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 :)

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

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

Gingerbread Cookies - Letter "G"

I found this recipe from a book: Cookie Fun by: Judith Hoffman Corwin

"Everyone loves these charming gingerbread cookies and they have been a long-time tradition at holidays. In fourteenth-century Europe they were baked and sold at carnivals. Later at holiday time in the Scandinavian countries they were baked and beautifully decorated with white sugar icing. The early American settlers even brought their recipes for gingerbread cookies with them to be enjoyed in their new home." - Cookie Fun

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg yolk

2 1/2 tbsp. corn syrup

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. ground ginger

extra flour to roll out the dough

extra butter to grease the cookie sheet

1/4 c. confectioner's (powdered) sugar

a few raisins for eyes, optional (We used M&Ms)

some gel decorating icing

wax paper

cookie cutters

Directions:

1. Combine the butter and sugar. Add the egg yolk and corn syrup. Continue stirring until mixture is completely blended.

2. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger. Stir well. You will now have a stiff dough. Wrap the dough in wax paper and chill for several hours. If you do not want to use all the dough at once, you can leave some in the refrigerator for another day.

3. Roll the dough to 1/4" thickness on a lightly floured surface. 

4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

So delicious!!

Clown Cupcakes - Letter "C"

Ingredients:
1 regular size box of cake mix - I use Pillsbury Funfetti.
1 container of icing - again I use Funfetti
1 box of sugar ice cream cones
assorted candies: m&m's, gum drops, and whatever you prefer
mini Nilla Wafers
1 tube of decorative gel icing

Directions:
Bake your cupcakes and allow to cool completely. Frost the cupcake and then decorate! Have fun!
sugar ice cream cones - hat
mini Nilla Wafers - ears
m&m's - eyes
red gum drops - nose
gel icing - mouth & top of hat

Eggs in a Nest - Letter "E"

This was such a fun recipe to make with Olivia! We had a great time! You can choose to make just chocolate, just butterscotch, or both. We chose to make both! The recipe yields 12 large nests of each kind.

Ingredients:
1- 12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1- 11 oz. bag butterscotch chips
1-  12 oz. bag of La Choy Chow Mein noodles
1- small bag of Brach's jelly beans
wax paper

Directions:
In a sauce pan (or in the microwave), melt the chocolate chips on low heat until creamy. Then add half the bag of noodles and stir thoroughly. While still hot, place spoonfuls of the mixture onto the wax paper. Next put jelly beans in the center. Repeat this with the butterscotch chips. They should be hard within 30 minutes. Very easy!! And very tasty!!

Look at that sweet hand!

This one cracked me up because she put LOTS of jelly beans on it!

I really expected the chocolate ones to be my favorite but I actually liked the butterscotch ones better!

Snickers Salad

I first tried this recipe when a dear friend, Robyn, prepared it for a Care Group gathering when we lived in Wake Forest, NC. It's great for the summer when you want something cool and refreshing.

Snickers Salad

Ingredients:
1- 3.4 oz box of Jell-O French Vanilla Instant Pudding
24- fun size Snickers candy bars
4- large Granny Smith apples
1- 16 oz. Cool Whip

Directions:
1. Cut up the Snickers bars into small pieces and place them in a container in the freezer for a while.
2. Prepare the pudding by the directions on the box.
3. Slice the apples into small bite size pieces.
4. Combine snickers pieces, apples bites, pudding, and Cool Whip in a large bowl and stir well. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Cookie Dough Truffles

Cookie Dough Truffles
by: Paula Deen

*BEWARE: VERY ADDICTING!!!:)
Recipe makes about 50.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cup all-purpose flour

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate morsels

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1 1/2 lb chocolate bark candy coating, melted

Directions:

In a large bowl cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in flour and add milk. Add chocolate morsels and pecans, mixing well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on waxed paper; chill 2 hours.
*Cook’s Note: Since the dough is sticky, roll your fingers into flour. This will make it easier to roll.
Melt chocolate bark candy coating in a double boiler. Using 2 forks, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Place on waxed paper and chill to set. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
http://www.pauladeen.com/recipes/view2/cookie_dough_truffles/

You can use mini cupcake holders to make them not quite as messy.

Here shows the truffle cut in half.

She has a sweet tooth like her momma!

 

Buckeyes

Buckeyes

"The term Buckeye Balls is code for delicious chocolate, peanut butter candy goodies." ~ Southern Living magazine

Beware-- slightly addicting:) :)

Ingredients
• 1 (16-ounce) jar creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 1/2 (16-ounce) packages powdered sugar
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
• 2 tablespoons shortening

Preparation
Beat peanut butter and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until blended.
Shape into 1-inch balls; chill 10 minutes or until firm.
Microwave chocolate and shortening in a 2-quart glass bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring twice.
Dip each ball in chocolate mixture until partially coated; place on wax paper to harden. Store in an airtight container.

Southern Living, NOVEMBER 2000

M & M Rainbow Blondies

M & M Rainbow Blondies

Ingredients

2/3 cup butter
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup M&M’S® MINIS® Milk Chocolate Candies
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for glass pan). Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; add egg whites and vanilla extract. Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture just until combined. Stir in M&M’S® MINIS® Milk Chocolate Candies
and nuts. Spread dough into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly moist with crumbs. Cool completely before cutting. Store in tightly covered container.

Makes 32 SERVINGS.

http://www.mms.com/us/baking/recipes/bars/recipe.jsp?id=76