Holiday Treats!

It has become a small tradition in my family that I bring some sort of festive dessert/treat to celebrate the holidays. This is not an amazing dessert that we are talking about here, rather something fun and cute to keep things a little festive. As I've shared these "treats" with some of my friends and co-workers, I have been told that I will be a "good mom" because I love to do these little projects. Being far from ready for all of that, Lucas and I are having so much fun doing these together!



THANKSGIVING


On Thanksgiving I brought "turkeys. This was probably the easiest out of all of them. We started with a package of Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies, a package of rolos, a package of caramels (we used the chewy werthers, but any caramel candies will work), and the orange reese's pieces (you are actually recommended to use candy corn, but since I waited until November and Halloween was long gone, I went with the next best thing!) Take the caramels and heat them in the microwave until a little warm and flexible. Stick the warmed caramel over the rolo and stick the cookie to the back of it. Stick the reese's piece or the candy corn in the front to act as a beak. See, easy, huh?


CHRISTMAS


For Christmas, I decided that Christmas Mice would be fun to make. (You know, like "not a creature was stirring, not even a MOUSE").  What you will need: 24 maraschino cherries (stems still on), drained, about 3/4 of a cup of chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate, but you can use semi-sweet), 24 unwrapped milk chocolate hershey's kisses, and 48 almond slices. You will also need black, white and pink icing for the eyes and nose (if you want). 

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 15-20 second intervals (being careful not to burn the chocolate chips). Mix the chocolate chips until they are smooth. Holding the cherry by the stems, cover the cherries with chocolate and place them in rows on a waxed-paper covered cookie sheet. While they are still warm, press a hershey kiss into the front of the cherry, and place two almond slices about the hershey kiss (for the ears). Place the "mice" in the refrigerator to stick together. Make two white dots on the hershey kiss for the eyes - place back in the refrigerator to set (about 10 minutes) and then repeat with smaller black icing dots for the pupils. You can do a pink dot for the nose, however, we didn't think it was necessary.


EASTER

Last but not least, last weekend...EASTER! Now I had seen more "bunny rabbit" cupcakes and cakes to try, but I wanted to do something not only for easter, but to celebrate spring and the beautiful weather that we've been having. I decided that birds nests would be a lot of fun (and they tasted amazing as well!) What you will need: one bag of butterscotch chips (12 oz), one cup of peanut butter, 2 cups of mini-marshmallows, one bag of chow mein noodles (6 oz) and some kind of oval shaped candy. I used the chocolate candy-coated eggs. I  had bought a bag of the easter colored peanut m&m's, but they didn't look as big and "egg-like".

Like always, line a cookie sheet with waxed paper (we had to line 2). In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chips until completely melted (30 second intervals being careful not to burn them). Mix in the cup of peanut butter (should be really creamy). Add chow mein noodles and marshmellows and stir until everything is evenly coated. Take tablespoons and drop onto the waxed paper (make a little indent in the middle of them to place the "eggs"). Gently place three eggs per nest and let sit until hardened (it was hot this weekend, and even with the air conditioning on, we had to refrigerate them). ENJOY!