Christmas Goodies and ideas for kids
Contributed by Diane S.

Rudolph Sandwiches

Take a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, cut it crossways for a triangle.
Then decorate it as a reindeer, with two raisins for the eyes, five or six
raisins for the mouth, broken pretzel bits for the horns, and a bright half
a cherry for the nose.


Dipped Marshmallows

1 bag large marshmallows
250 ml (1 cup) milk chocolate chips
10 ml (2 tsp) vegetable oil
Assorted sprinkles, colored sugar, coconut, crushed nuts, etc.

Put sprinkles into various custard cups or small bowls. You will need lots.
Melt chocolate chips and oil together over low heat (about 1 min. in
microwave). Have child dip each marshmallow into the chocolate (so about
half of it is covered), then dip and roll in the sprinkles. Place on a
cookie sheet to harden. Give away as gifts (if you know anyone who actually
might enjoy eating something like this!) or enjoy yourselves.


Cinnamon Snails

4 slices soft texture whole wheat or white bread
1/4 cup soft cream cheese
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter

Trim crusts from the bread slices. Spread 1 tablespoon cream cheese on each
slice of bread. Roll up bread slices with cream cheese on the inside. Cut
each roll into thirds. Stir together sugar and cinnamon until well mixed.
Dip each cut roll into melted butter, then into the sugar/cinnamon mixture.
Do not dip the ends of the rolls. Place rolls, seam side down, on an
ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 12 minutes, or
until light brown and crisp. Serve warm or cool. Makes 12.


Jelly Relish

A bowl of jelly
A cup of ice cream
Small fruit pieces
Cherries
Tools: a loaf pan and a knife

Put the jelly in the loaf pan and turn it into a plate so you get a shape.
Cut it into small rectangles (not very small). Top each rectangle with a
cherry and small pieces of fruit (if you wish). Freeze lighthly and serve.


Christmas Sandwiches

Two slices of white bread
red and green food coloring
sandwich fillings
Tools: clean paint brush, small bowls, toaster

Pour a small amount of the food colorings into small bowls - you may wish
to dilute with a small amount of water. Using the paintbrush, "paint" a
christmas tree onto the bread. You can add colorful ornaments and even
write "Merry Christmas". Paint the other slice of bread if desired. Toast
the bread slices slightly in a toaster. Add the meats and cheeses, or
peanut butter and jelly, and you have a great holiday sandwich.


Gingerbread Bowl

*Use your favorite gingerbread cookie recipe. When dough is rolled out,
shape it over a small stainless steel mixing bowl, shaping as needed to
create a bowl shape. Cut small shapes out around rim of dough (which is
still on the bowl). Put bowl (inverted) and dough, into a preheated 325
degree oven. Cook for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Remove
bowl CAREFULLY and you now have a gingerbread bowl. You can use the
remaining dough for cookies.


Sugar Cone Christmas Trees

Sugar cones
Chocolate chips, white chocolate chips or candy melts
Assorted candies for decorating* (especially gumdrops for the top)
Waxed paper

Spread out sheets of waxed paper to work on. Microwave chocolate or candy
melts in shallow bowl just until it starts to melt. Stir till smooth. Roll
cone in chocolate with two fingers inside cone (if possible) to hold. Lift
cone out with two fingers inside cone. Place a gumdrop on top and press
gently . Gumdrop should make it easier to stand cone up on waxed paper.
Decorate with assorted candies. Let decorated "trees" stand until chocolate
hardens. Store sealed in cool place.

Note: White chocolate seems to harden much faster than regular chocolate,
so decorate the white "trees" right away and let the regular chocolate ones
set up a minute before decorating.

*Decorations: M&M's large and mini sizes, gumdrops, marshmallows, cinnamon
decors, silver ball decors, sprinkles, colored sugars, decorator icing
(see below).

Decorator Icing:

Mix confectioners' sugar with just enough milk (just the tiniest bit) and
food color to make a thick icing. It should be thick, but still able to
pipe through a decorator's tip. If it is too thick, add more milk (a little
at a time). If it is too thin, add more confectioners' sugar. Pipe either
with a decorator's bag and tips or put in the corner of a freezer bag* &
twist shut; snip off tiniest bit of corner and squeeze bag gently to pipe
frosting out.
*Make sure freezer bag has nice square corners and not pleated ones.


Reindeer Cravings, Wormy apples

1 apple
gummy worms
peanut butter

Cut apple in 6 pieces, remove core, spread peanut butter on apple slice,
wrap 1 or 2 gummy worms around apple


Jingle Bell Bug

large strawberries
thin pretzel sticks
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon of butter
miniature chocolate chips

Wash strawberries and remove stems. Cut strawberries in half from stem to
tip. Melt 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and butter in skillet. Place four
pretzels on serving plate side by side, just touching. Dip cut side of
strawberries in chocolate, put on top of pretzels. Dip mini choc chips in
melted chocolate, stick on strawberry for eyes.


Santa's Favorite Christmas Candle

1 pineapple slice
1/2 banana
2 maraschino cherries
1 candy mint leaf
1 leaf of lettuce

Place lettuce on plate, put pineapple slice on lettuce, put the cut end of
the banana in hole of pineapple, top with cherry. Place mint leaf on side
with another cherry