Frog Bites

Found on The Seven Year Cottage

Frog Bites

• Two-bite brownies
• Fruit slices (candy aisle)
• Spice drops (candy aisle)
• Sour Power red candy strips (Dollar General)
• Edible eyes (Michael’s)
• White chocolate chips
• Vanilla frosting
• Blue food coloring
• Blue sugar sprinkles
• Gallon-size resealable bag
• Miniature cupcake papers
• Toothpicks

Place two-bite brownies in paper liners and set aside.

Mix together vanilla frosting and 6-8 drops of food coloring.  Transfer to gallon-size zipper bag, seal, and snip one corner.  Pipe blue frosting onto brownies and sprinkle with sugar crystals.

To create frogs, separate green fruit slices and spice drops (you’ll need one large candy and two gum drops for each frog).  Form heads by carefully inserting two toothpicks, about 5/8 inch apart, through the bottom of fruit slices and into smaller candies.

Melt 1/2 cup white chocolate chips in small microwave safe bowl for 30-45 seconds.  Dab a small amount on the back of edible eyes and attach them to the green spice drops.  Once the chocolate sets up, they will be stuck like glue… pun fully intended!

For tongues, cut flat, red candy in half lengthwise with a clean pair of kitchen shears.  Cut strips into smaller pieces approximately 1.25 inches long.  Snip a small v-shaped notch in one end.

Top iced brownies with candy frogs, sliding tongues in between toothpicks.

Now you’re ready to serve!

Chocolate Marbled Banana Nut Bars

Found on Betty Crocker

1	pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2	cup plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1	egg
3/4	cup mashed very ripe bananas
1/2	cup chopped walnuts
1 1/4	cups semisweet chocolate chips 1Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 9-inch square pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, 1/2 cup butter and egg until soft dough forms. Reserve 1 cup of the dough. To the remaining dough, add mashed banana and walnuts; mix well. Spread in bottom of pan. 2In medium microwaveable bowl, microwave 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter on High about 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Add reserved cookie dough; stir until well blended. Drop chocolate dough by spoonfuls evenly over top of banana mixture; spread gently to almost cover. Swirl chocolate mixture into banana mixture with knife for marbled design. 3Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. 4In small microwavable bowl, microwave remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips on High about 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Drizzle over bars. Cool completely, about 2 hours. For bars, cut into 5 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature.

Bears at the Beach

Found on Kraft

KRAFT HOMESTYLE Spinach & Bacon Mac & Cheese

Found on Kraft

what you need

1 pkg. (12.6 oz.) KRAFT HOMESTYLE Macaroni & Cheese Dinner Classic Cheddar Cheese Sauce

2 cups  packed baby spinach leaves

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)

4 slices  OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled

make it

PREPARE Dinner in large saucepan as directed on package except do not top with Bread Crumb Topping.

STIR in spinach and pepper; cook and stir 2 min. or just until spinach is wilted.

STIR in bacon. Sprinkle with crumb topping.

Banana-Apple Strudel

Found on Pillsbury

INGREDIENTS

1

tablespoon margarine or butter

2

firm bananas, sliced

3

tablespoons brown sugar

3

tablespoons apple juice

4

Pillsbury® Toaster Strudel® Frozen Apple Pastries

DIRECTIONS

• 1Melt margarine in small skillet over medium heat. Add bananas; cook and stir 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Add brown sugar and apple juice; cook about 4 minutes or until bubbly and thickened, stirring occasionally.
• 2Meanwhile, toast pastries as directed on package.
• 3Place hot pastries on individual plates. Top with banana mixture. Squeeze icing over top of each.

Mosaic JELL-O

Found on Kraft

6-1/2 cups water, divided

1 pkg.  (3 oz.) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin

1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Orange Flavor Gelatin

3 pkg.  (3 oz. each) JELL-O Lemon Flavor Gelatin, divided

1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

make it

BRING 4-1/2 cups water to boil. Dissolve strawberry, orange and 1 pkg. lemon gelatin mix each in 1-1/2 cups boiling water in separate bowls. Pour each flavor gelatin into separate 8-inch square pan. Refrigerate 40 min. or until firm. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes; refrigerate until ready to use.

BRING remaining water to boil. Add to remaining lemon gelatin mixes; stir until dissolved. Stir in evaporated milk. Pour into 12-cup fluted tube pan or gelatin mold sprayed with cooking spray. Refrigerate 30 min.

ADD gelatin cubes to gelatin in pan; stir gently. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. Unmold.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

SPECIAL EXTRA

To give this refreshing dessert a casual look, cut flavored gelatins into 1/2-inch cubes, then place in 3-qt. glass bowl sprayed with cooking spray. Add the cooled gelatine; stir lightly until well blended. Also, it can be made for individual servings. Spoon flavored gelatin cubes into individual dessert dishes; fill evenly with cooled gelatine. Refrigerate until set.

JELL-O GELATIN PREPARATION TIP

If you've added the boiling water to the dry JELL-O Brand Gelatin and cannot get the gelatin to completely dissolve, place the gelatin mixture in a microwaveable bowl and microwave on HIGH 30 sec. This should bring up the temperature of the water to a point where it is hot enough to completely dissolve the gelatin. Stir until completely dissolved.

HOW TO UNMOLD GELATIN

Allow gelatin to set several hours or overnight until completely firm. Before unmolding, dip knife in warm water and run knife around edge of gelatin to loosen. Dip mold in warm water, just to rim, for 15 sec. Lift from water and gently pull gelatin from edge of mold with moistened fingers. Place moistened serving plate on top of mold. Invert mold and plate and shake to loosen gelatin. Gently remove mold.

Armadillo Potatoes

Found on Disney Family Fun

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon paprika

• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil
• 6 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut in half lengthwise

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 450°. In a bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, cheese, paprika, salt and pepper, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Set the mixture aside.
2. Transform each potato half into an armadillo by cutting 9 or so notches 1/2 to 1 inch deep in the rounded top. For each armadillo, cut a square of aluminum foil big enough to loosely wrap around it, brush the center with olive oil, then place the potato on it, flat side down. Sprinkle the top with some of the crumb mixture, pressing it into the grooves, then seal the potato in the aluminum foil.
3. Arrange all of the foil-covered potatoes on a baking sheet and bake them for 40 to 45 minutes. Open the pouches carefully they will be hot and full of steam. Makes 1 dozen armadillos.

Fluffy Cheese Puffs

Found on Disney Family Fun

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1 cup unbleached flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons minced chives or scallions

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400° F. Lightly coat 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, oil, salt, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour all at once. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it forms a smooth paste.
3. With the wooden spoon, beat in the eggs one at a time, blending completely each time. Stir in the Cheddar cheese and minced chives or scallions.
4. Using a tablespoon, drop balls of batter onto the cookie sheets. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the puffs are firm and well browned. Serve them warm or at room temperature. Makes 30 to 40 puffs.