Ding Dong Spider Recipe

Last week we made Ding-Dong Spiders, and the kids loved it!  I made a recipe card and they loved following the recipe to make their own spider!

If you're interested in the recipe card, just send me an e-mail (preschoolsnacks@yahoo.com) and I'll e-mail it to you!

Painting with Sweetened Condensed Milk

Today we painted with some of the SWEETEST and yummiest tasting paint ever!

We poured a bit of Sweetened Condensed Milk into clean paint containers (you could use paper cups if you want), then we added food coloring to make each color of the rainbow and painted sweet rainbows!  The kids loved tasting the paint!  And it dries shiny and pretty -- but please note, it spoils since it has milk in it so you'll have to throw your cute painting away.  If you want to keep your project try Karo Syrup Paint found HERE!

Here are some other MARCH activities from my archives you might enjoy too!  Just click on the links below the picture to go to the snack or activity!

1. Rainbow Munchies
2. Rainbow Cupcakes
3. Lucky Leprechaun Pudding

4. Graphing Lucky Charms

White Chocolate Popcorn

Here's a quick and easy treat to take on a popcorn picnic or to eat during a parade this summer!

Just pop 3 bags of microwave popcorn and spread it out on 2 cookie sheets, then melt 1 bag of white chocolate chips. drizzle the melted chocolate on the popcorn and sprinkle with sprinkles. Let cool for 10-15 minutes then break up and put it in a large bowl and share with your friends!

Happy Summer!

Product Review X 2

If you're familiar at all with my blog then you know I'm a HUGE fan of csnstores.com! Well, not too long ago they gave me an opportunity to review 2 products. I had a hard time choosing (since csnstores has absolutely everything to offer) but finally I whittled it down to a couple of AWESOME items!

First item: Rival 3 Qt. Stainless Steel Fondue Set.Isn't it a beaut? We have LOVED this fondue set! With most other fondue pots, you have to first cook the chocolate, broth, cheese on the stovetop first and then transfer it to your fondue pot where it will keep the yummy goodness warm, but with this one you plug it right into the wall, drop your stuff in and cook it right in the pot!!! It has a temperature settings dial that you control the heat to cook it right in the pot and then turn the dial to 'warm' when dipping and eating! Love this thing!

Second item: Hamilton Beach 10 cup Food Processor (in white).Okay - what can you NOT do with an awesome food processor like this one? I love chopping veggies, making fresh salsa, grating cheese and veggies, etc. Pure definition of fresh food fast!

Look what I made with it! Veggie Pizza!Ingredients:
2 pkgs. fridge cressent rolls, 1 block cream cheese, ranch dressing, 2 carrots, 1/2 bunch broccoli, 1/2 cauliflower head, 2 cups grated cheese.

Open the refrigerator cressent rolls and pat them out on a pizza pan (like a crust). Bake according to directions on package. Let cool. For the sauce I let the cream cheese get to room temperature, place in a bowl and stir in ranch dressing to taste (just personal taste, some like it rather ranchy tasting, some like it more suttle). Spread the cream cheese mixture on the crust. Then, I put all the veggies in the food processor and chopped them up kind of fine (b/c I don't like huge chunks of veggie on my veggie pizza). Put the veggies on the pizza. Last (but not least) I put grated cheese (fresh grated in my food processor) on the pizza. YUM!

Peaches-N-Cream

This is a jazzed up version of one of my favorite treats as a kid! We would cut up a peach, plop it in a bowl with milk and sugar! YUM!

What you need: peaches, vanilla yogurt, graham crackers (crushed)

What you do: layer the peaches, yogurt and crushed graham crackers. (easy)

VARIATIONS
peaches: any fruit on hand
cream: any flavor yogurt, whipping cream, ice cream, milk, cream.
topping: granola, nilla wafers, cut up candybar

Edible Easter Baskets

This is from one of our fellow readers! Thanks to The Barger Family for sharing! Just click on the picture to go to the directions!

Taste a Rainbow

"Holy Time-Consuming Batman!!!" These take a lot of prep time but ... are totally worth it in the end! I made them for our preschool kids today and we let them frost the top with green frosting - it was so fun to see the kids eyes light up when they saw the rainbow!

The recipe:

*Prepare your favorite vanilla cake mix recipe (or box)

*Divide prepared cake mixture into 6 different bowls

*Use food coloring to color each bowl of prepared cake mixture

(red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple)

*Layer the prepared cake mixture one at a time in muffin lined tins

*Bake according to directions

*Frost with favorite frosting recipe

Rainbow Munchies

How easy and fun is this? Here's what you need: Froot Loops cereal (or any off brand) ;), picture of a Rainbow (I laminate mine so we can use them in preschool). But your child can draw a picture of a Rainbow as well to use!

Here's what you do: Give your child a cup of cereal and have them match the colors of the cereal to the rainbow. This yummy snack can help reinforce the following concepts: color matching, color naming, more, less, and most.

Yummy Fireworks!!

Sorry I've been a slacker with the posts - didn't realize how BUSY you get while planning a wedding and buying a house at the same time! If you have any ideas to share don't forget to send me an e-mail! I LOVE ALL MY READERS/CONTRIBUTERS! Thanks for making this such a fun thing to do!!!

These are SUPER easy and fun to give away!

You just take a pack of Rolo's and roll them up in festive 4th of July paper and stick a piece of festive garland in the end!

Popcorn Pack-a-Snack

We made these fun and easy pack-a-snack mixes in Preschool this summer with the kids and they were a BIG hit! It's a great and easy idea for a take-along snack for a long summer drive, hike or just a yummy snack.All you have to do is use fresh popped popcorn as a base and then throw in your child's favorite goodies (ie: chocolate chips, pretzels, m&m's, craisins, goldfish crackers, cap'n crunch cereal, etc.) mix and throw it in a bag to pack with you this summer.

White Chocolate Popcorn

Sorry it's been a while since I've put anything on here ... I recently got engaged so (needless to say) things have been a bit crazy!
But thanks to our loyal contributor Tracy for sharing this recipe! This looks so yummy!Just click HERE or on the picture to get the recipe!

FYI: Whatever you do ... don't try to color the white chocolate! Tried it ... doesn't work. Use the colored chocolate candy pieces if you want some color on the popcorn!

This is such a fun idea for a treat to give teachers at the end of the year! I got the wittiest gift from one of my students this year and have to share it with you. She gave me a large Hershey's candybar with almonds and a note attached which said:

"Thank you to a teacher who is oh so 'SWEET' and just a little 'NUTTY'!
Too cute!!!
Want to share any other cute ideas you've done/gotten for a 'SWEET' Thank You?

Microwave Cake in a Mug

Thanks so much to our reader Deeann for this fun, yummy and easy, easy, easy recipe! I've seen this floating on the internet and armed with Deeann's recipe I gave it a try with yummy results!
I think this would even be fun for April Fool's day served as Hot Chocolate Cake!Here's what you need:
4 tbsp. flour
4 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. cocoa
1 egg
3 tbsp. milk
3 tbsp. oil
3 tbsp. chocolate chips
splash vanilla
1 coffee mug

Here's what you do:
Add dry ingredients to the mug, mix well.
Add the egg and mix well.
Pour in the milk and oil, mix well.
Add the chocolate chips and vanilla, mix well.

Put the mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Sombrero's / Witch Hats

Thanks again Tracy! What a woman! Here's a great treat for Cinco de Mayo ... Sombreros! They could also double for Witch Hats! So cute! Go to Tracy's blog to find out how to make these!
It would also be fun to fill the hats with something before attaching them to the cookie (ie: popcorn, muddy buddies, m&m's, etc.).

Cheeto's Carrots

Here's another fun idea from Tracy! I would have gotten it on here sooner ... but I've been crazy busy! Better late than never! ;)
Here's what Tracy says about this great snack: "Perfect for Easter. They look like carrots but, they are really Cheetos in a disposable cake decorating bag with some green tissue. So, easy to make. And so yummy to eat!"

Spring Cupcakes

We had so much fun making these cupcakes! They're so cute and easy to make!Here's what you need: unfrosted cupcakes, frosting, large marshmallows, gumdrops, sprinkles




Here's what you do:
Cut a large marshmallow in about 4 pieces (easiest with scissors), flatten out a bit and dip in sugar sprinkles then set aside. Frost the cupcake then arrange the marshmallow petals and gumdrop to look like a flower. You can flatten and cut green gumdrops and cut to look like leaves and add to the flower.

Spring Colors Popcorn

On St. Patrick's Day I had a great popcorn idea, but I messed it up so there I sat with a big bowl of popcorn and nothing fun to do with it. Then my mother (the best cook on earth) gave me this idea - turn the popcorn green and yummy ... and done within minutes!! It's a great spring treat and this sticky popcorn can even be turned into yummy popcorn balls!
Here's what you need: 1 cup sugar, 1 cup Karo, 1 small box Jell-o (any kind), microwave popcorn (popped/butter flavored)





Here's what you do:
Put sugar and Karo (corn syrup) in sauce pan and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in 1 small box jell-o. Pour over popcorn and eat as is or mold into popcorn balls!

Creative Sammies!

An old high school friend posted these creative sandwiches on her blog and I just had to share. Thanks Susan!!
Here's what she says about these fun Sandwiches!
"They each include a veggie, fruit, protein and a grain. I usually will add a glass of milk and some cheese aside from the protien, especially since they are kids and require a lot of calcium."

Yummy Crunch Mix

Here's what you need: 3 cups peanut butter Captain Crunch, 3 cups Rice Crispies, 3 cups mini marshmallows, 1 cup mixed nuts, 4-6 small packages m&m's, 20 oz. white chocolate or almond bark.








Here's what you do:
Add all ingredients (except chocolate) in a large bowl. Melt the chocolate and pour over the mixture and stir. Easy as that and you're done! This is so yummy and a great holiday treat!

Inside Out Tacos (7 Layer Bean Dip)

Here's what you need: 1 can refried beans, 1 pint sour cream, 1 pkg taco seasoning, 1 pint guacamole, about 2 cups grated cheese, 2-3 tomatoes (diced), 1 can pitted black olives (sliced).








Here's what you do:
Spread each item on a tray (in order of ingredients listed above). Dip chips in and enjoy!

*Note* Instead of sprinkling the Taco Seasoning on as a layer, my sister gave me a tip to mix it in with the sour cream before spreading it on. I like it better that way.