Honey Snack Mix

Ingredients:

• 1 package (10 oz) honey-flavored Teddy Grahams
• 3 cups Honeycomb cereal
• 1½ cups Reese's pieces
• 1 cup chocolate-covered raisins
  

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container.
2. Yield: 9 cups

This is a wonderful mix to eat when traveling. I even brought it to the beach in Florida for a snack (we kept it in the cooler so the chocolate didn't melt.)

Snowmen Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg (16 oz) Nutter Butter cookies
• 1 1/4 lb. white candy coating, melted
• miniature choc. chips
• M&M mini baking bits
• pretzel sticks, halved
• orange & red decorating gel
  

Directions:

1. Using tongs, dip cookies in candy coating; shake off excess.
2. Place on wax paper.
3. Place 2 choc chips for eyes, place 3 M&M down the middle for buttons.
4. For arms, dip ends of 2 pretzel stick halves into coating; attach on to each side.
5. Let stand until hardened.
6. Pipe nose and scarf with gel.

Makes 32 cookies

Hamburger-Noodle-Corn Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. hamburger
• 1 can corn, drained (you can also use frozen, 1-2 cups)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 can milk
  
• 1 cup uncooked noodles (any variety..I use egg noodle)
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

Directions:

1. Brown hamburger and drain. Start boiling water for noodles. Cook and drain.
   
2. Mix together hamburger, corn, soup, milk, cooked noodles and salt and pepper. Place in a 9x13" baking dish.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

*You can add French Fried Onions on top for some crunch.

Snowmen On A Stick

Ingredients:

• Bananas
• Grapes
• Apples
• Carrot
• Bamboo skewers
• Mini chocolate chips
• Pretzel Sticks
  

Directions:

1. For each snowman, you will need three thick slices of banana, a grape, a sliver of carrot, and a triangular piece of apple. (Tip: Poke a hole in the apple piece with a bamboo skewer first to make assembly easier.)
2. Have your kids slide the fruit onto the skewer, then use the carrot slivers for noses, mini chocolate chips for eyes and buttons, and pretzel sticks for arms.

Snowman Party Stew

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 pkg (16 oz) frozen vegetables for stew, divided
• 1 can (10 1/4 oz) beef gravy
• 2 c. mashed potatoes (prepared with a small amount of milk)
• chopped black olives
• 1/4 c. ketchup
  

Directions:

1. Remove 24 peas and one carrot chunk from stew vegetables; set aside.
2. In skillet, brown beef over medium heat.
3. Add the remaining vegetables to beef. Cook until vegt. are thawed.
4. Add gravy; mix well.
5. Pour into an ungreased 9" pie plate.
6. Top with 8 mashed potato snowmen, using 1 Tbsp. of potatoes for each head and 3 Tbsp for each body.
7. Bake uncovered at 350 for 20 minutes.
8. Meanwhile cut carrot chuck into 8 strips.
9. Insert one strip into each snowman for nose, place 3 reserved peas for buttons, add 2 pieces of chopped black olives for eyes.
10. Drizzle with ketchup to form a scarf.

Teddy Bear Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 1 tube (7 1/2 oz) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits; separated into 10 biscuits
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinn.
• 9 mini choc. chips

Directions:

1. For each bear (three):
2. Shape one biscuit into an oval for the body and place on a greased baking sheet.
3. Cut one biscuit into four pieces; shape into balls for arms and legs. Place next to body.
4. Cut one biscuit into two small pieces and one large piece; shape into head and ears. Place above the body. (you'll have one biscuit left over)
5. Brush with egg. Combine sugar and cinn; sprinkle over bears.
6. Bake at 425 for 8-10 minutes.
7. Place mini choc. chip on head for eyes and nose while the biscuits are still warm.

Yields 3 bears

Apple-Raisin Ladybug

Ingredients:

• 2 lettuce leaves (we don't use them)
• 1 medium apple, quartered and cored
• creamy peanut butter
• Raisins
• 5 red grapes
  

Directions:

1. Place lettuce leaves on plates. (I skip this step)
2. Arrange two apple quarters, peel side up. (I like to spread a little peanut butter between the quarters, to help them stick together better)
3. Use dabs of peanut butter to place raisins in the space between the apple quarters.
4. Place one grape at the stem end of the apple for head.
5. For legs, cut remaining grapes lengthwise into 4 pieces; place three on each side of ladybugs.
6. Place small dabs of peanut butter on remaining raisins; press onto apple for spots.

Makes 2 servings

Ladybug Appetizers

Ingredients:

• 2 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tbsp. sour cream
• 1/2 tsp. snipped chives
• 1/8 tsp. minced parsley
• 1/8 tsp. garlic salt
• Black paste food coloring
• 36 butter-flavored crackers
• 18 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 18 large pitted ripe olives
• 72 fresh chive pieces (about 1 1/2" long)
  

Directions:

1. In small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sour cream, chives, parsley, and garlic salt; mix well.
2. Place 1 Tbsp. in small bag, tint black; set aside.
3. Spread remaining cream cheese mixture onto crackers.
4. Arrange two tomato quarters on each cracker for ladybug wings.
5. For heads, halve the olives width wise; place one half on each cracker.
6. Insert 2 chives into olives for antennae.
7. Use tinted cream cheese to pipe spots on wings.

Makes 3 dozen. Instead of making the cream cheese mixture I have used Garden Vegt Cheese Spread, or French Onion Dip. I rarely add the antennae, and our kids still know its a ladybug!

Ready Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 cups 100% Bran cereal
• 1 cup shortening or butter
• 2 cups sugar( or 1 1/3 cup honey)
• 4 eggs
• 1 quart buttermilk
• 5 cups flour
• 5 tsp. soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 cups 100% Bran cereal( or All Bran)
  

Directions:

1. Pour together 2 cups boiling water and 2 cups Bran cereal. Set aside.
2. Cream shortening and 2 cups sugar.
3. Add 4 eggs beaten and the buttermilk.
4. Then add above Bran cereal mixture and mix together.
5. Fold in the last 4 dry ingredients.
6. Store in jars in the refrigerator for as long as six weeks.

Because this make such a large batch you can cut it in half, make all and freeze the muffins, or store batter in the fridge for up to 6 weeks. So easy then to make a few muffins quick in the morning before the kids go to school!

Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 3 1/2 Tbsp. non-fat powdered milk
• a bit of honey
  

Directions:

1. Mix together and roll into balls.

2. Store in the refrigerator.

3. Optional: roll in wheat germ, coconut, brown sugar, etc.

I know peanut butter is a "NO NO" with the salmonella scare right now, but when that passes these are so yummy and so healthy. These were a favorite of mine as a child, especially rolled in wheat germ!! Mom would make a Tupperware full and we'd snack on them for several days.

Tuna Schooners

Ingredients:

• 1 can (6 oz) tuna, drained and flaked
• 1/2 c. finely chopped apple
• 1/4 c. mayo
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 lettuce leaves
• 2 English muffins, split and toasted
• 8 tortilla chips
  

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the tuna, apple, mayo and salt; mix well.
2. Place lettuce on muffin halves. (we don't always use lettuce)
3. Top with tuna mixture.
4. Place tortilla chips on tuna mixture to resemble sails.

Yields 2-4 sandwiches.

Pizza Biscuit Bears

Ingredients:

• 1 tube (16.3 oz) large refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
• 12 pepperoni slices
• 12 ripe olives
• 1 Tbsp. chopped green pepper
• 1 jar (2 oz) sliced pimientos, drained
• 2 Tbsp. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 can (8 oz) pizza sauce, warmed
  

Directions:

1. Separate biscuits; place 6 biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet.
2. Cut each remaining biscuit into 6 pieces; roll into a ball; attach 2 balls to each biscuit to form ears; pinch dough to seal.
3. Decorate each bear with pepperoni slice on each ear, olive slices for eyes, green pepper for nose, 2 pimiento strips for mouth and mozzarella cheese for furry forelock.
4. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Serve with pizza sauce.

I like to put shredded cheese on the entire bear. Our kids LOVE these.

Peanut Butter Honeybees

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp. butter, softened
• 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs (about 12 squares)
• 1 square (1 oz) semisweet chocolate
• 1/3 c. sliced almonds, toasted
  

Directions:

1. In mixing bowl, cream peanut butter, butter and sugar until smooth.
2. Add graham cracker crumbs; mix well.
3. Shape teaspoonfuls of dough into 1 1/4" ovals; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheet.
4. Melt choc in microwave; high for about 1 minute. Transfer to resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in corner of bag.
5. Pipe three stripes on each bee.
6. Insert two almonds into each bee for wings.
7. Use a tooth pick to poke holes for eyes.
8. Store in refrigerator.

Makes about 4 dozen

Butterfly Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 c. flour
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 1 Tbsp. butter, melted
• Assorted fresh fruit: strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, oranges, etc.

Directions:

1. In a bowl beat the egg, buttermilk and butter.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients, except fresh fruit, just until moistened.
3. To form each wing, pour 2 Tbsp batter onto a greased, hot griddle. Pour 1 Tbsp batter below and touching the larger one.
4. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until second side is golden brown.
5. Place two wings on plate to form butterfly. Decorate with fresh fruit as desired.

Makes 5 butterfly pancakes. Feel free to use your favorite pancake recipe or box mix instead.

Smiley Face Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 2 c. biscuit/baking mix (Bisquick)
• 1 1/4 c. milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Red, Green, Yellow and Blue food coloring (liquid or paste)
  

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients, except food coloring. Mix until smooth.
2. Place 1 Tbsp of batter each in four bowls. Color one red, one green, one yellow and one blue.
3. Drop remaining batter by 1/4 c. onto a lightly greased hot griddle.
4. To create faces, paint colored batter on pancakes with a new small paintbrush.
5. Cook until bubbles form on top, turn and cook until golden.

You can use your imagination and paint anything on the pancakes; words, shapes, animals, etc