown you how to make a sensory bottle in some of our blog posts. You can use this idea as a great party activity. 

Provide bottles, cooking oil, paint, glitter, different seashells, and window stickers. Grandkids will have fun while making their ocean-filled bottles. Homemade toys are great for developing grandchildren’s skills. 

These activities will create meaningful conversations and lots of long-lasting memories. And most importantly, grandkids will be having fun!

Healthy party food

Create a well-balanced and healthy menu for the party. Include vital nutrients such as proteins, carbs, and healthy fats. Minimize using sugar as much as possible. Substitute it with fresh fruit. 

Here is what you can do to make your party food healthier:

• Why not go sugar-free? Grandkids won’t be able to tell if you use sweeteners instead of sugar. But it will make it much healthier. Try stevia or erythritol. You can use sugar-free chocolate, too. 
• Instead of artificial food coloring, put some blue spirulina. It will make the pudding the desirable blue color. 
• Make sure you have lots of colorful fresh fruit on the table. Bright colors will attract the grandkids, and they would want to have some.

In fact, cooking food at home is always a better option to make it organic or eliminating food coloring and artificial food enhancement agents. If you decide to buy prepackaged food, make sure it contains less sugar and no preservatives. 

Allergy-friendly Pudding sand cups recipe variation

When you gather more grandchildren together for a party, you have to consider whether some of them have food allergies or not. Make sure your food is allergy-free. Use dairy-free milk to make the recipe lactose-free and vegan. 

Why not make a homemade ”biscuit sand” for the Pudding sand cups? Use a gluten-free mix of flour and add sweetener to make it tasty.

For example, you can mix equal quantities of buckwheat flour and gluten-free oat flour with some erythritol to make it sweet. There are gluten-free crackers or biscuits you can use, too. 

The bottom line

How to throw the perfect beach theme party for your grandkids? We have you covered with tips and ideas to make your occasion memorable. Everyone will love these delicious and cute Pudding sand cups.

Not only are these easy to make but also look super cute on your party table. Your grandkids will be looking forward to the party! 

Moreover, get them involved in making the invitations and even the Pudding sand cups. They will be so excited to take part in the whole preparations! It is an affordable and money-saving idea for a sweet treat that will take your party to the next level! 

Are you already enjoying our pudding sand cups recipe? You have to check out these other posts, too:

• 23 ideas for a beach staycation
• 16 healthy kid snacks
• 31 easy pirate ideas
• 16 nautical DIY projects
• Quick and easy DIY seashell artwork

The post Pudding Sand Cups Recipe appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Turning a holiday into any kind of party is my favorite thing to do with my grandkids. Just some little extra touches can make holidays very memorable for little ones.  This Halloween Drink is a perfect example. 

On a scale of 1-10 for easiness, I would have to say this scores a 1, being super easy but delivers a 10 as far as “wow” power for little kids.

Print

Halloween Drink

Course Drink

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 minute minute

Total Time 6 minutes minutes

Servings 2 -8

Author TGIF - This Grandma Is Fun

Ingredients

• Fun Halloween bottles or cups
• Sports drink gatorade or other fruit juice
• Lemon-lime soda
• Orange or Lime Sherbet
• Optional Additions
• Gummy candy

Instructions

• Add scoops of sherbet to glass
• 
• Pour sports drink over sherbet until glass is about ¾ full
• 
• Fill the rest of the glass with lemon-lime soda
• 
• Add in gummy candies if you desire
• Some fun straws make a great addition!
• 

Notes

This can also be made into large batches for parties

You can use some plastic halloween cups that you can purchase from The Dollar Tree.  Or you can also grab these glass milk bottles below.  They are great to use for other holidays.

Just add some cute stickers and you are ready to go! 

And if you are looking for another drink recipe for Halloween, we’ve got some fun ones for you right here:

Polyjuice Potion

Bloody Shirley Temples

Halloween Hot Chocolate

The Bloody Shirley Temples are great for older kids.  I can promise that they will want to help make their own and won’t soon forget that they drank their Halloween Drink with hospital syringes! 

Happy Halloween!

The post Halloween Drink appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

These Mummy Calzones would have captured their attention and got them to eat before the sugar rush came!

Although this looks fancy, it is easier to make than you think.  I encourage you to try it as I know your kids will gobble it up and it will get some good food in their tummies before Halloween.  Just look.  It only takes about 15 minutes to prepare!

Print

Mummy Calzones

Course Dinner

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 -6

Author Mummy Calzones

Ingredients

• Pizza dough refrigerated or homemade
• ¼ cup pizza sauce
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
• 1 egg for egg wash
• 1 black olive for eyes optional
• Cooked Sausage
• Pepperoni
• Cooked Bacon
• Any other favorite pizza toppings

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Roll pizza dough out onto large cookie sheet
• 
• Using a small spatula for guidelines, cut strips on both long sides of dough, leaving 2-3 inches in the center uncut
• 
• Spoon pizza sauce down the center
• 
• Add cheese
• 
• Then add pizza toppings and more cheese
• 
• Wrap the calzone beginning at the bottom and slightly criss crossing and overlapping the dough
• 
• In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water
• Brush egg wash over pizza dough
• 
• Bake for 25-30 or until golden brown
• Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes
• To serve as Mummy for Halloween, slice black olive to make eyes
• 

We promise that this will be a “Yummy Mummy” that your kids will love!

Here are two more SUPER fun Halloween recipes!

Bloody Shirley Temples

Halloween Hot Chocolate

The post Mummy Calzones appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

And sprinkles.  You can’t go wrong with a few sprinkles.  Seriously I think kids will eat just about anything if you throw some sprinkles on it. The sprinkles on these Apple Donuts just make it a win-win.  So here we go:

Items Needed:  Apples, cream cheese (we like the whipped cream cheese, but you can also use regular), food coloring (optional) an apple corer or pastry tip and…..sprinkles!

Instructions:

1.  Wash and dry your apples. Then slice the apples so they are about 3/4 inches thick.  We did not peel our apples but you may do so if you have picky apple eaters.

2. Using an apple corer or pastry tip, cut a hole in the middle of the apples to remove the  core.

3. Color your whipped (or regular) cream cheese until you’ve reached the color you desire. We used neon food coloring for these apples. Spread cream cheese on the apples.

4.  Add your sprinkles and then let your kids enjoy these healthy “donuts!”

I love this snack because it’s better for my grandkids but they still think Grandma makes “fun” things! 

Enjoy!

Oh my! Take a look at this other GREAT idea for a healthy snack for your kids!

Charcuterie Snack Tray for kids

A big thanks to Hello Wonderful for this fun idea!

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There’s still time to sit out on the patio on a warm summer night enjoying barbecued food and watching the stars.  Autumn is my absolute favorite season but I still want summer to linger for a while.

Another great thing about corn on the cob is that most kids will eat it.  The other night we barbecued at my daughters house and my three year old grandson ate 2 1/2 ears of corn!  Now that’s a win-win for vegetables!

We’ve got super easy instructions on how to add this easy grilled corn on the cob to your barbecue line-up.  Here we go:

Print

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Course Vegetables

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6 -12

Author This Grandma Is Fun

Ingredients

• Corn
• Butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• Parsley or Chives for garnish

Instructions

• Heat grill to medium high
• Remove some of the husks (but not all) to make grilling easier, leave the husk intact though to prevent corn from drying when it’s grilled
• 
• Trim the silks and remove the stalk with a sharp knife
• Grill corn 15-20 minutes turning several times
• Remove from grill and allow to cool 5 minutes before removing husks
• If you would like char marks on the corn, return to grill for a few minutes
• Serve with butter, salt or your favorite toppings

If you are looking for another corn recipe that is in the top viewed 10 recipes on our site, take a look at this 5 ingredient Corn Casserole.  There’s a reason why it’s one of our most popular dishes…It’s super easy and oh so yummy!

Enjoy a few more warm summer nights will ya?  I know I am going to!

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year- peach season! So sweet, juicy, and flavorful. The perfect fruit. Have you picked up a box of peaches yet? If you’re looking for new, exciting peach recipes to try, check out this list of 25 peach goodies that will rock your summer!

1. Fresh Peach Crumb Bars– Ok, I’m already drooling at these pics from Saving Room For Dessert!

2. Peach Caramel Blondie Cheesecake– Omg, I think I just died and went to heaven. Check this out at Life, Love and Sugar.

3. Peach Cookies– Aren’t these cookies from Party Pinching gorgeous?

4. Peach Jam– The perfect pair with a slice of toast, or even better, on a waffle! Find it at Crystal & Co.

5. Peaches & Cream Scones– A Family Feast‘s scones make me want to sit out in garden with my fancy hat, and enjoy a cup of tea.

6. Healthy Caramelized Skillet Peaches– If you’re looking for something a little healthier (but still totally delcious!), you’ll love 90/10 Nutrition‘s recipe!

7. Ginger Peach Lemonade– Talk about refreshing! Try this recipe at Thyme & Love.

8. Homemade Peach Ice Cream– This ice cream from Events to Celebrate looks heavenly!

9. Peach Pretzel Salad Dessert– The Creative Bite‘s dessert is a perfect combination of sweet and salty!

10. Homemade Fresh Peach Crisp– Mmmm! I can already taste this peach crisp from Hostess at Heart!

11. Peach Hand Pies– These little pies from Shugary Sweets are the perfect treat for an outdoor picnic!

12. Peach Snickerdoodles– As if snickerdoodles weren’t already scrumptious enough, Butter with a Side of Bread added peaches- a snickerdoodle upgrade!

13. Easy Baked Peaches with Cinnamon Sugar Topping– Oh my, these peaches from I Heart Naptime are absolutely dreamy!

14. Ripe Peach Popsicles– The View from Great Island‘s popsicles are a fantastic way to cool down on a hot summer’s day!

15. Two Two Easy Peach Cobbler– Need something quick and easy? Check out our peach cobbler, right here at This Grandma Is Fun!

16. No Bake Peach Cream Pie– What is it about peaches and cream that makes them the perfect combination? Find this easy recipe at A Latte Food.

17. Peach Sorbet– Nothing feels better in the middle of summer than a nice, cold treat, like this one from Chef Not Required.

18. Peach Bread– Is this even real?! Tastes of Lizzy T‘s peach bread sounds too good to be true!

19. Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone & Honey– This dessert from Erhardts Eat is so simple yet elegant.

20. Peach Butter– Imagine spreading this on a slice of bread and enjoying it on your back patio in the early morning hours. Ah, pure bliss! Find this recipe at The Redhead Baker.

21. Peaches & Cream Empanadas– The picture alone is making my mouth water over Taste Made‘s empanadas!

22. Peach Pie Bars– Forget about slicing up a pie, now you can have it in a convenient, more delicious bar with Life Made Simple‘s recipe!

23. Peach Slushies– Kids are sure to love this fun treat from Bite of Delight!

24. Peach Upside Down Cake– Isn’t this cake from An Italian in My Kitchen beautiful? What a presentation! And it’s absolutely delicious!

25. Ridiculously Easy Peach Dumplings– When you have little kids running around the house, sometimes you need something quick and easy, like these yummy dumplings from Home Is Where the Boat Is!

What do you think about these 25 peach goodies that will rock your summer? Let us know which you’ll try first!
 

The post 25 Peach Goodies that will Rock Your Summer appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Summer looks a little different this year, and many of us have had to postpone our beach vacations for a season. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have your own backyard beach party! Get ready to dig out your swimsuit because we’re bringing the beach to you! Here are 23 ideas for a beach staycation! 

1. Beach and Sea Squish Bags– Kids can start to explore the wonders of the ocean with Fantastic Fun and Learning‘s sensory bags.

2. Water Fight Kit– Can’t have a beach day without water and Inner Child Fun‘s water fight kit is just the thing!

3. Butterscotch Crunch Starfish– These yummy starfish look almost real! Try this treat at Hungry Happenings!

4. Mason Jar Aquarium– Make this fun aquarium without all the maintenance at A Little Claireification.

5. Pool Noodle Fishing Game– Here’s a fun easy game from Happy Tot Shelf that is perfect for your littler grandkids!

6. Shark Fruit Salad– Maybe if sharks tried some fruit salad, they wouldn’t be such dangerous predators anymore…. Find this amazing idea at Kid Friendly Things to Do.

7. Marbled Seashell Art– Turn seashells into a work of art with Projects with Kids‘s marbles seashells.

8. Flying Fish Catch– A fun, easy water game from Mrs. Plemon’s Kindergarten  that kids will love!

9. Glitter Fish Painted Rock– Learn how to make these beautiful rocks at I Love Painted Rocks.

10. Sea Glass Candy– Happiness is Homemade ‘s sea glass candy looks almost too real and pretty to eat…. almost….

11. Beach Water Table– Little hands will love exploring the wonders of the ocean with Sugar, Spice, and Glitter‘s fun water table idea!

12. Beach Fruit Dip– This fun fruit dip is a kid favorite! Make it right here at This Grandma is Fun!

13. No-Sew Felt Mermaid Headband– If you have a mermaid for a granddaughter, then you will love Lia Griffith‘s pretty and simple headband!

14. Shark Surfboard Craft– Nothing says the beach like sharks and surfing. Find this craft at Artsy Momma.

15. Clam Cookies– If you’re looking for a treat that is easy but eye-catching, then this is the treat for you! Check it out at Frugal Coupon Living.

16. DIY Slip and Slide– For some natural beach waves in your hair, you’ll have to try All Things Thrifty‘s slip and slide! It’s sure to do the trick!

17. Candy Seashells– Just from the picture, I know I’d be snacking on these gorgeous chocolates all day long. Learn how to make them at The American Patriette.

18. Jellyfish Races– Bring out the family competition with Living Porpoisefully‘s exciting game!

19. Ocean Sand Art– What’s the beach without sand? Make beautiful works of art with The Growing Creatives‘s sand activity.

20. Mermaid Ice Excavation– This activity from Mama. Papa. Bubba. is sure to keep the kids occupied for hours. Perfect for when you need a break!

21. Flip-Flop Sandwiches– These sandwiches from Cutefetti really are the cutest!

22. Water Balloon Volley Ball– A true summer classic, this game from It’s Always Autumn fits right in with a beach staycation!

23. Beach Books– When it’s time for a little bit of quiet, Fantastic Fun and Learning‘s got you covered with this list of beach themed books the kids are sure to love!

Which of these 23 ideas for a beach staycation are you going to try out first?

The post 23 Ideas for a Beach Staycation appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Part of my dislike is the texture but no matter how ripe or how cold a watermelon is, I will pass.  My husband thinks I’m crazy.

Things that are flavored with watermelon are great, like slushies and Jolly Ranchers and these cupcakes, but that’s as far as I go.

Even though I’m not a fan of real watermelon, I am glad that I have this Watermelon Cupcake Recipe in my arsenal. It’s the perfect kind of watermelon that even I can’t resist.

Print

Watermelon Cupcake Recipe

There will definitely be no spitting out the seeds with this Watermelon Cupcake Recipe. They will be gobbled up fast - no contest!

Course Dessert

Author This Grandma Is Fun

Ingredients

• Cupcakes
  
• 6 tbsp softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Green food coloring
  
• 
  
• Buttercream Frosting
  
• 2 sticks of butter unsalted at room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp of powdered watermelon koolaid mix
• Red food coloring
• Mini chocolate chips

Instructions

• Cupcakes
  
• Preheat the oven to 375º F.
• Line muffin pan with cupcake liners of your choice. We chose green.
• Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Add in the egg whites. Beat well
• Put in the sour cream and vanilla extract then fold into the butter and sugar mixture.
  
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and gently mix to incorporate.
• Add half of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix well
• Add the other half of the flour mixture and mix until you cannot see any dry flour.
• Add green food coloring to the color you desire.
• Fill your cupcake liners about 1/2 to 2/3 full.
• Bake at 375º F for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 350º. Keep the cupcakes in the oven for another 8-10 minutes.
• Remove from oven.
• Let cupcakes cool.
• Buttercream
  
• Beat the butter and shortening with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Add in 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until you do not see any clumps of sugar.
• Add in more powdered sugar, mixing frequently until there are no more lumps and it is a thick consistency.
• Add the watermelon Kool-Aid powder and a small amount of red food coloring (until you reach the color you desire) and mix well.
  
• Instructions
  
• Spoon the frostingHow to assemble down into a large piping bag with a tip. We used a 1m piping tip.
• Start in the center of the cupcake and swirl out to the sides and then back in to the center of the cupcake, stacking the frosting as you go
• Sprinkle some mini chocolate chips on top of the frosting.
• Makes 10-12 cupcakes.

Notes

This recipe has been adapted from The First Year Blog!

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I don’t know about you but when it comes to eating, my grandkids are so picky. 

My one daughter has three kids.  If two of them like something, the third child does not.

Trying to find something that all three kids will eat is a challenge and that is why I love this Charcuterie Platter for kids.  There is bound to be something that all three kids will eat. One of the great things about this is also, is that little ones can help arrange the board.  (After they wash their hands of course!) I find that if I can get them to help, they are more likely to be interested in eating. 

We found that it was easier to start from outside in. If you have a marble slab that would be beautiful but you can also just use a wood cutting board just like we did. Start lining and layering your items around the edges and then start filling into the middle.  It’s not hard to make it look beautiful and appetizing!

Here are some of the items that we used for this tray. 

White chocolate covered pretzels, strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries, grapes, sugar wafers, chocolate chip cookies, mini marshmallows and rice krispie treats.  Other ideas might be white chocolate chips, chocolate chips, nuts and different kinds of cheeses.  Really the sky is the limit and you can add all sorts of things that your kids would like.

 This is such a great idea for a snack because it is so flexible. Choose things that your kids would like and include items that you already have on hand.

When you are ready for the fruit dip (we forgot to take a picture with our fruit dip.  Ooops!  Our little ones were ready to eat!) there isn’t a quicker or easier one than this:

1 8oz pkg of cream cheese

1 7oz jar of Marshmallow creme.

Mix these two together until well blended and then dip away!

I have to admit, this Charcuterie Platter for Kids Snacks was one of my better ideas and the grandkids loved it!  I know yours will too.  Or at least, MOST of them will!  Oh those picky kids!

Are you needing some more ideas for healthy snacks for kids?  Here’s a couple that we have for you!

Fresh Fruit Frozen Yogurt Bites               

DIY Yogurt To Go

The post Charcuterie Platter for Kids Snacks appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

One of my worst fears as a parent is that some day, when my child finally goes off into the world as a young adult, he won’t know a thing about taking care of himself! What if he doesn’t know how to budget?! What if he doesn’t know how to clean up his apartment?! How will he get a job?! What will he eat?! Well, it’s never too early to start teaching your kids independence, and at our house, we’re starting with cooking (…. and cleaning. But that’s for a different post…). And, no surprises, our kids are having a blast! Get your oven mitts ready with these 29 recipes your kids will love to make! 

1. Breakfast Balls– Start your family off right with Kids Activities breakfast balls!

2. Hash Brown Egg Cups– There’s nothing like waking up to the smell of hash browns wafting through the house. Find this recipe at The Taylor House.

3. Pancake Muffins– Forget the griddle! Your kids will love customizing these pancake muffins from Twin Mom Refreshed!

4. Breakfast Sushi– Don’t worry! There’s no raw fish in this healthy banana treat from Raising Whasians!

5. Omelet Breakfast Bites– Forget the stove top! These omelets from A Worthey Life are baked right in your oven!

6. Raspberry Coconut Breakfast Balls– Add some flavor to the morning routine with Healthy Little Foodies breakfast balls.

7. Bread in a Bag– This recipe from Busy Toddler is sure to keep little hands occupied!

8. Fruit and Cracker Pizza– Sunshine and Hurricanes‘s recipe is quick and easy!

9. Frozen Yogurt Bites– We love making frozen yogurt bites at Grammy’s house with our recipe here at This Grandma is Fun!

10. Apple Nachos– Forget the cheese! The Simple Parent‘s nachos are a fun fruity spin on the classic appetizer!

11. Fruit Tacos– Speaking of fruity spins, have you tried Organized 31‘s fruit tacos? Yum!!!

12. Easy Soft Pretzel– Who knew soft pretzels were easy to make?! Find this recipe at Miss Information.

13. Pepperoni Cheese Bombs– It’s a well known fact that all kids love pizza, so it only makes sense that they should learn to make it in all its forms and variations, like these pepperoni cheese bombs from Sizzling Eats.

14. Meatloaf Cupcakes– With First Look Then Cook‘s recipe, cake becomes meat and frosting becomes mashed potatoes. So easy. So classic. So good.

15. Veggie Rice– An easy way to get your daily serving of vegetables in! Check out the recipe at The OT Toolbox .

16. Empanadas with Ham and Cheese– The picture is making my mouth water! Go to The Anthony Kitchen for the recipe!

17. Taco Pizza– Two delicious foods combined into one! Try it out at Life in the Lofthouse.

18. Mac and Cheese Bites– The Best Ideas for Kids‘s mac and cheese bites are easy, delicious, and totally kid-approved!

19. 4 Ingredient Mini Chicken Pot Pie– Hearty and filling, your kids will love making these cute pies from Charisse Yu!

20. Stir-fry– This recipe from My Life and Kids is a great introduction to using the stove (with plenty of adult supervision of course!)

21. Doritos Chicken Tenders– What is it about Doritos and kids? If there was one food my kids would eat every day for the rest of their lives, it would definitely be Doritos. So, of course, we’re going to try Dancing through the Rain‘s recipe here soon!

22. Mini Biscuit Pizza– Pizza comes in so many shapes and sizes, like these mini biscuits from Mommy Hood Life.

23. Cheesy Taco Sticks– Cheese? Tacos? Count me in! Find this recipe at I Wash, You Dry!

24. Easy Monte Cristo Sandwich– Favorite Family Recipes has found the secret to making this delicious sandwich a cinch to whip up!

25. Easy Chicken and Cheese Quesadilla– Little hands will love helping you make this tasty dish from Faith Filled Food for Moms!

26. Circus Animal Cookie Truffles– When I was a kid, I had an obsession with circus animal cookies. So, naturally, I need to pass on my love for them with The Three Snackateers yummy treat!

27. Cake Mix Donuts– These donuts from It’s Always Autumn are almost too pretty to eat! Almost….

28. Rainbow Popsicles– One Little Project‘s popsicles are the perfect treat to make for a hot summer’s day.

29. Yogurt Unicorn Bark– My girls would go crazy for this! Try it at Baby Foodie!

We hope you got some ideas from our list of recipes your kids will love to make! Which is the first one you’ll try with your family? Happy cooking!

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With only four ingredients, kids can make these up super fast and that’s the kind of food craft that this Grandma is looking for.

And the end result has a cherry on top?  Can’t get any better than that.

Alrightee.  Let’s get poppin’!

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Firecracker Marshmallows

Course Snack

Author This Grandma Is Fun

Ingredients

• 1 bag of large marshmallows - approx 30
• 6 oz of white candy melts or white almond bark
• Blue Sprinkles
• 1 jar of maraschino cherries with the stem still attached

Instructions

• Melt the white chocolate melts per the instructions on the bag making sure not to burn the chocolate
• Dip the marshmallow into the melted chocolate and then into the blue sprinkles
• Place on parchment paper or waxed paper
• Gently dip the maraschino cherry into the melted white chocolate and place on top of the marshmallow.
• Let cool before eating.

These Firecracker Marshmallows were a super fun food craft that we got from Kid Friendly Things To Do.

If you are feeling brave, you can also try making your own homemade marshmallows.   Check this out!

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Something super easy but a little fancier than cookies.  My grandkids could definitely make this and the best part is – it only takes 15-20 minutes! They are going to be so proud of themselves!

With only four ingredients, plus the shell, it also will make for almost no mess.  That’s my kind of recipe to make with kids who can sometimes be mess in the kitchen!

And even if you don’t make this with any kids, it still is a great dessert to bring for family get togethers, potlucks or parties.  I remember making five of these one night for a friend’s party and it took me less than 2 hours.  She was so grateful and impressed!

If you don’t care for cherries, you can substitute them for canned blueberries, strawberries or blackberries.  Super yum!

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Easy Cherry Cheesecake Recipe

Course Dessert

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 -8

Author This Grandma Is Fun

Ingredients

• 1 frozen 8" baked pie shell
• 3 oz cream cheese
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 medium sized cool whip
• 1 can cherry pie filling refrigerated or other pie filling of your choice - blueberry, strawberry etc.

Instructions

• Bake pie shell according to package instructions. Let cool
• While cooling, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and cool whip together.
• Fold into cooled pie shell
• Top with cherry filling.
• Chill

I can’t wait to try this with my grandkids and I hope you enjoy it too!

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The beginning of a new school year is an emotional time of year at our house. There’s lots of tears, grumbling, mess, and frustration. I mean, who wants to get out of bed to drive around all day and sit in your car? Packing food, stuffing angry kids in their clothes, throwing out breakfast….  And then there’s homework. Yes, it’s your child’s homework, but it is essentially your homework too.  It’s a lot to take in. So, to help make the beginning of the school year a little bit easier on you and thus your children, we’ve come up with a list of 101 easy school lunches!

It can be hard to find lunches that are both delicious and satisfy dietary needs. We’re making things easier for you with our list of gluten free lunch ideas!

1. Ham and Cheese Apple Wraps– Your kids will love this sweet and savory lunch from Momables!

2. Apple Peanut Butter Sandwich– We love this tasty idea from Boulder Locavore!

3. Egg cups– This recipe from Just What We Eat works nicely for a quick breakfast as well.

4. Lettuce Wraps– This lettuce wrap from The Real Food Dieticians looks so good, I’m making it for my lunch too!

5. Tuna Salad– We love this take on tuna mac salad from MI Gluten Free Gal.

6. Gluten Free Meat Balls– Meatballs are always a kid favorite! Thanks for the great recipe, Food for Fought!

7. Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins– A tasty twist on a classic from A Mind “Full” Mom.

8. Gluten Free Kid Friendly Pasta Salad– This pasta salad from Vegetarian Mamma makes a perfect lunch for school!

9. Pancake Bites– If your kids love breakfast, then they are sure to love these pancake bites from Hip 2 Save to school!

10. Bunless Cheeseburger Bites– Sugar Free Mom has such a creative take on cheeseburgers that your child will love!

There’s nothing better than a nice, hot lunch from home on a rainy day! What we love about many of these hot lunch recipes is that they make great dinners too and the leftovers are perfect for a school thermos!

1. Bagel Bites– If the Bagel Bites jingle was your anthem as a 90s kid, you (and your child of course!) are sure to love this fun recipe from The Anthony Kitchen!

2. Easy Baked Cheeseburger Sliders– The title contains both the words “easy” and “cheeseburger”. If that’s not enough to convince you to try this recipe from This Delicious House, I don’t know what will!

3. Ramen Vegetable Stir Fry– It could be my own personal bias towards Ramen noodles, but this stir fry from A Cultivated Nest looks delicious!

4. Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie– This easy chicken pot pie from Cook Me Quick screams comfort food! Perfect for students away from home all day!

5. Easy Chicken Fajitas– Check out this tasty recipe from Healthy Recipes Blogs. You can roll up some tortillas to pack along with the thermos! 

6. Mac and Cheese– In all seriousness, if my child could eat mac and cheese every day, he would. The Diary of a Real Housewife’s recipe is perfect for any like-minded student.

7. Sweet-and-Sour Meatballs on Rice– “Most Beautiful Presentation” award goes to the meatballs from Todays Parent. Do those not look amazing? My kids would gobble that up in a minute!

8. Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup– It doesn’t get much easier (or tastier) than this crockpot soup from The Chunky Chef.

9. Broccoli Pesto Pasta– Does your child avoid vegetables like the plague? Try this delicious pasta from My Fussy Eater and they’ll be begging for broccoli!

10. Quick & Easy Taco Soup– This taco soup from Must Have Mom is both quick and delicious!

11. Spaghetti Carbonera– If your child is obsessed with pasta, you’ll both love Momables’s spaghetti carbonara!

12. Easy Chicken Chow Mein– Just the thought of chow mein makes me drool. I can’t wait to try Life Made Sweeter’s recipe!

13. Shepherd’s Pie Cups– How cute are these shepherd’s pie cups from Eazy Peazy Mealz?! A meal that’s happy to see you!

14. 4-Ingredient Easy Potstickers– I never thought that potstickers could be easy, but I was wrong. Check out this recipe from Little Broken!

15. Ham and Cheese Empanada– These empanadas from The Anthony Kitchen look about a thousand times more appetizing than any microwave Hot Pocket!

16. Pulled Pork Sandwiches– These sandwiches from Baby Food look so delicious, I can already taste them!

A salad-eater is a rare breed in children, but these recipes might just change any kid to being a salad lover!

1. No-Cook Burrito Bowls– Did somebody say “no-cook?” This recipe from Lovely Culinary just made salad/lunch easy!

2. Kid Friendly Pasta Salad– This recipe from Baby-Led Feeding is sure to be a hit!

3. No-Cook Taco Salad Bento Box– This recipe from Sweet Peas and Saffron is like a fiesta in a bento box!

4. Mango Pasta Salad– If you make this pasta salad, make a lot. You and your family will become addicted, so make sure you have lots to satiate your palate. You have been warned….

5. Mason Jar Salad– How were mason jar salads not a thing when I was growing up? Wait…. were they a thing??? Don’t let your child miss the mason jar salad boat and check out this recipe from Pass the Plants!

6. Avocado Chicken Salad– Find this mouthwatering recipe at Gimme Delicious!

7. Southwest Quinoa Salad– Kristine’s Kitchen’s salad is both healthy, delicious, and filling. In other words, a parent’s dream-come-true!

8. Salad Kabob– Make salad fun with this awesome idea from Jett’s Kitchen!

9. Strawberry Spinach Salad– I can’t explain it, but strawberries and spinach are a match made in heaven. Try this recipe from The Hidden Veggies for school lunch!

I know, I know. Sandwiches are the most unoriginal and boring lunch ever. Or are they? Check out this list of sandwiches, and you may feel differently!

1. Grilled Cheese Roll-ups– We love this fun twist to a classic from Raining Hot Coupons!

2. Chicken Salad Sandwich– If you have chicken salad fans in your family, we have just the recipe for you! It’s delicious with or without the cashews!

3. Monte Cristo Roll-ups– When I saw this recipe from Fast Forward Fun, the word that immediately came to my mind was “Ingenious!”

4. Bagels– Eats Amazing has a few tasty bagel ideas you could make for lunch!

5. Kid-Friendly Sushi Sandwiches– We are big sushi eaters in our family and I know my kids would love these sushi sandwiches from Everything Gerica!

6. Healthy Rainbow Sandwich– How pretty are these sandwiches from In the Playroom? I never thought sandwiches could be pretty before…

7. Fruity Peanut Butter Pitas– These pitas from Taste of Home are not only delicious, but healthy too!

8. Hawaiian Sweet Roll Sliders– I can’t get over how easy these sandwiches from Through Her Looking Glass are to make, and yet they taste like something from a restaurant!

9. Woodland Creature Sandwiches– Your kids are sure to smile when they find these cute, little critters from Positively Splendid in their lunch boxes!

10. Peanut Butter and Jelly Tacos– I’m pretty sure tacos are the best thing to ever happen to this planet. They’re even coming in PB & J now! Check it out at Homemade Interest!

11. Sandwich Skewers– Food is just better when it’s eaten off a stick. Get this recipe at Hello Wonderful!

Here are some easy, 100% delicious food ideas that are neither sandwiches nor salads!

1. Mac and Cheese Cups – Experience the miracle of muffin tin food with these mac and cheese cups from Super Healthy Kids!

2. PB & Banana Burrito – I am convinced that tortillas are the most versatile food on earth. You can even put bananas in them, like this easy recipe from Jif.

3. Shredded Zucchini Tots– These zucchini tots from Brooklyn Farm Girl remind me of french fries, but healthier.

4. Pepperoni Pizza Rolls – We know rolls are good, and we know pizza is good. Combine them together and you get amazing! Try this easy recipe from Yummiest Food!

5. Easy Lunch Kabobs– These kabobs from Mom on Timeout are such an easy way to make lunch exciting for kids!

6. Hardboiled Eggs We’ve even got this super easy way to peel them with a spoon! Perfect hack if you need to peel a lot eggs for a lot of lunches!

7. Mini Quiche– This recipe from Top and Exclusive Foods sounds so fancy, but it’s really easy!

8. Easy Cucumber Sushi– This sushi from Raising Whasians is a fun way to help your kids eat their vegetables!

9. Mini Taco Bowls– Your child never has to be without tacos again with this simple but tasty recipe from Iriemade.

10. Loaded Tot Kabobs– These tots from The Country Chic Cottage look so yummy, I’m probably going to make them for myself.

11. Spring Rolls– An easy and fresh recipe from Dinner Then Dessert your kid is sure to love!

12. Pepperoni Pizza Quesadilla– When it comes to feeding children, the more things you can make into pizza, the better. Take this quesadilla from Snixy Kitchen, for example!

13. Taco Poptarts– My dreams have come true. A taco I can make in the toaster! What child (or mom) wouldn’t love that?! Check it out at Awe Filled Veteran’s Wife!

14. Mini Pumpkin Pancakes– These pancakes from Momables are perfect with fall around the corner!

15. Hotdog Cornbread Muffins– I have to admit that we have these corndog muffins from The Anthony Kitchen a little too much at our house. What can I say? They were a hit!

For the artist inside of you, try out these fun ideas your kids are sure to love!

1. Birdie Kix Snack– I love how easy this food art from Kix Cereal is!

2. Hotdog Octopus– When I was a kid, this was the only way I’d eat hotdogs. Find out how to make them at Exploring Domesticity!

3. Owl Rice Cakes– How cute are these Owl Rice Cakes from Super Healthy Kids?

4. Peanut Butter Snail Snack– Finally, a snail my girls won’t run away from screaming (yes, they are that terrified of all bugs). Yummy Mummy Club makes these snacks look easy! 

5. Chocolate Pudding Bears– Hungry Happenings’s chocolate pudding bears are almost too cute to eat…. almost….

6. Oreo Frogs– No need to worry about from slime from these oreos from Made to Be a Momma.

7. Shark Sand Cups– I can’t believe how easy these shark sand cups from Cook, Eat, Go are to make!

8. Kiwi Turtle– I love how simple and cute these turtles from Eating Richly are!

9. Mini Winnie the Pooh Pizza– I know quite a few kids who would be ecstatic over these pizzas from Disney!

10. Banana Bears– I don’t know about your kids, but this recipe from Weelicious is the only way I can get my daughter to eat bananas.

What lunch is complete without a treat?

1. Rainbow Fruit Banana Sushi– A healthy treat from Hello Yummy.

2. Under the Sea Graham Crackers– A cute, and easy treat from The First Year.

3. Homemade Fruitsnacks– Did you know you can make your own fruit snacks? This recipe from Dessert for Two shows you how easy it really is!

4. Marshmallow Popcorn Ball– Sticky, sweet, and salty- all rolled into one big ball! What’s not to love about this popcorn treat from Tornadough Alli!

5. No-Bake Jello Candy Melts– If it says “no-bake,” that’s my kind of recipe. These candy melts from Smart Schoolhouse are too easy and delicious to pass up!

6. Quick and Easy Face Cookies– Your kids will love how cute and silly these cookies from Picklebums are!

7. Teddy Graham S’more Pops– These s’more pops from Tastes of Lizzy T are liking bringing campfire goodness to school.

8. Apple Pie Cups– Two ingredients? Did they say two ingredients?! Pillsbury, we give you our sincerest thanks! 

9. Confetti Dipped Strawberries– These cute strawberries from Step Stool Chef will make your kid feel like they’re having a party at lunch!

10. No Bake Apple Donuts– This easy apple treat from Fork and Beans is sure to be your child’s newest favorite!

To keep lunch well balanced, it helps to have snacks!

1. Easy No-Bake Energy Balls– Make these energy balls from I Heart Naptime for your kids, sure- but save some for yourself too. You’re a mom. You could use a tasty bite of energy too!

2. Vanilla Yogurt Parfait– A parfait for lunch? C’est parfait! Find this recipe at That Fit Fam.

3. Homemade Strawberry Fruit Leather– If you’re highly suspicious of over processed snack food that surely met their peak in the 90s, try this fruit leather from Mommy Musings!

4. Mini-Zucchini Muffins– If your child is not a fan of vegetables, have them try these muffins from Create Kids Club. I bet they’ll change their mind.

5. Butterfly Snack Bags– Butterflies are the only acceptable bug to my kids and I know they would love these snack bags from The Cents’Able Shoppin.

6. No-Bake Granola Bars– Forget buying granola bars from the grocery store. This recipe is far too easy and much too tasty to ever need grocery store granola bars again!

7. Oatmeal Breakfast Bites– These oatmeal bites from A Night Owl are good for breakfast or snacks!

8. Rainbow Fruit Kabobs– We love these kabobs from The Chic Site!

9. Apple Cheese Bites– I might be sneaking some of these apple bites for myself… Find them at The Adventure Bite!

10. Baked Sweet Potato Chips– A nutritious potato chip? Just what moms everywhere are looking for! Thank you Clean Eats, Fast Feets!

11. Instant Pot Popcorn– Seriously, the Instant Pot can do anything! Check out this popcorn at Tidbits!

A little something extra to bring a small to your child!

1. Printable Lunchbox Jokes– Give your kid a laugh with these funny jokes from Gag Dad.

2. Inspirational Lunchbox Notes– Sometimes, all we need is some words of encouragement. Find these notes at Laura’s Crafty Life!

3. Dr. Seuss Lunchbox Notes– I love how whimsical these notes from Trip Beauty are!

4. Super Hero Lunchbox Notes– Save the day with Bearhugs and Blanket Forts’s superhero notes!

5. Princess Lunchbox Jokes– If you have a little princess, she is sure to love these princess jokes from Kristen Duke Photography!

6. Pokemon Lunchbox Notes– These pokemon notes from Merry About Town are perfect for your pokemon trainer!

7. Unicorn Lunchbox Notes– Make lunchtime magical with Pretty Simple Mom’s unicorn notes!

8. Dinosaur Lunchbox Notes– We think Alice and Lois’s dinosaur notes are perfect for little paleontologists!

9. Animal Lunchbox Jokes– These animal jokes from Simple Every Day Mom are sure to make your child smile!

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The time in between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is short. Six days is all you get to prep for the New Year’s Eve countdown party. Hopefully this list of 12 Rockin’ New Year’s Eve Party Ideas can help you get started. We’ve got everything from countdowns, food, drink, games, and resolution activities. Just remember, in the end it is all about the people you celebrate with. Enjoy reminiscing on the past year and look forward to the year to come!

Let’s get the party started!

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I don’t know about you but figuring out what to make for my grandkids to eat when they are here can be challenging.  I want to splurge them with goodies but their momma wants them to eat healthy.

I get that.  I want them to eat healthy too but a Grandma’s got to have some fun, right?

For me, trying to maintain a balance between healthy food and Grammy’s treats is the key.  I am hoping that these Frozen Yogurt Bites will satisfy the healthy momma requirements.

I mean they ARE made with greek yogurt.  Anything that is made with Greek Yogurt is healthy, right?  Plus look at all the delicious fresh fruit that you can use.  Momma’s got to be happy about that.

And these aren’t just for kids.  I used to have two gallon size ziploc bags of these just ready and waiting.

Now I only have one bag.

Hubby ate the other one.

Luckily these are super easy and super fast to make and another batch is already freezing. My two grandsons are big berry eaters so I think they are going to be happy with these.

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Fresh Fruit Frozen Yogurt Bites

Author This Grandma Is Fun

Ingredients

• Large carton of Greek Yogurt. My all time favorite is Greek Gods Yogurt in the Honey Vanilla Flavor which is what I used in this recipe. This stuff is heavenly!
• Any type of fresh fruit you that you desire
• Banana chips
• Silicon molds
• Cooking spray

Instructions

• Lightly spray your silicon molds with cooking spray.
• Fill each space with greek yogurt.
• Fill all the way to the top.
• 
• 
• Place your desired fruit on top.
• 
• If you want to use banana, I would recommend using banana chips as I did here.
• Freeze until completely frozen.
• Remove from your molds and keep in the freezer. I am keeping mine in ziploc bags.
• These are good for 3-4 weeks.

Now that these are freezing and ready to go, it’s on to making some cookies, brownies, an ice cream cake and some chocolate drizzled popcorn.

Just don’t tell their mom.

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Surprise inside treats seem to be all the rage these days. People get really creative with the surprises they hide in the cakes they bake! Let’s take a look at the best surprise inside treats out there!

These vanilla cupcakes contain a chocolaty surprise inside! The best of both flavors!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Surprise Cupcakes. Now these are to die for! You put frozen cookie dough in middle and it gets warm and gooey in the oven. Yum!!!!

This Pinata Cake looks delicious! I personally would prefer this to a real pinata because you can eat the entire thing! (And there’s less to clean up. Ha ha!)

Check out this awesome Patriotic Cake! Each layer is a different color, and the entire thing spells out USA. The 4th of July just passed, but that gives you plenty of time to perfect this cake.

Okay, now this is cool, and sure to be a hit with the kids on the 4th of July! Pop Rocks Firecracker Cake Pops. You can definitely say these treats have a kick to them!

Rainbow Cake! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more colorful cake in my life. Wow!

Mickey Mouse Peekaboo Cake. This is perfect for a Disney themed party! Or, it would be a great way to surprise the kids and announce a trip to Disneyland! Just imagine the looks on their faces when you cut the cake and revealed Mickey Mouse!

Strawberry Surprise Cake. I love strawberries, but I would probably want to cut off the stems first so they’re easier to eat!

Santa’s Belt Surprise Inside Cake. A perfect cake for the holiday season! You can even leave some out for Santa to eat when he stops by on Christmas Eve! I bet he would be impressed!

This Heart Cake is perfect for Valentine’s Day, or any day you want to show someone special how much you love them. So cute!

Another beautiful Disney themed cake! Check out this Disney Pixar Inside Out Cake!

I absolutely love fall and everything pumpkin flavored, so of course I had to add this Pumpkin Spice Cake with Maple Glaze! This sounds like the perfect dessert on a crisp fall day!!

Sticking with fall themed treats, check out these witch hat surprise cookies! They’re adorable, and they’re filled with candy! What more could you ask for?

Now this is impressive! This Hidden Giraffe Cake is incredible!

These Red Velvet Cupcakes contain a cream cheese surprise in the middle! Yummm!

This Rubik’s Cube cake is seriously taking it to the next level. Look at that detail! Every square a different color!

Surprise inside treats are great for special occasions such as holidays and birthdays. You can customize them and make them into whatever you want, so have fun with it!

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Calling all Cookie Monster lovers! (me waving my hand high in the air) Along with Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster is one of my favorite Sesame Street characters.

So single mindedly obsessed with cookies, Cookie Monster is a man…er…puppet after my own heart.  A girl has got to have her cookies.

I happened upon some Cookie Monster Bark on Pinterest the other day and decided that this would be a fun project for my grandkids to make when they will be here in a few days. It is hot outside and this project requires no cooking, although now that I think about it, it is summer and this IS made with chocolate.  (can you say MELT?)

We’ll just have to eat the whole thing inside.  I don’t think my grandsons will mind.

Anyway, I wanted to put my own twist on the Cookie Monster Bark and one night while I was JUST going to sleep (you know how that is, don’t you?…) this idea came to me.

It was a breeze to make and I loved how it turned out with all of the little Cookie Monster faces and mini cookies.  My grandsons are going to have a blast making this.

And then eating it.  It might have to be on a day when their mom is gone and it’s just me and them. 

Here is a quick video showing you how it’s done and then the recipe will follow.

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Cookie Monster Bark

Author This Grandma Is Fun

Ingredients

• 2 - 12 oz bags of white candy melts
• 1 12 oz bag of blue candy melts
• 1 12 oz bag of black candy melts
• Edible Googly Eyes
• Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Toothpicks.

Instructions

• Melt the white candy melts per the instructions on the bag.
• Pour the melted chocolate onto a silpat mat or some waxed paper. I poured mine onto a jelly roll sized pan
• Melt the blue candy melts per the instructions on the bag. I think I used half of the bag.
• Drop melted blue chocolate by the spoonful all over the white chocolate. Leave some room between drops.
• Take a toothpick and pull the blue chocolate into the white chocolate by making lines all the way around the circle of blue chocolate to resemble Cookie Monsters fur.
• Let set in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Melt about a cup of the black candy melts per the instructions on the bag.
• After the bark has set, take a toothpick and dip into the black melted chocolate and draw mouths on the Cookie Monster faces.
• With some blue melted chocolate, place the googly eyes on Cookie Monster. We tried to make them cock-eyed just like his!
• Again with some blue melted chocolate, dip a mini chocolate chip cookie into the blue chocolate and place the cookie near Cookie Monster's mouth.
• Chill in the refrigerator until completely set.
• After it has hardened, cut or break the bark around the Cookie Monster faces.

So I will just end with a quote from Cookie Monster…

Me Want Cooookkkkiiiieeee!!!!!

Enjoy!

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With half the dish being the “ocean” and the other half being the “beach”, it is so fun to dip your fruit into the sour cream and brown sugar.

This is the easiest dip to set up but I promise you that people will think you are the most creative person ever!  I have made this many times throughout the years and it has never failed to bring a smile to someone’s face.

I have grandkids coming in three weeks and I know that are going to love dipping their strawberries into the ocean and beach. Who says we can’t have a little beach action in Utah?

So Cowabunga dude!  Let’s get making this dip!  This video will show you just how quick and easy it is. The recipe follows the video.

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Beach Theme Fruit Dip

Author This Grandma Is Fun

Ingredients

• 1 16 oz container of sour cream
• 2 cups brown sugar
• Blue Food Coloring
• Strawberries
• Beach accessories like swedish fish umbrellas etc.

Instructions

• In a mixing bowl, mix together the sour cream and blue food coloring. Add as much blue coloring to get the sour cream to the color that you want.
• Spread the colored sour cream onto one half of a 9x13 pan.
• Pour the 2 cups of brown sugar onto the opposite half of your pan barely touching the sour cream.
• Add your beach accessories as garnishments.
• Wash and dry strawberries for dipping.

Happy Summer Everyone!

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As the summer heats up, we start running out of ideas for creatives ways to keep the kids fed and entertained. Here are 16 fun and healthy kids snacks to get you through the rest of the summer!

1. Apple Cookies are an easy snack that will satisfy your kids’ sweet tooth without spoiling their appetite!

2. Teddy Bear Toast. This toast is adorable and kids can make it themselves! Now that is the perfect snack.

3. Peanut Butter Snails. They’re cute and healthy!

4. DIY “Go Gurt”  These are filled with healthy fruit and they’re refreshing on a hot summer day! To make these, you need these zipzicle bags.

5. Chocolate Dipped Almond Butter Banana Bites

6. Cucumber Bites. This is a great way to get your kids to eat more veggies!

7. No Bake Monster Cookie Energy Bites. The M&M’s will entice them, but little do they know these cookies are packed with plenty of healthy ingredients!

8. Backyard Bug Snacks. Adorable and healthy. What more could you ask for in a snack?

9. Peanut Butter and Jelly Sushi Rolls. This is probably the only sushi the kids will actually eat. It’s a fun twist on a classic PB&J!

10. Strawberry Mice. Look how cute these mice are!

11. Strawberry Banana Popsicles. These only contain three ingredients, so they are wayyyyy healthier than store bought popsicles! You’ll also need popsicle molds as well!

12. Whole wheat goldfish crackers.

13. Healthy Fishbowl Treats. I see this as a healthier version of a frosted sugar cookie. Yum!

14. Cheese and Apple Pirate Ships

This recipe is from a post about having a Peter Pan themed party, but this snack would be fun for any occasion!

For the next two recipes, you’ll need wooden skewers.

15. Lunchbox Kabobs are perfect for when they get tired of sandwiches!

16. Grape Poppers: As fun to make as they are to eat!

These snacks look so good that I might want some for myself! Happy summer snacking!

The post 16 Healthy Kids Snacks appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Marshmallow Bird Nests

When I was a little girl, we would go to Little Chung King every once in a while for Sunday dinner. It was the only Chinese restaurant in town and my mom’s favorite place. My dad wasn’t such a fan of the restaurant because they didn’t have coffee. The only options for drinks were hot tea or water. (They probably sold soda too, but we NEVER got to order soda at a restaurant!) The other thing they would serve with the tea was a plate full of crunchy chow mein noodles with a tiny bowl of sweet and sour sauce and really spicy, gross mustard. I hated the mustard, but loved those noodles! We’d put away an entire plate of them before the food would come out of the kitchen. The other day I was walking down the “ethnic” aisle in the grocery store and saw a bag of those chow mein noodles sticking out on the shelf. I grabbed the bag and brought it home to introduce my boys to the tasty treat!

We munched on the dry noodles, but I thought they would be much more fun as bird nest treats instead of dry noodles. We certainly have enough Easter egg candies hanging around the house right now! Sometimes they are called haystack cookies and they can be made with chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter, honey – really anything sticky will do the trick. My personal favorite for sticky goodness is always marshmallow. I LOVE marshmallows. So marshmallows and chocolate seemed like a natural fit for our cute little bird nests.

Print

Marshmallow Bird Nests

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup half stick of butter
• 4 cups mini marshmallows
• 1 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
• 5 cups crunchy chow mein noodles
• Optional: candy eggs

Instructions

• In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter and marshmallows, stirring constantly until smooth.
• Add chocolate chips to the marshmallow mixture and stir until melted and mixed well.
• Remove from heat and add the chow mein noodles, stirring to coat.
• Plop down spoonfuls of the sticky mixture onto wax paper and shape into round nests. Every nest is unique, so don't worry about getting them perfectly round! Press down the center just a bit to make room for eggs if you want to stuff the nests.
• If using candy eggs, press them into the center of the nests and then allow the nests to cool before eating.

Honestly, the mixture is really flexible for these Marshmallow Bird Nests. I just eyeball it and if it seems too sticky and wet, I’ll add more noodles. This recipe makes 12 larger nests (like 3 inches across) so you could easily get 24 small nests with one egg in each of them. We also added some shredded coconut to a few of them to “feather” the nests just for fun. Feel free to play around with the flavors to suit your family’s tastes while you use up this year’s Easter candy!

Check out these other marshmallow treats from 365(ish) Days of Pinterest:

Hidden Surprise Basketball Treats

Rice Krispie Treat Pumpkins

The post Marshmallow Bird Nests appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

When I saw these cute Easter bunnies on Pinterest, I wanted to recreate them for my little girls.

These yummy bunnies made of simple ingredients like scramble eggs, baked bacon, cream cheese, blueberries, sliced tortilla and red grapes.

To Make Easter Bunnies:

Take 2 little bowls, and fill them with scramble eggs.

Add 2 slices of baked bacon to create bunny’s ears.

Add a little amount of cream cheese into little zip bag and squeeze a little amount of cream cheese to your scramble eggs, then add blueberries like shown in the picture below to create two eyes for your bunnies.

Add red grape to each bunny to create bunny’s nose.

Make a little  whiskers by slicing tortilla into little strips and adding them under bunny’s nose.

You are done!

Now let your little ones enjoy these cute bunnies for breakfast!

If you make These Easter Bunnies for Breakfast PLEASE tag @munchkintimeblog and use a hashtag #munchkintimeblog on Instagram, I would LOVE to see your creation Thank you!

Did you like this Easter Bunnies Breakfast Idea for Kids?

Let us know in the comments below, we would love to hear from you!

Popular Posts from Munchkintime:

Naked Carrot Cake

The post Easter Bunnies Breakfast Idea for Kids appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

We have gathered 100 hundred delightful rainbow snacks, treats, and desserts you can make for your grandchildren. They are perfect for birthday parties celebrations and, of course, St. Patrick’s day. St. Patrick’s day is just around the corner. Sneaky leprechauns will be busy avoiding the many traps set for them so they can make it to the pot of gold at the end of a beautiful rainbow!

Secret Rainbow Cupcakes from Bloom Designs.

Rainbow JIGGLERS from Kraft.

Magic Rainbow Milk Experiment {scroll to bottom of page} from Bath Activities for Kids.

Egg-Free Rainbow Meringue Cookies {Vegan} from Nerdy Mama.

Rainbow Tie-Dye Ice Cream from Foodista.

Rainbow Fruit Cookie Cake by I am Baker.

Rainbow Smoothie from Sweet & Savory by Shinee.

Skittles Rainbow Fudge from Lemon Tree Dwelling.

Skittles Rainbow Ice Cream {Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free} from Nerdy Mamma.

Simple Homemade Marshmallows by Hoosier Homemade.

Rainbow Sugar Cookie Bark from Mom On Time Out.

Rainbow Birthday Cake from Meaningful Mama.

Rainbow Cake Trifle from The Kitchen Magpie.

Rainbow Cherry Jigglers from Jelly Shot Test Kitchen.

Rainbow Wrapped Marshmallows from Smart School House.

Rainbow Cake Roll from Hungry Happenings.

Rainbow Poke Cake from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen.

Rainbow Fruit Ice Cubes from Eats Amazing.

Rainbow Pinwheel Cookies from Mom on TimeOut

Sweetworks Rainbow Fish Cake from Modly Chic.

Salt Water Taffy Rainbow Kabab’s from Craftberry Bush.

Rainbow Jello Recipe from One Little Project.

Rainbow Ruffle Birthday Cake from I Am Baker.

Rainbow Cookies {Slice and Bake} from Crazy for Crust.

Rainbow Poptarts from Brooke Mclay at Babble.

Rainbow Peanut Butter Cookie Cups from Crazy for Crust.

Rainbow Peppermint Patties from Girl Who Ate Everything.

St. Patrick’s Day Cookies: Rainbows, Shamrocks and Gold and Gold from Amanda’s Cookin’.

Rainbow Palmiers from Crazy for Crust.

Layered Rainbow Cupcakes from Skinny Fitalicious.

Rainbow Cake Roll from Hungry Happenings.

Easy Rainbow Cake from Just a Taste.

Sweet & Salty Rainbow Popcorn from Frugal Foodie Mama.

St. Patrick’s Day Fruit Treat from Our Life with 10 Kids.

Cake Batter & Sprinkle Cookies from Ashlee Marie.

St. Patty’s Day Sweet Rainbow Kabobs from Teach Mama.

Rainbow Pudding for St. Patrick’s Day from Mad in Crafts.

Rainbow Water from Happy Hooligans.

Rainbow Flower Cookies Bakingdom.

Rainbow Rice Krispies Treat Pops from Love From the Oven.

Rainbow Crepes with Key Lime Whipped Cream from The Proper Blog.

Graham Cracker Rainbow Weather Snack from Capturing Joy.

DIY Rainbow Washi Tape Party Favors from No Biggie.

No Bake Rainbow Pie from Spend with Pennies.

Rainbow Bars from Bloom Designs.

Rainbow Swirl Bread from Girl Versus Dough.

Rainbow Pancakes from I Am Baker.

Whole Fruit Rainbow Popsicles from The View From Great Island.

Over The Rainbow Waffles from Mamma Told Me.

Mini Rainbow Doughnuts from Hoosier Homemade.

Double Rainbow Quick Pops from Zoku Blog.

Over The Rainbow Treats from Create Craft Love.

Rainbow Truffles from The Domestic Rebel.

Sparkly Rainbow Marshmallow Kabobs from The Decorated Cookie.

Rainbow with Clouds Cookies – Slice and Bake from Eugenie Kitchen.

Rainbow Brownie Bites from My Frugal Adventures.

Rainbow Cheesecake Dip {Skinny} from Crazy for Crust.

Rainbow Veggie Skewers from Gimme some Oven.

Rainbow Ribbon Salad {leave out the alcohol} from Jelly Shot Test Kitchen.

Rainbow Gelatin Orange Wedges from tbspSusan.

Rainbow Brownies from Tablespoon.

Rainbow Fudge From Tablespoon.

Rainbow Stuffed French Toast From I Am Baker.

Teeny Tiny Rainbow Cakes from Tablespoon.

Rainbow Lemon Mini Cheesecakes from Sunshine’s Kitchen.

Rainbow Macarons Recipe from Best Friends for Frosting.

Edible Rainbow Milk Homemade Paint Recipe from Learn ~ Play ~ Imagine.

Lucky Charms Leprechaun Hat Cake from Betty Crocker.

Rainbow and Race Cars Birthday Cookies from Glorious Treats.

Pot of Gold Cupcakes from baking a moment.

Easy Rainbow Pretzel Wands from Mom On Timeout.

DIY Rainbow Cake in a Jar from Juliette Laura.

Mini Rainbow Cupcakes from Hoosier Homemade.

Rainbow Fondant Cupcake Cups from Hungry Happenings.

Rainbow Ice Cubes from The Flavor Blender.

Colorful Rainbow Sugar Cookie Boxes from Foodista

Sparkly Rainbow Fruit Gummies from Our Best Bites

Easy Rainbow Candy Pops from The Decorated Cookie.

Skittles Straws from The Decorated Cookie.

Rainbow Crepe Cake from Girl Versus Dough.

Rainbow Party Chex Mix from Tablespoon.

Spring Rainbow Yogurt Tartlets from Girl Who Ate Everything.

Rainbow Pot O’ Gold Marshmallow Pops from Club Chica Circle

Rainbow Donuts from The First Year.

Homemade Rainbow Chocolate Chip Cookies from Incredible Recipes from Heave

Rainbow Chip Fudge from Betty Crocker.

Rainbow Bagels from What Jew Want to Eat.

Rainbow Cake Pops from The Crafting Foodie.

Rainbow Krispie Treat from Dessert Now Dinner Later.

Rainbow Fruit Skewers from Raining Hot Coupons.

Rainbow Pinata Cake from Hungry Happenings.

End-of-The-Rainbow Cookie Parfaits from Tablespoon.

Rainbow Vanilla Cheesecake Bars from Inside BruCrew Life.

Rainbow Meringue Truffle Cones from Sprinkle Bakes.

St. Patrick’s Day Rainbow Treat Bags from Cincy Shopper

Chocolate Covered Rainbow Strawberries from Love Bakes Good Cakes.

Rainbow Pretzel Sticks from Frosting and a Smile.

Rainbow Cookies from Pillsbury.

Melted Rainbow Cake from Hungry Happenings.

Rainbow Macaron Tower from Annie’s Eats.

Rainbow Fruit Pizza from The Idea Room

If you have a great rainbow idea we don’t have on our list please share it with us in the comments below!

The post 100 Rainbow Treat and Dessert Recipes appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Hey guys, it’s Mandy from Mandy’s Recipe Box! I am excited to share this fun popcorn recipe with you. Kool-Aid Popcorn! Have you seen this before? My sister-in-law has made it before in a pretty light blue for a Frozen themed snack that my little girl loved. I decided to go with red and green for Christmas and it’s so festive looking!

I found this recipe on Pinterest via Num’s the Word. It was really good. The only thing I had a problem with was it got really hard and stuck to your teeth with the directions. It also says to bake in the oven for 40 minutes. I skipped that because my coating got instantly hard once I started stirring it into my popcorn. So I added my changes below to help with all that. It’s such a delicious treat that I can’t wait to make it all year in lots of fun colors.

Print

Kool-Aid Popcorn

Cook Time 2 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 minutes minutes

Author Mandy Bird

Ingredients

• 1 bag of microwave kettle corn per color/flavor
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 package Kool-Aid
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

• Pop kettle corn according to microwave instructions - filter out the seeds and pour kernels into a large bowl.
• In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, stir together the butter, sugar & corn syrup. Mix well until butter is fully melted.
• Let mixture come to a boil and boil for 1-2 minutes. NO LONGER.
• Remove from heat.
• Quickly stir in Kool-Aid packet until fully incorporated.
• Add baking soda to Kool-aid mixture - mixture will double in size and become thick and fluffy.
• Pour this mixture over popcorn. Mix well. Mixture will be VERY hot. Do not allow mixture to touch your skin.
• Spread out onto a silicone baking mat or wax paper to cool. Break into pieces and enjoy.

Notes

I made two batches of this, one with lemon-lime and one with cherry Kool-Aid. Then, once set, mix together for a fun Christmas treat!

Be sure to follow Mandy’s Recipe Box on Social Media:
Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter

Check out these other recipes from Mandy’s Recipe Box…

The post Kool-Aid Popcorn appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

I love having iced Christmas cookies for the holidays, and I’ve been making this simply rolled sugar cookie recipe since I was a little kid. Christmas Stocking Cookies bring Christmas cheer to cookie exchanges, parties, and special celebrations during the Christmas season. Also, the perfect cookie to thank the jolly man in the red suit on Christmas Eve. (Don’t forget the milk!)

You’ll need the following on hand:

• Christmas stocking cookie cutter, whatever size you like
• decorating bag and Wilton #16 star tip
• rolling pin
• red gel or powdered red food coloring (not water-based)

My tradition has always been to make the dough and bake the cookies on Thanksgiving weekend. (I usually make 5 recipes for the season and freeze most of them unfrosted.)

Chill dough in tightly wrapped plastic wrap for a minimum of one hour.

Christmas Stocking Cookies make such a beautiful presentation. There’s something different about these roll-out cookies. They’re thin. And light. Crunchy and buttery. The frosting is pure buttercream. Maybe I’m biased (!), but I’ve never tasted a better frosted Christmas cookie.

Roll the chilled dough thin on a generously floured board or mat. The dough should not be translucent, but nearly – about 1/16″ thick. (Look closely at the picture above. If the dough is too thick it will result in thick cookies that don’t hold their shape.)

I cut just one shape to keep the baking and decorating simple. Carefully transfer stockings with a thin cookie spatula to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill each pan of cut-outs a minimum of ten minutes before baking. (Very important: this keeps the cookies from spreading too much and losing shape.)

Bake cookies 5-6 minutes at 350° or until edges are just browning. Watch closely. Cool cookies, then freeze or frost. (I freeze the baked cookies, undecorated. Then all season long I decorate for parties as needed.)

Baking tips:

• Dough should be well chilled before rolling on a generously floured surface
• Roll dough thin, almost translucent, about 1/16″ thick
• Carefully transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet with a thin, flexible spatula
• Chill cookies on the pan a minimum of ten minutes before baking

Frosting/Decorating Tips:

• Butter should be at room temperature
• Leave frosting stiffer than you want because the food coloring will thin some
• I used a #16 Wilton star tip for the white stocking cuff
• Color 2/3 of frosting red; leave 1/3 white

Print

Christmas Stocking Cookies

Addictive buttery Christmas roll-out cookies with buttercream icing.

Course Cookies

Servings 2 dozen 5" cookies

Author Allie

Ingredients

Cookie Dough:

• 1/2 cup butter room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Butter Cream Icing:

• 1/4 cup butter room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-3 tablespoons cream or half and half
• gel or powder red food coloring
• Optional: coarse sparkling white sugar

Instructions

Cookie Dough:

• Cream butter.
• Add sugar to creamed butter.
• Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Sift flour with baking powder and salt. (Or mix well with a fork like I do!)
• Stir dry ingredients into creamed ones.
• Chill dough, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for 1 hour.
• Roll out thin (about 1/16" thick) on a generously floured surface
• Transfer cut out cookies to parchment lined baking sheet.
• Refrigerate baking sheet of cookies 10 minutes before baking.
• Bake for 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees, until just browning on the edges.
• Watch closely at the six-minute mark.
• Cool and frost or freeze.

Butter Cream Icing:

• Cream butter.
• Add in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time.
• Mix in vanilla and cream, 'til it's the consistency you want.
• Separate frosting into two bowls: leave 1/3 white, and color 2/3 red.
• Stir in red food coloring a little at a time 'til you get the color you like.
• Mix well.
• Frost stockings red with the butter knife or spatula.
• Use a decorating bag and Wilton frosting star tip #16 to make stars on the cuff.
• Sprinkle with coarse white sparkling sugar.

Please follow Through Her Looking Glass on Pinterest , Facebook and Twitter handle @thruherglass. Thank you!

If you enjoyed this cookie recipe, here are some links to other favorites on my blog:

Sugared Pecan Pumpkin Ice Cream

Famous Brick Street Chocolate Cake

Honey Roasted Dill Carrots

The post Christmas Stocking Cookies appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

When we were kids, my Uncle Dean (my Dad’s brother) would join us for Thanksgiving and Christmas day dinners when he wasn’t sailing around the world. He was an avid traveler and listening to him share stories about his latest adventures around the globe is a favorite memory of mine. It is not however my favorite memory of Uncle Dean.

My favorite memory was marveling at his ability to eat the largest amounts of food is the shortest amount of time. Whenever he was home for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, he would eat three times as much food as anyone at the table and be done eating before we even thought about having seconds.

When it came time for dessert to my utter amazement, Uncle Dean would put down several servings of pie. Followed by multiple large pieces of my Mom’s famous fudge.Uncle Dean always said traveling halfway around the world to be home with his family and to enjoy my Mom’s cooking was worth the trip!

Who knows maybe one of your grandchildren will gobble up their Rice Krispie Drumstick faster than my Uncle Dean could

Print

Rice Krispie Turkey Drumsticks

Author Adapted by This Grandma is Fun

Ingredients

• 6 pretzel rods
• White melting chocolate
• Mini marshmallows
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 6 C. Cocoa Krispies or Cocoa Pebbles cereal

Instructions

• Break your pretzel rods in half. Scratch off salt from pretzel rods.
• Melt white chocolate and place one or two mini marshmallows on <g class="gr_ gr_47 gr-alert gr_gramm Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="47" data-gr-id="47">end</g> of <g class="gr_ gr_48 gr-alert gr_gramm Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="48" data-gr-id="48">pretzel</g> rod, dip pretzel rod with mini marshmallow in melted white chocolate. Place on wax paper to set.
• When pretzel rods have fully hardened melt butter and marshmallows in <g class="gr_ gr_51 gr-alert gr_gramm Grammar only-ins doubleReplace replaceWithoutSep" id="51" data-gr-id="51">large</g> saucepan. Stir in rice <g class="gr_ gr_50 gr-alert gr_gramm Punctuation only-del replaceWithoutSep" id="50" data-gr-id="50"><g class="gr_ gr_53 gr-alert gr_spell ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="53" data-gr-id="53">krispies</g>,</g> turn <g class="gr_ gr_49 gr-alert gr_gramm Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="49" data-gr-id="49">heat</g> on low. Butter your hands and scoop about 1/2 cup of rice <g class="gr_ gr_54 gr-alert gr_spell ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="54" data-gr-id="54">krispies</g>. Shape into drumstick around the pretzel round. Place on wax paper to cool.

Notes

Adapted from Mommy Savers

The post Rice Krispie Turkey Drumsticks appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Although I do feel like it is my personal mission to spoil my grandchildren, I also want to support their mom in her desire to be healthy. There is a time for spoiling with sugary treats but I also don’t want my sweet grandchildren to get sick from too many goodies. So a fun thing for me to do is to have a treat that’s fun to make AND is also healthy!

This activity works best with children within the ages of 3-5 or so. The activity is simple which is to start with a toasted piece of bread:

And then show the next picture and ask, “What is different about this piece of bread?” Most likely kids will yell “It has peanut butter!” Right! Let’s spread some peanut butter on our toast.

Next, show them this picture:

Oh my! What has been added to the toast? Bananas! Kids LOVE being able to notice what is different. Help the kids cut a banana (have a safe knife) and place them on their toast. Now comes our next picture:

Uh oh! What do we need to do next? Put on the raisins! Allow the kids to place raisins for the eyes and nose. You then could ask them, are we done? And then show them the last picture:

We can’t eat peanut butter toast without some milk! Give your kids a cup of milk to eat with their toast and then have fun as you watch them eat the ears, eyes and nose. They love it!

I love doing interactive activities with my grandkids and this one is a favorite! Another favorite is these Reindeer Sandwiches from our sister site, Made From Pinterest. Check it out!

Until next time,

The post Teddy Bear Toast appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Hello everyone! Amber from rick•a•bam•boo here again. This month I am going to share a really fun recipe with all of you. How to make your own Candy Googley Eyes. These are so fun and are perfect for Halloween! Well, anytime really. Isn’t all food more fun with little candy eyes?

I saw these on Instagram from My Name Is Snickerdoodle and immediately went over to Pinterest so that I could pin them for later. I didn’t know at the time what I would need them for, I just loved them. They ended up being the perfect thing for a monster themed birthday party for Thor.

The recipe is simple. But I’m not going to lie, they can be really hard to pipe. My piping skills are a bit rusty, but if you are a master piper then you should be fine.

Print

Candy Googley Eyes Recipe

Course Candy

Author Amber Simmons

Ingredients

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 5 TBSP meringue powder
• 1/2 cup cold water
• TOOLS
• black gel food coloring
• 2-3 cookie sheets
• parchment paper
• 2 pastry bags fit with a #3 tip OR a freezer bag
• 2 large drinking glasses

Instructions

• First line your sheets with parchment paper.
• Then in a mixer blend together the powered sugar, meringue powder, and cold water. Beat for 3-5 minutes to make it nice and smooth. When the you lift the whisk out of the mixing bowl the part that drizzles back down should absorb back into the rest in 10 seconds or less. Add more water or powdered sugar as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
• When you have the right proper texture place your white piping bag, tip down, in to a large drinking glass. Roll the top of the bag down around the glass and start filling your bag. Leave about 3/4 a cup in the mixing bowl.
• Add the black food coloring a few drops at a time to the remaining mixture. Continue until you reach the desired darkness.
• Fill the second pastry bag with the black mixture.
• Pipe eyes starting with the white on to the prepared trays. It's okay if some of them stick together. They are googley eyes after all.
• Once the white as dried a bit it is time to start adding the black. The whites are probably dry enough once you finish piping them all. Just start adding black to the first whites you made. You can add the pupil anywhere, in the center or off to the side.
• When you are finished let the eyes dry for 24 hours and then store them in an air tight container. They are good for a whole year.

Don’t worry if all your whites aren’t perfectly round. That just makes the eyes more expressive. I basically just touched the black to the white to make the pupils. I didn’t squeeze at all, but my black was probably a bit on the thin side.

This recipe makes a ton of eyes so you can have fun with your food all year long.

Here’s a peek at how awesome Thor’s monster birthday cake turned out.

Be sure to follow me so that you don’t miss any of the awesome Halloween stuff I have planned!

Pinterest  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Google+  |  Instagram

Here are a few of my recipes that you will enjoy also:

BBQ Pork Wonton Tacos

Scrumptious Italian Pasta Salad

 Honey Sriracha-Glazed Chicken

The post Candy Googley Eyes Recipe appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Everyone in my family knows that if they are not sure what to get me for a present, I am sure to like any kitchen gadget. I can spend hours in a kitchen store. Every gadget I see, I am sure I need it. One of my recent favorites is a Pizzelle maker my family got me for Christmas! LOVE IT! I justified the purchase by making Mascarpone and Fruit Filled Pizzelle Cups. And it got me thinking. About waffle cones. And Minerva McGonagall.

So I just had to get myself a Waffle Cone Maker. My family began to think I was going crazy with batch after batch of botched hats and trashed cones. I wanted to mimic the way her hat droops at the top, the floppy brim and I wanted to get everything to be the right proportions.

The next hurdle was getting M and M’s in the Gryffindor house colors. So I was off to Candy World at the mall. I placed my bag, pulled the lever and heard the pleasing sound of M and M’s spilling into my bag. Then I weighed it. Okay, FYI, those candies come out of the dispenser really fast! I was up to $17 and all I had were maroon M and M’s! I did much better on the gold M and M’s, but not good enough. Friends, learn from my $30 M and M mistake and get 7 to 8 ounces of each color. Nobody needs that many Gryffindor colored candies.

It took me a while to work out my design for Professor McGonagal’s hat, but once I did, it was really pretty quick and easy. So I have worked out all the bugs, cleared out all the cobwebs and shazaam accio! Now you can see how easy  it is to make your own in this short video. Mrs. Weasley couldn’t have done better with magic! Make sure to scroll down for the printable recipe after viewing. Hope this helps you have a magical Halloween!

Print

Candy Filled McGonagall Hats

Servings 10

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 stick half cup melted butter, cooled
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoon black gel food coloring
• Colored Candies to fill the hat
• Black decorating icing

Instructions

• Whisk eggs. Add sugar and continue whisking until light yellow and well combined. Add melted butter and flour. Whisk until it is free of lumps, add vanilla and food coloring. Mix well.
• Next, follow manufacturers directions to make cones, BUT undercook them. 40 seconds was perfect on my cone maker. This way they stay soft enough to punch the tops and bend it over. Otherwise they will be to crisp to do that. The cones will be very hot. I used a spatula or a kitchen knife to remove them from the cone maker. Lay a towel on the counter as a work surface.

For the cones:

• Three small cookies scoops was the perfect amount for my waffle cone maker to make a full size cone. To make the hats, make full size circles and cut them in half. Then lay one half back onto the heated plate to keep it soft and pliable. On one corner, put a dab of black decorating icing. Take your cone form with the tip along the straight edge and begin rolling at the icing free edge of the cone along the form, keeping edges even, towards the dab of icing. You may want to use a towel or cloth as the cone will be hot. The dab of icing helps the cone hold tightly. Slide the form out of the cone slightly, pinch the top of the cone and hold in place with a kitchen towel. Remove the form. Cool for 50 seconds to a minute. Repeat with the other half.

For the brims:

• Lay five large spoons in a circle, with the handles out. Make a cone with two scoops of dough for a smaller circle. Lay the circle on the five spoon. Lay the handle of a knife in between each spoon to create an undulating edge. Cool 50 seconds to one minute.

To assemble the hats:

• Turn the cone upside down and fill with candy. Pipe decorating icing along the rim of the hat. Place the brim of the hat over the cone and press into place. Turn the hat over and let icing harden for about 20 - 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Each full size cone (3 scoops of dough) makes two hats. You will need 5 full size cones for 10 hats.
Each small cone (2 scoops of dough) makes one brim. You will need 10.
Make sure to handle the hats from the base. If picking up the hat from the cone, the brim may fall off.
If ordering specialty colored candy, 7 ounces of each color will be plenty.
These are best fresh, but the cones and brims may be made 1 or 2 days ahead and kept in Ziploc bags or an airtight container.

Don’t forget to have a little Polyjuice Potion on hand to help wash down all that candy!

This post contains an affiliate link which means I receive a small compensation, at no additional cost to you, if you make a purchase using my link. Clearly I am really happy with my waffle cone maker and had a blast designing these hats. I promise I will only recommend products I truly love!

The post Candy Filled McGonagall Hats appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Hey guys, it’s Mandy from Mandy’s Recipe Box! I’m here today with the easiest recipe that everyone will love. My family ate these Pizza Cupcakes up like crazy. Next time I will make more! I found the recipe on Plain Chicken via Pinterest. With Pillsbury Seamless Dough Sheets, these are a breeze to make.

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Pizza Cupcakes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Mandy Bird

Ingredients

• 1 can refrigerated Pillsbury Seamless Dough Sheets
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• pizza toppings - pepperoni ham, sausage, peppers, onions, mushrooms, pineapple, peppers etc.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Spray or grease a muffin pan.
• Unroll dough sheet and cut into 8 equal squares. Press into muffin cups.
• Sprinkle some cheese into each dough cup. Add 1 Tbsp. pizza sauce followed by remaining cheese and the toppings of your choice. Sprinkle garlic powder over toppings.
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove from pan, carefully, with a fork.
• Serve.

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We are celebrating the addition to the Clark’s Condensed Family! Katie Clark, from Clark’s Condensed and The Blog Help is going to be welcoming their second son at the end of September. Congratulations Katie!!

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Muddy Buddies for a Boy!

Author Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

• 9 cups of Rice Chex
• 1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Blue chocolate melts
• Blue Sprinkles

Instructions

• Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
• In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High for 1 minute then stir.
• Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla.
• Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.
• Pour half of the mixture into a 1 gallon ziploc bag.
• Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool.
• Repeat for the second half of the mixture.
• When cooled, melt your blue chocolate melts and drizzle over muddy buddies. Add Sprinkles.
• Store in airtight container in refrigerator

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