Teddy Bear Treats

Here are a couple of cute teddy bear ideas from a Betty Crocker column that appeared in The Times Leader of Princeton, Kentucky, on November 13, 2002. I am saving these ideas to surprise my grandkids (when I get some!) But meanwhile, I might do these for Vacation Bible School snacks sometime.

1. Make toast, butter it, and sprinkle on cinnamon and sugar. Use a teddy-bear cookie cutter to cut the toast in a bear shape.

2. Make a teddy-bear party mix with mini teddy-bear graham crackers, raisins, peanuts, and M&M's.

Easter Nests

2 tablespoons margarine
3 cups miniature marshmallows
4 cups Fruity Pebbles Cereal
Shredded coconut
Jelly bird eggs and other Easter candies

Directions:
Prepare muffin pans for 24 nests by spraying their cups lightly with non-stick cooking spray (or use cupcake papers.) Place margarine in a large saucepan and melt over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir occasionally to blend with margarine until melted. Remove from heat and add cereal. Stir lightly to coat well. Divide cereal mixture between the 24 muffin cups; press lightly to form shallow nests. Fill the nests with a bit of coconut and several jelly bird eggs and other candies as desired.

Notes:
These are cute. You can also make them with Rice Krispies.

Easy Frosting

After Christmas when the blocks of candy bark coating are on sale, I buy several and freeze them.

When I make cookies or cupcakes that I have to carry somewhere (to school, work, church), I bring out a few blocks of the candy bark and melt them according to the directions on the package.

I put a spoonful of melted bark on top of each pastry, swirl it around a little, and then shake on some colored sprinkles . Or I drizzle the melted bark from the tines of a fork. When the bark cools, it becomes hard again and the cookies or cupcakes look very festive and taste great.

The bark makes a very durable frosting that does not mess up if it is accidentally brushed against or it comes in contact with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. If the cookies are of a crisp sort, I find I can even stack them on top of each other and they will still look great when they're served.