Pig Out with Preschoolers: Snack

Cinnamon Biscuits

Butter/margarine, melted
1/2 c. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon (mixed)
1 pkg refrigerator biscuits

Cut biscuits in 1/2. roll in melted butter/margarine. dip in sugar mixture. Put two biscuit halves in paper line muffin cup. Bake at 450 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Cookie Pizza

1 Package Duncan Hines Golden Sugar Cookie Mix
1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate coated candy pieces
1 container vanilla or chocolate frosting (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cookie mix as directed on package. Spread onto lightly greased 12-inch pizza pan. Sprinkle candy pieces evenly over cookie dough; press down gently. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 3 to 4 minutes in pan; cool completely. Decorate with frosting, if desired.

Creamsicles

1 (6 oz) can peaches in light syrup or 2 fresh ripe peaches, sliced and pitted
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp sugar or honey (optional)
popsicle sticks and cups

Whip cream in a blender for 30-45 seconds. Add peaches and honey. Whir until smooth. Pour into molds, insert sticks, and freeze.

Critter Crunch

1/4 c. butter or margarine
3 T. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 c. crispix
1 1/2 c. cheerios
1 1/2 c. animal crackers
1 1/2 c. bear -shaped honey graham snacks
1 c. bite-size shredded wheat
1 c. miniature pretzels

In saucepan, or microwave safe bowl, heat butter,brown sugar and cinnamon til butter is melted: mix well. In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add butter mixture and toss to coat. Place in greased 15 x 10 x 1 in. baking pan. Bake uncovered at 300 degrees for 30 mins, stirring every 10 mins. Store in airtight container. Makes about 8 cups.

Crumbly Baked Apples

6 medium Baking Apples, peeled and cored
1/3 cup Butter or Margarine, softened
3/4 cup + 2 Tbs. Brown Sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup All-purpose Flour, sifted
1 1/2 tsp. ground Cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground Ginger
1/2 tsp. ground Nutmeg
1/8 tsp. Salt

Pre-heat the oven to 350-F degrees and select a baking dish that is just large enough to securely hold the half-dozen apples.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter or margarine and three-quarter cup brown sugar until well-blended. Stir in the sifted flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt, then blend well again.

Finish preparing the apples by deeply scoring the outside of each piece of fruit with a fork. Press the sugar-and-butter-mixture all over the outside of each apple, placing it in the baking dish as you work. Press the mixture firmly enough onto each apple to make the concoction stick to the fruit. Sprinkle the remaining two tablespoons of brown sugar over the top of the apples after all are placed in the baking dish.

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the outside has baked crisp.

Dinosaur Chow

1/4 C dirt (cocoa)
1/2 C swamp water (milk w/ green food coloring)
2 C crushed bones (sugar)
1/2 C fat (butter/margarine)
2 C dead grass (uncooked oatmeal)
1/2 C squashed bugs (peanut butter)

Mix dirt and swamp water. Add crushed bones and fat. Boil about 3 minutes. Add squashed bugs and dead grass, and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir until mixture begins to thicken. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper.

Dirt Cups

1 pkg. (16 oz.) chocolate sandwich cookies
2 cups cold milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP , thawed
8 to 10 (7-oz.) paper or plastic cups
Gummy worms

CRUSH cookies in zipper-style plastic bag with rolling pin or in food processor.
MAKE pudding according to package directions large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes.
STIR in whipped topping and 1/2 of the crushed cookies.
PLACE about 1 tablespoon crushed cookies into each cup.
FILL cups about 3/4 full with pudding mixture.
TOP with remaining crushed cookies.
REFRIGERATE until ready to serve. Garnish with gummy worms just before serving.

Fish in the Ocean

Celery stalks, cut into fourths
Softened cream cheese, tinted blue
Goldfish crackers, any flavor

Spread softened cream cheese onto celery stalks. Top with goldfish and serve.

Fizzy Lifting Pops

Mix club soda and gelatin to make bubbly Jell-O, then freeze in molds. You could also try mixing club soda and juice, then freeing. Jell-O sells a line of "Sparkling Jell-O" that captures the bubbles when you add the club soda.

Freeze-A-Graham
For one serving:

2 graham crackers
1 Tbs. yogurt- any flavor

Let child spread the yogurt with a plastic knife onto one of the graham crackers. Top with the other. Wrap in foil, and freeze for one hour. (meets grain/bread requirement at snack)

Frozen Fudge Pops

1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND Original Sweetened Condensed Milk*
4 cups milk
1/3 cup cocoa

Stir together all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat (about 5 minutes). Cool. Pour 1/3 cup mixture into 11 (5-ounce) paper cups. Freeze 30 minutes. Insert a wooden craft stick into center of each cup; freeze until firm. Makes 11 fudge pops.

*1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND Creamy Chocolate Sweetened Condensed Milk may be substituted. Omit cocoa, if desired.

Fruit Tacos

1/3 c Flaked coconut
1 c Strawberries, sliced
1/2 c Seedless green grapes, halved
1 md Apple, pared, cored and chopped
1 sm Banana, sliced
2 tb Pourable fruit, any flavor (found in jelly section of store)
6 Taco shells
1/3 c yogurt

Spread coconut on baking sheet. Toast in 350 F oven for 7 to 12 minutes, stirring often.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir together strawberries, grapes, apple, banana, and pourable fruit. (or melted fruit spread).

Fill taco shells evenly with fruit. Top filled tacos evenly with yogurt. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Funny Fruity Pizza

Low-fat mozzarella cheese slices (1 slice per child)
English muffins, sliced in half (1 half per child)
Fruit (an apple, banana, orange, or sliced seedless grapes)

Have the children wash the fruit. Children can peel bananas and oranges or pluck grapes from their stems. An adult should cut the fruit into small pieces (or children can use plastic knives for soft fruit). Split the English muffins. Give each child one half. Have the children place a slice of cheese on each muffin. Toast the English muffins until the cheese melts. Have each child top his or her muffin with fruit.

Gelatin Aquariums

Make blue gelatin according to package directions. Pour into clean inexpensive mini goldfish bowls, or use small clear beverage cups. Add gummi fish and serve.

Grape Apple Pops
Makes 9 pops

1/2 (12 ounce) can frozen grape juice concentrate, thawed (about 3/4 cup)
1 (23 ounce) jar chunky apple sauce

In a medium bowl, combine juice concentrate and apple sauce; blend well. Fill 9 (3 oz) wax-coated paper cups with about 1/3 cup juice mixture. Stretch a small piece of plastic wrap or aluminum foil across each cup. Make a slit in wrap to hold stick and stand a popsicle stick in center of cup. Freeze until firm.

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp low-sodium baking powder (or 3/4 Tbsp regular baking powder)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup apple juice concentrate
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 egg whites or 1 whole egg
3/4 cup raisins

Preheat oven at 375F. Coat cookie sheet(s) with vegetable cooking spray. Mix the flour, wheat germ, oats, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Combine the juice concentrate, oil, egg, and raisins in a blender. Blend at medium speed until the raisins are chopped. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir together. Drop the batter by heaping teaspoons onto the prepared sheets, about 1 inch apart. Flatten each mound with the back of a fork. Bake, being careful not to let the cookies brown and become crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool slightly on the sheets before removing to a plastic bag. (This will prevent the cookies from becoming hard). Wait until cookies are completely cool before closing the plastic bag.

Healthy Pops
makes 6-8

1 cup lowfat yogurt, any flavor
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup any chopped fruit- strawberries,peaches, etc.
1 banana

Puree fruit and banana in blender or food processor. Combine all ingredients together and place in 4 ounce decorated Dixie cups.Place pieces of foil over the top and insert popsicle sticks into the cups through foil.Freeze and serve.

Indian Chapatis

Traditionally, these chewy flat breads were cooked on a large outdoor griddle and were served with almost every feast in India. Try spreading chapatis with chutney, sugar, or jam.

1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup lukewarm water
Vegetable Oil

Sift together whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour and salt. Add water and knead the dough for several minutes until smooth and elastic. Let stand, covered, for 30 minutes. Shape the dough into 8 balls and roll them out on a floured surface into 6-inch circles. Place a frying pan or Griddle over medium heat and brush with 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil. Fry each Chapati for 1 minute, brush the top with oil, turn over, and fry for another minute until brown spots and bubbles appear. Serve the chapatis with butter or margarine. Makes 8 chapatis.

Kaleidoscope Honey Pops
Makes 12 servings.

2-1/4 cups water
3/4 cup honey
3 cups assorted fruit, cut into small pieces
12 3 oz. paper cups or popsicle molds
12 popsicle sticks

In a pitcher, whisk together water and honey until well blended. Place 1/4 cup fruit in each mold. Divide honey-water mixture between cups. Freeze until partially frozen, about 1 hour. Insert popsicle stick; freeze until firm and ready to serve.

Mini Strawberry Bread
(one small bread and one muffin per recipe)

Each child needs a small mixing bowl, cereal bowl, mini bread pans, muffin liner, and 2 spoons.

3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup oil
2 Tbs. water
1 egg
1/2 cup sliced strawberries

In a small mixing bowl, have child combine the dry ingredients. In a cereal bowl, have the child combine the oil, water, egg, and strawberries. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix. Pour into the baking pans,(any extra batter can be baked in muffin tins!) and bake in a 350 oven for 30-40 minutes.

Mouse Traps
(from Healthy Snacks for Kids, by Penny Warner)

1 cup flour
1 cup shredded chedddar cheese
1/2 cup soft butter or margarine
1/2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
dash paprika

Kids combine all ingredients in a bowl, and knead to form dough. Chill for 1/2 hour. Shape into small balls, and place on baking sheet 2 inches apart. Flatten with a fork, and bake for 12-15 minutes at 350.

Munchkins

1 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
2 Tbs. orange juice

Put apricots in a small pot, and add water to barely cover. Cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Drain and cool. In a bowl, have kids combone cooked apricots, nuts, and juice. Form into balls, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Eat!

No-Bake Bars

4 cups Cheerios
2 cups crips rice cereal
2 cups dry roasted peanuts
2 cups M & M's
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups ceamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients; set aside. In a saucepan, bring corn cyrup and sugar to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat; stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over cereal mixture and toss to coat evenly. Spread into a greased 15-in. x 10 in. x 1 baking pan. Cool. Cut into bars.

Orange Float Pops
Makes 20 pops

1 quart orange sherbet, softened
1 cup orange soft drink

Stir together sherbet and orange drink. Spoon into 1/4 cup molds; freeze 30 minutes or until firm. Insert wooden sticks and freeze at least 5 hours.

Oreo Freak Out

16 crushed Oreos
16 oz. fudge topping
nuts or shaved chocolate
1/2 gal ice cream
8 oz. Cool Whip

Spray 13" x 9" pan and cover with crushed Oreos. Spread softened ice cream on top, followed by fudge topping, then Cool Whip. Top with crushed nuts or shaved chocolate and freeze.

Party Mix

1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 stick margarine

Cook to boiling point. Then add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda. Stir well. Next add 1 cup salted peanuts. Remove from heat and add:

2 cups corn chex
1 1/2 cup cheerios
2 cups wheat chex

Stir well and put in paper sack. Microwave 1 1/2 minutes and then shake. Repeat 2 more times (total of 4 1/2 minutes). Take out and put on waxed paper. Cool. Put in plastic bags.

Pineapple Delight

3 cups milk
1 large package vanilla instant pudding
1 can Eagle Brand milk*
1 large carton Cool Whip
1 large can pineapple tidbits (drained)
1 large box vanilla wafers

Mix milk and pudding until thick. Add the Eagle Brand milk and Cool Whip and mix well. Layer the wafers, pineapple and pudding mixture. Repeat until all is used. Top with wafers.

*Note: you can leave out the condensed milk, if desired. You can also mix this all together (except the vanilla wafers) instead of putting it in layers and then top with wafers.

Pineapple Pops
Makes 6 to 8 pops

1/2 cup canned pineapple (crushed)
2 cups plain yogurt
1 can frozen pineapple or orange-pineapple juice concentrate, thawed

Drain crushed pineapple. Put all ingredients in a medium size bowl and mix together. Spoon mixture into 6 to 8 paper cups. fill almost to top. Cover with wrap or aluminum foil. Make a slit and stand a popsicle stick in center of cup. Freeze until firm.

POLYNESIAN POPSICLES

1 cup skim milk
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup honey or sugar
1 egg white
1 1/4 cups apricot nectar or canned pineapple juice
popsicle sticks and cups

Pour milk into blender and add gelatin. Let soften for one minute before adding the rest of the ingredients to whip. Pour into molds, insert sticks, and freeze.

Rolled Fruit Sushi
Serves: 9 to 12

1 tablespoon butter
12 marshmallows
2 cups crispy toasted rice cereal
4 (0.5 ounce each) 4 1/2-inch square fruit roll-ups
6 assorted licorice or fruit twist sticks, cut in half crosswise

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the cereal until completely coated. On a flat surface, unroll fruit roll-ups. Spread the cereal mixture equally over each roll-up, covering the entire surface and packing down flat. Place 3 different colored fruit twists or licorice in the center of each and roll into a log, sealing where the ends meet. Gently squeeze into a solid cylinder about 1 inch in diameter. Trim the ends and slice with a serrated knife into 1/2-inch pieces. Serve, or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
**Note: Make sure to use different colored fruit roll-ups and twists or assorted flavored licorice sticks for an exciting and colorful snack.

Sand Cups

2 c. cold milk
1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding, 4 serving size
1 tub (8 oz.) whipped topping, thawed
1 pkg. (12 oz.) vanilla wafers, crushed
8-10 (7 oz.) plastic cups(see note)

Optional Decorations:

miniature paper umbrellas, gummi sea shells, worms or sharks, chopped peanuts, candy stars.

Pour milk into a large bowl and add pudding mix. Beat with whisk until well blended, 1 to 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in whipped topping and half of the crushed cookies. Place 1 tbsp. cookies in bottom of each cup. Fill cups 3/4 full with pudding mixture. Top with remaining crushed cookies. Refrigerate 1 hour. Decorate.

Note: Instead of using the plastic cups, why not make it in a brand new beach pail? Layer half of the cookies on the bottom, top with pudding/whipped topping mixture, and top with remaining cookies. I like to garnish it with Teddy Grahams that have been decorated with piped on bikinis and bathing suits, laying on fruit roll up towels with mini paper umbrellas. Serve with a brand new clean shovel.

Snickers Ice Cream

12 oz Vanilla ice cream
1/4 c Crunchy peanut butter
1 c Cool whip
1 pk Instant chocolate pudding

Mix all ingredients well. Pour into square pan and freeze. Serves 8.

Snow Cones

Freeze orange juice (or any other flavored juice) in ice cube trays. Pop frozen juice cubes in a plastic bag to store. Put three to six of these cubes at a time in a blender. Turn blender on and off until cubes reach snowy consistency. Pile into a cup to serve. The whole batch blended at once will keep its carnival consistency stored in a container in the freezer. Kids can serve themselves. Adding a little water makes it a "slush". Even kids who don't care for orange juice like it this way.

Summer Time Dessert

1 lb. bag Oreo cookies
1 stick (1/2 cup) melted margarine
2/3 cup semi-sweet morsels
1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine
1 1/2 cup (13 oz. can) evaporated milk
2 cup 10X sugar (fine powdered sugar)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 gallon ice cream (vanilla or chocolate)

Crush cookies and combine with melted margarine. Press into 9x13 inch greased pan and refrigerate. In a saucepan, melt the morsels and remaining margarine. Gradually add the milk and sugar and boil for 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool for about 10-15 minutes. Slice and spread ice cream over crust. Pour cooled chocolate mixture over ice cream and freeze.

Tortilla Peanut Butter Dip

Take a tortilla and spread LIGHTLY with peanut butter. Roll up and cut into thirds. When you have 3 or 4 pieces per kid, stand upright in a container. In a separate container, plop in some jam. Let the kids dip their tortilla rollups into the jam and eat.

Trail Mix

1 cup pretzels
1 cup Chex Mix
1 cup Cheerios
1 cup nuts
1 cup M & M's

Mix and eat.

Variety Pack Popsicles
Yield: 6 servings

1 (6 oz) can frozen orange juice concentrate, softened or use grape juice, cranberry juice
1 (6 oz) can water
1 pt Vanilla ice cream, softened, or 2 containers of Plain yogurt
Popsicle sticks
Cups

Whir in a blender. Pour into molds, insert sticks, and freeze.

Watermelon Pops

1 watermelon
paper cups
wooden popsicle sticks

Cut watermelon away from rind and remove seeds. Cut up watermelon and mix in blender until slushy. Pour into paper cups, then place popsicle sticks in cups. Freeze for about 2 hours and serve.

Yogurt Yumsicles

1-2 c. plain yogurt
1 c. unsweetened fruit juice or 6 oz. frozen juice concentrate
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. honey
1 ripe banana, optional
10-12 frozen strawberries, optional
1 env. unflavored gelatin
1/4-1/2 c. cold water

Simply combine all ingredients. Children can mix these up themselves. If using whole fruit, puree everything in a blender or food processor. (Gelatin in the mixture retards melting on a hot day. Soften it in water, heat slightly to dissolve; blend into yogurt mixture.) Pour into molds or small paper cups. Plastic spoons make good handles; stick them in when yogurt is partially frozen. (Note: Our favorite combination is frozen orange juice concentrate combined with frozen strawberries - omit bananas.)

Pumpkin Snack Bread

This is a lightly sweet pumpkin bread.

Pumpkin Snack Bread

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins

In a large bowl, have children stir together sugar, oil, pumpkin, and eggs. In a medium bowl, have them stir together both flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Fold this into the pumpkin mixture, stirring the two mixtures just to moisten the dry ingredients. Stir in the raisins. Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch loaf pan. Bake in pre-heated 350o oven for about 1 hour or until a pick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.

Walking Stick

Create these twig treats that are fashioned after a most amazing bug--the walkingstick. If possible, find a picture of this bug that looks like a twig. Then make some walkingstick snacks. To make one, just spread peanut butter on a pretzel rod. Put three pairs of pretzel stick legs on the pretzel rod; then add two pieces of black licorice antennae. Eat quick before they walk away.

Anna Bananna

Ingredients:
bananas
graham crackers
whipped cream

Have the children cut up the bananas in bite size pieces with plastic knives. Place cut up bananas on graham crackers. Add a glob of whipped cream. Place another graham cracker on top and have the child squish down. Messy Yummy fun!!

Banana Push-Ups

2 lg Bananas, Cut Up
1/2 c Instant Nonfat Dry Milk
1 c Plain Yogurt
6 oz Frozen Orange Juice
-Concentrate (1 Can)
1 c Water

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and whirl until foamy. pour into paper cups and freeze. Push up from the bottom of the cup.