Frozen Zebra Pudding Pops - Letter "Z"

And here we are... at our last letter. Now Olivia has started Pre-K and baby Thad is due soon so it's probably best that we wrap up this "Cooking Through the Alphabet" project. I adapted this recipe from one I found at http://www.amug.org/~jbpratt/education/theme/alphabet/abcsnacking.html. There are lots of good educational snack ideas on this site.

Ingredients:

3 oz. or 5 oz. paper cups

1 box of chocolate pudding

1 box of vanilla pudding

popsicle craft sticks

Directions:

Prepare the pudding as directed on the box. Take small paper cups and alternate layers of chocolate and vanilla pudding. Put a popsicle craft stick in the middle. Place in the freezer for several hours. Cut or tear the paper cup off the pudding pop and enjoy! 

I accidentally bought the Cook & Serve Jello-O. It would have been easier with instant pudding instead.

mixing it together before we cooked it

before they got frozen

Yummy treat for dessert! Perfect for a hot day!

Traffic Light - Letter "L"

This was a very simple, no-bake Letter "L" recipe.
The recipe comes from the book: Look 'n' Cook: Step-by Step Recipes for Young Chefs Preschool/ Kindergarten (The Mailbox)

1. Spread peanut butter on the graham cracker.
2. Red light - place a red m&m at the top
3. Yellow light - place a yellow m&m in the middle
4. Green light - place a green m&m at the bottom
5. Go! (eat)

3 simple ingredients:
1. 1 box of graham crackers
2. 1 jar of peanut butter
3. 1 pack of m&m's
*If you are a teacher please remember to check for peanut allergies prior to using this recipe.

Sawyer has already requested that we make these for his lunchbox for school, haha :)

Umbrella & Underwear Cookies - Letter "U"

The kids loved our Letter "U" recipe making cookies! As always the No Fail Sugar Cookies turned out delicious!! It makes A LOT so you can always half the recipe.

The kids thought it would be funny to have some underwear cookies ready for daddy when he got home! :)

I didn't have any umbrella or underwear shaped cookie cutters so I just used a knife and cut them myself. Then we used a bendy straw for the handle on the umbrella.

Ingredients:

6 c. flour 
3 tsp. baking powder
2 c. butter 
2 c. sugar 
2 eggs 
2 tsp. vanilla extract 
1 tsp. salt 

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs and vanilla.
3. Mix dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.
4. Mix well.
5. Chill for 1 to 2 hours.
6. Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes.
7. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges.

Chilling the dough is an important step!

There are several funny underwear books that you can read before making the cookies:

Arthur's Underwear by: Marc Brown

Underwear Do's and Don'ts by: Todd Parr

Underwear! by: Mary Elise Monsell

And good umbrella books:

Umbrella by: Taro Yashima

The Umbrella Day by: Nancy Evans Cooney

Kite Rice Krispy Treats - Letter "K"

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) JET-PUFFED Marshmallows
• (KICRecipeIngredient-65092)
• 4 cups JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
• 6 cups Rice Krispies®
• Canned frosting or decorating gel
• Assorted candies

DIRECTIONS

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Using sharp knife cut into kite shapes. Decorate with frosting and/or candies. Best if served the same day.


MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.


Note

For best results, use fresh marshmallows.
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème can be substituted for marshmallows.
Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.
Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze, place in layers separated by wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

http://www.ricekrispies.com/recipes/high-flying-kite-treats

Resurrection Rolls - Letter "R"

It's empty!

Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

so delicious!

Recipe and Instructions for Easter Rolls that tell the true meaning of Easter, which is the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Ingredients needed:
Crescent rolls
Melted butter
Large Marshmallows
Cinnamon
Sugar
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
Give each child one triangle of crescent rolls.
Explain that the crescent roll represents the cloth that Jesus was wrapped in.
Read Matthew 27: 57-61

1. Give each child a marshmallow.
This represents Jesus.

2. Have him/her dip the marshmallow in melted butter.
This represents the oils of embalming.

3. Now dip the buttered marshmallow in the cinnamon and sugar.
This represents the spices used to anoint the body.

4. Then wrap up the coated marshmallow tightly in the crescent roll (not like a typical crescent roll up, but bring the sides up and seal the marshmallow inside.)
This represents the wrapping of Jesus' body after death.

5. Place all in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.
The oven represents the tomb--while you are waiting for the rolls to bake, read Matthew 27:62-66.

6. Remove rolls from oven and let them cool slightly.
Now the children can then open their rolls (cloths) and discover that Jesus is no longer there! HE IS RISEN!!!!
(The marshmallow melts and the crescent roll is puffed up, but empty.)

~ Now read Matthew 28:1-10

Enjoy your warm rolls as you rejoice at the good news of Easter!

*Recipe found on Cowboys-4-Christ's Facebook page

A Queen's Quesadilla - Letter "Q"

Here is the Queen holding her Quesadilla! 

This was fun and easy to make!!

 Ingredients:

jelly beans

shredded cheddar cheese

butter

tortilla

 Directions:

1. In a warm skillet we melted the butter, added the tortilla, and then put shredded cheese on it. We folded the tortilla over and flipped it a few times while it was cooking and the cheese was melting.

2. Then we took a butter knife and cut out a crown pattern.

3. Lastly we added the jelly beans as jewels to the crown. 

M&M Bars - Letter "M"

So delicious!!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

12 tbsp. butter, melted

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. white sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 tsps. vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. M&M's divided

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325.

Line a 9x13 baking pan with greased parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.

Stir in large egg and egg yolk until combined.

Stir in vanilla extract.

Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients, stirring just until flour is incorporated. Don't over stir.

Add in 1 c. of M&M's.

Press dough into an even layer in prepared pan.

Press remaining M&M's lightly on the top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Remove from pan and let cool completely.

Cut into squares.

Enjoy!

Found at http://divascancook.com/2014/01/mm-cookie-bars-recipe-homemade-chewy.html

Nutty Fudge - Letter "N"

YUM!!

It turned out VERY delicious!! 

Ingredients

8 ounces unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound powdered sugar

Directions

Combine the butter and peanut butter in a 4-quart microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 2 minutes on high. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes. (Use caution when removing this mixture from the microwave, it will be very hot.) Add the vanilla and powdered sugar to the peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. The mixture will become hard to stir and lose its sheen. Spread into a buttered 8 by 8-inch pan lined with parchment paper. Fold the excess parchment paper so it covers the surface of the fudge and refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours. Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Recipe found at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/peanut-butter-fudge-recipe/index.html