Easy Party Recipes

Kids love to cook, and what better time to let them loose in the kitchen than with quick and easy recipes! All of these recipes are perfect for any get-together, whether a party or an after-school homework gathering. (They're also great for potlucks at church, friends' homes or sporting events.)

We've included recipes for meals and finger foods, desserts and beverages - there are lots to choose from, so you and your daughter can pick the perfect recipes for her party!

Colorful, quick-to-make, easy on the pocketbook and most importantly, yummy! - these recipes are perfect for encouraging young cooks, and are just one more way you can nurture your girl's creative spirit!

Laura Scott
editor, Creative Girls Club

Food Fun - Meals

Treat your party guests to
delicious and filling food that
you've made yourself!

Cookie Cutter Sandwiches

Things You'll Need

  • 4 slices lunch meat such as
    ham, bologna or turkey
  • 4 slices American cheese
  • 4 pieces bread
  • Pickles for garnish
  • Cookie cutters
  • Cutting board
  • Plate
Put a slice of meat and a slice of cheese on the cutting board.
Use a cookie cutter to cut a shape - a heart, a star, etc. - from the center of each slice. Save the outsides of the shapes.

Put slices of bread on plate. Lay meat and cheese slices on bread in a pretty arrangement. Add pickles to decorate the plate.

Ham Roll-Ups

Trim the ends from the green onions.
Lay ham slices on a cutting board. Spread ham with cream cheese. Lay a green onion on the cream cheese on each slice.

Roll up the ham slices. Chill in the refrigerator until the cream cheese is firm.

Cut rolls into slices before serving.

Things You'll Need

  • 1 package sliced ham
  • 1 package softened cream cheese
  • Green onions, washed and cleaned
  • Cutting board
  • Knife

Sandwich Faces

Use your imagination and make up faces ahead of time. Or let your party guests make their own faces during your party. Try these ideas, or come up with your own.

Lay a cooked hamburger patty on slice of bread or half a bun. Cut a face from cheese. Make pickle ears, catsup nose and mouth, green pepper eyebrows, and olive eyes.

Decorate sloppy joes with grated cheese hair, olive eyes, green pepper mouth and eyebrows, and mushroom nose and ears.

Canoe Sandwich

Pull the soft bread out of the center of the roll with your fingers.
Butter the insides of the roll.

Fill with your choice of sandwich filling.

Things You'll Need

  • French roll or hoagie bun
  • Softened butter or margarine
  • Your favorite sandwich filling: peanut butter, chicken salad, sliced meat or cheese, etc.
  • Knife

Pumpkin Pizzas

Things You'll Need

  • English muffins
  • Crushed tomatoes
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Granulated garlic
  • Dried oregano
  • Individual slices of American cheese
  • Sliced pepperoni
  • Sliced black olives
  • Sliced green and red bell pepper
  • Spatula
  • Spoon
  • Heavy-duty aluminum foil
  • Baking sheet
  • Pot holder
  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Toaster
  • Oven
  • Serving tray

Split the English muffin in half. Toast both pieces lightly in the toaster.

Spread a generous tablespoon of crushed tomatoes on top of each toasted muffin half. Sprinkle it with salt, pepper, dried oregano and granulated garlic.
Put three slices of pepperoni on top. Cover them with a slice of American cheese. Add slices of black olive for the eyes and nose. Use a piece cut from a slice of green pepper for the stem. Use a slice of red pepper for the mouth.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cover the baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place pumpkin pizzas on the foil.
Using pot holders, carefully put the pan in the hot oven. Let bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Remove the pan from the oven. Use a spatula to move the hot pizzas from the cookie sheet to a serving tray.
 

Tortilla Pinwheels

Things You'll Need

  • Flour tortillas
  • Thin slices of ham, turkey or lunch meat
  • Spreadable cream cheese - plain or chive-and-onion
  • Toothpicks or party picks
Spread a thin layer of cream cheese all over one side of tortilla.
Cover cream cheese with thin layer of meat slices.

Roll up tortilla. Cut roll into 1-inch slices. Stick a toothpick through each slice to hold it together.

Other Ideas

Add washed, dried spinach leaves to your roll-ups for extra color.

Serve sparkling apple cider or fruit juice in plastic champagne glasses. Float a washed fresh strawberry in each glass.

Cottage Cheese & Salsa Omelet

Heat skillet on the stovetop at medium heat.
Mix eggs, milk and salt in bowl with fork. Blend until frothy.

Pour eggs into heated skillet. Watch closely, and adjust heat if needed. When omelet is brown and firm on the bottom, sprinkle cheeses over half the omelet. Cover with lid until cheese begins to melt.

Remove lid. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon of salsa over melted cheese. Fold omelet in half with spatula.

Use spatula to place omelet on plate. Top with remaining 1 Tablespoon of salsa. Season with pepper.

Things You'll Need

For each omelet:

  • 2 eggs
  • 3 Tablespoons milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup 2% cottage cheese
  • 2 Tablespoons grated
    cheddar cheese
  • 2 Tablespoons mild or
    medium salsa
  • Pepper to taste
  • Mixing bowl and fork
  • Small nonstick skillet with lid
  • Spatula
  • Plate

Penguin Tuna Sandwiches

Things You'll Need

  • Sliced bread
  • Softened butter
  • Tuna fish
  • Mayonnaise
  • Olives stuffed with pimiento
  • Large fish cookie cutter
  • Knife
  • Cutting board
Cut fish from bread slices with cookie cutter.
Spread one side of each slice with softened butter.
Mix tuna fish and mayonnaise together. Spread tuna fish on buttered side of one fish. Place another fish on top, having butter on inside.

For eyes, cut olives into thin slices. Place a slice on each fish sandwich.

Mini PB & Honey Sandwiches

Trim the crusts from peanut butter and honey sandwiches and cut them into small squares.
Diva Dogs & Dip

Things You'll Need

  • Refrigerated crescent rolls
  • Hot dogs
  • Your favorite sauces, dips and dressings (barbecue sauce, catsup, mustard, ranch dressing, etc.)
  • Cupcake liners
  • Knife
  • Cookie sheet
  • Oven
  • Non-stick cooking spray
  • Pot holders
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut hot dogs lengthwise into four equal pieces.
Unroll refrigerated crescent rolls. Do not pull apart into triangles. Pat the rolls together along lines.

Cut roll dough into 1-inch strips. Wrap a strip around each piece of hot dog.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Spray tops with non-stick cooking spray.
Bake in oven according to directions on crescent roll package.

Serve sauces and dips in cupcake liners.

Dogs in Blankets

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. While it is heating, cut crusts off bread. Roll bread flat with rolling pin. Set aside.
Boil hot dogs until plump. Drain off water.

Place a flattened bread slice on cutting board. Place cheese on top of bread. Lay cooked hot dog along one edge and roll up tightly in bread.
Boil hot dogs until plump. Drain off water.

Things You'll Need

  • Hot dogs
  • Whole wheat bread
  • Cheese slices
  • Long toothpicks
  • Baking sheet lined with foil
  • Cutting board and knife
  • Rolling pin
  • Oven
  • Pot holders
Repeat with other hot dogs.
Bake for 10-15 minutes. Cheese should be bubbly and bread should be browned.

Let cool slightly before serving.

Mini Pizza Bites

Things You'll Need

  • Mini pita pockets or English muffins, cut in half
  • Pizza sauce
  • Sliced pepperoni
  • Grated mozzarella and cheddar cheese
  • Thinly sliced veggies (optional)
  • Pizza pan or foil-lined baking foil-lined baking sheet
  • Spoon
  • Pizza cutter
  • Oven
  • Pot holder
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While it is heating, place pita pockets or muffin halves on pan or baking sheet.
Place a spoonful of sauce on each pita or muffin half. Spread it around.
Add slices of pepperoni and veggies.

Sprinkle each pizza with cheese.
Place in oven and bake about 8 minutes. Cheese should be bubbling.

Cut pizzas into small wedges.
Mini Pizza Pies

Things You'll Need

  • 2 large cookie sheets
  • Prepared biscuit dough*
  • Pizza tomato sauce
  • Shredded cheese: cheddar, mozzarella
  • Meat: pepperoni, cooked hamburger or sausage, ham, shrimp
  • Toppings: onions, mushrooms, olives, peppers, pineapple
  • Large tablespoon
  • Pizza cutter

*Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits were used in this project.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Separate dough into individual biscuits. Pinch dough between fingers and thumbs to form a larger circle with edges slightly higher, like a pizza. Place dough on cookie sheet.

Pour one large spoonful of sauce on dough. Spread around with spoon. Place toppings on dough in this order: meat, veggies, fruit and cheese.

Bake pizzas in oven for 15 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.
Remove from oven and serve while hot.
Flower Sandwiches

Things You'll Need

  • Flower-shaped cookie cutter
  • Small round cookie cutter
  • Bread slices with crusts trimmed off
  • Nut butters: almond, peanut, cashew
  • Jams or jellies
  • Margarine or butter
  • Thinly sliced or grated cheddar cheese
  • Cream cheese
  • Hard-cooked eggs
  • Sandwich dressing
  • Green onion, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • Mixing bowl
  • Forks, knives and spoons
  • Cutting board
  • Serving tray
For each sandwich, cut two flowers from bread with cookie cutters. Use small round cookie cutter to cut center from one flower. Set aside.
Egg Salad Sandwiches
Slice cooked eggs. Put them in a bowl and mash with a fork.
Add desired amount of sandwich dressing. Season with salt, pepper and green onion.

Spread a heaping tablespoon of egg salad on one bread flower. Top with another bread flower with hole cut out.
Cheese Sandwiches

Lightly butter one side of each bread flower.
Spread cheese over butter on bottom flower shape, keeping it inside the flower. Top with bread flower with hole cut out, butter side down.
Nut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches

Spread nut butter on bread flower.

Spread jelly over nut butter. Top with bread flower with hole cut out.
Serve With a Smile!
Arrange flower sandwiches in pretty rows on a serving tray.

Experiment with making other kinds of sandwiches. The filling will show through the center of the flower.

Food Fun - Snacks

You and your guests won't know which is more fun - making these snacks or eating them!

Fruit Kabobs

Cut smaller fruits in half. Slice larger fruit.

Thread pieces of fruit on skewers and arrange them on a plate.

Things You'll Need

  • Colorful fruit such as seedless grapes, strawberries, cantaloupe, peaches, pineapples or oranges
  • Short wooden skewers (don't use ones with sharp points)

Ant Logs

Cut ends off celery. Wash celery under running cold water.
Put celery on plate. Fill grooves in celery with peanut butter or cream cheese.

Stick raisins in the filling for black ants or dried cranberries for red ants.

Things You'll Need

  • 1 bunch of celery
  • Smooth or chunky peanut butter
  • Cream cheese
  • Raisins or dried cranberries
 

Things You'll Need

  • Bread
  • Food coloring
  • Milk
  • Toaster
  • Clean, unused paintbrushes
  • Cups
  • Measuring cups
Painted Toast
Place a few drops of each food coloring into separate cups. Add 1/4 cup of milk to each cup and stir.
Use paintbrushes to decorate bread with designs, faces, or pictures.

Toast bread and serve or make part of a sandwich.

Things You'll Need

  • 2 quarts popped popcorn
  • 1 1/2 cups golden raisins
  • 1 1/2 cups dry-roasted peanuts
  • 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 1/2 cups diced dried apricots
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Large bowl
  • Spoon
  • Small saucepan
  • Self-sealing plastic bags
  • Stove
Sports Fan Snack
Pour popcorn in large bowl. Melt butter or margarine in saucepan. Stir in honey, lemon peel and cinnamon. Sprinkle mixture over popcorn.

Add raisins, apricots and peanuts. Mix well.

Serve immediately or store in plastic bags. Makes about 2 1/2 quarts.

Edible Clay

Things You'll Need

  • 1 box white cake mix
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter or margarine
  • 1 Tablespoon honey (optional)
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • Bright crunchy snacks such as Fruity Pebbles, Fruit Loops, Trix, M&M's, raisins, peanuts, candy bits
  • Coconut
  • Food coloring
  • Mixing bowl
  • Rubber scraper

Mix cake mix and melted butter in bowl. Add honey and water, or just water.

Use your hands to mix and knead dough until it's smooth and sticky.
Add food coloring to make different colors. Mix coloring with small amounts of dough.

Form creatures and objects by making balls, snakes or flat shapes. Add eyes and other decorations using some of the crunchy treats.
 
Edible Putty

Wash hands. Mix ingredients together. Divide into portions for guests to make animals, creatures or other objects.

Things You'll Need

  • 4 cups dried milk powder
  • 3 1/2 cups honey
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 1/2 cups peanut butter

Banana Dog

Open hot dog bun. Spread one side with peanut butter and the other side with jelly.
Peel banana and put it in bun. Eat like hot dog.

Things You'll Need

  • Hot dog bun
  • Peanut butter
  • Jelly
  • Banana
 

Wormy Apples

Cut out center of apples. Place on cookie sheet and fill with Red Hots.

Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and top with gummy worms.

Things You'll Need

  • Apples
  • Red Hots candies
  • Gummy worms
  • Knife
  • Cookie sheet

Veggie Platter with Lemon Dill Dip

  The day before your party:
Place a few drops of each food coloring into separate cups. Add 1/4 cup of milk to each cup and stir.
Use paintbrushes to decorate bread with designs, faces or pictures.
  Just before your party:

Toast bread and serve or make part of a sandwich.

Things You'll Need

  • Assorted peeled, cleaned fresh vegetables: carrots, cucumbers, celery, cherry tomatoes, pepper slices, etc.
  • 1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
  • 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill
  • Grated rind of 1 small lemon
  • 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Mixing bowl and spoon
  • Knife or serrated cutters
  • Cutting board
  • Serving tray
  • Bowl for dip
  • Plastic wrap
Crisp, Cold Veggie Tray

Arrange rows of veggies in a large flower shape.

Fresh Fruit with Yogurt Cream

Mix yogurt, pudding and whipped cream in mixing bowl. Pour into smaller bowl. Set it in center of tray, or off to one side.

Arrange fruit on tray around bowl of dip.

For decoration, add lime slices around tray.

Things You'll Need

  • Fresh fruit, cleaned and cut into bite-size pieces: apple, strawberries, raspberries, pineapple, mango, papaya, banana
  • Lime slices for garnish
  • 1 cup low-fat French vanilla yogurt
  • 1/2 cup low-fat vanilla pudding
  • 1/2 cup real whipped cream
  • Mixing bowl and spoon
  • Serving tray
  • Small bowl

Things You'll Need

  • Chocolates covered with white dots
  • Chocolate kisses in silver wrap
  • Fish-shaped crackers and pretzels
  • Gummy fish

South Pole Snacks

Set out bowls of candies and snacks that remind you of ice, snow or the ocean.
 

S'mores

Place a regular marshmallow on top of a graham cracker. Top with four or five chocolate chips or a small square of a chocolate bar. Place another graham cracker on top and set on a microwave-safe plate.

Microwave each s'more for about 7 seconds, until marshmallow puffs up and chocolate melts. Or, place s'mores on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until marshmallows have softened and chocolate melts - about 15 minutes.

Be careful. They are hot!

Mini Fruit & Dip

Cut fruit into small squares or use scoop to make small balls. Insert a party toothpick in each piece of fruit.

For dip, mix one jar of marshmallow creme with one 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese. Cut up cherries into small bits and mix into dip. Add a small amount of cherry juice for color and flavor.

Music Munching Mix

Let's Begin

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Another Idea

Fill plastic sandwich bags with Music Munching Mix for your guests to take home.

Things You'll Need

  • Cheddar-flavored popped corn
  • Raisins
  • Golden raisins
  • Cashews
  • Honey-nut O-shaped oat cereal
  • Candy-coated peanut butter candies
  • Banana chips
  • Miniature pretzel twists

Cheese &
Fruit Tray

Use a small flower cookie cutter to cut flower shapes from thin slices of cheese. Try different kinds of cheese to get different colors and textures. If the cheese sticks, dip the cutter in hot water and quickly dry it before cutting.

Arrange cheese flowers on tray with fruit. Try grapes, melon slices, strawberries and fresh blueberries.

Floral Crudités & Dip

Check your library or cookbooks for directions on cutting vegetables into fancy shapes. Or, cut fresh, washed vegetables into slices or chunks. Try carrots, celery, mushrooms, tomatoes, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower and peppers.

Arrange vegetables in pretty rows on a serving tray. Add a cup of dip. (Buy it, or make your favorite recipe.)

Several hours before serving, clean and trim a few green onions. Cut fringes in the green end. Put them in a bowl of ice water. The green fringes will curl up. Add these to your tray for a pretty garnish.

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

Things You'll Need

  • White chocolate chips
  • Whole strawberries
  • Pink sugar crystals
  • Waxed paper
Wash strawberries and let dry.

Melt chocolate chips in microwave following manufacturer's directions.
Dip strawberries in chocolate and set on waxed paper. Sprinkle with sugar crystals.

Refrigerate until chocolate is set.
 

 

 

Food Fun - Beverages

Cool off from your party games with one of these refreshing and fun-to-make beverages!

Strawberry Sipper

Put frozen strawberries in blender first, then add orange juice. Add crushed ice. Put the cover on the blender and blend for 1 minute or until everything is mixed well.
If the drink is too thick, add a little more orange juice. Pour into two tall glasses. Add fresh strawberries and straws.
 

Note: Pineapple juice can be used if you like a sweeter taste. Frozen sweetened raspberries can be used instead of frozen strawberries.

Things You'll Need

  • 10-ounce package of sweetened frozen strawberries
  • 2 cups crushed ice
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • Fresh strawberries
  • Blender
  • Long wooden spoon
  • 2 tall glasses
  • 2 straws
 

Super Cool Drinks

Mix drink mix powder with 1 cup sugar and 2 quarts water in pitcher. Stir until sugar and drink mix are dissolved.

Fill ice-cube trays half-full with mixture. Freeze. Add frozen cubes of different colors to cold drinks.

Frozen Pops: Mix your favorite flavor of powdered drink mix. Pour it into ice cube trays. Cover with plastic wrap. Put in freezer for 30 minutes. Take tray out of freezer, but leave plastic on. Gently poke a toothpick through plastic wrap into each section. Put back in freezer until frozen. Remove from freezer and take off plastic wrap.

Things You'll Need

  • Different flavors of powdered drink mixes
  • Sugar
  • 2-quart pitcher
  • Mixing spoon
  • Ice cube trays
  • Toothpicks
  • Plastic wrap

 

Faux Champagne

Mix a few drops of food coloring into the soda to give it a nice pink color.

Pour your "champagne" into chilled champagne glasses.

Cut a slit in each strawberry. Slide a berry onto the rim of each glass.

Things You'll Need

  • Sparking apple cider, ginger ale or lemon-lime soda
  • Red food coloring
  • Whole, washed strawberries
  • Paring knife

Sparkling Water with Frozen Strawberries

  The day before your party:
Cover a plate with plastic wrap.

Remove stems from strawberries. Stand strawberries up on plate. Set plate of berries in freezer.
  When ready to serve:

Remove frozen berries from freezer.
Fill glasses with sparkling water or club soda. Drop in one or two frozen strawberries.

Things You'll Need

  • Whole, fresh strawberries
  • Sparkling water or club soda
  • Slices of lime
  • Tall, clear drinking glasses
  • Straws
  • Plate
  • Plastic wrap

Hook a lime slice over the edge of each glass. Add a straw.

Marbleized Milk

 Squeeze syrup in milk.
Just barely mix flavored syrup through milk. Do not over mix so swirls will show.

Insert a straw and serve to your guests.

Icy-Cold Fruit Juice

Serve your favorite fruit juice with plenty of crushed ice and call it "sea slush." If you use ice cubes, call them "icebergs."

Things You'll Need

  • Fruit juice
  • Ginger ale
  • Maraschino cherries

Pop Star Punch

Pour fruit juice into ice-cube trays. Fill about two-thirds full. Place a cherry in each section. Freeze.

When ready to serve, place several ice cubes in a glass. Pour ginger ale over ice cubes.

Iced Fruit Tea

Brew a big batch of your favorite herbal fruit tea. Sweeten to taste. Add thin slices of lemon to the pitcher. Chill the tea in the refrigerator.

Serve in tall glasses with fun straws.

 

Root Beer Floats

Place several scoops of vanilla ice cream in a frosty glass mug. Fill with cold root beer. Add a colored straw or long-handled spoon for scooping the foam.

Pink Champagne

Serve chilled in champagne glasses.
Mix food coloring into soda prior to serving.

Top with a strawberry set on glass rim.

Things You'll Need

  • Ginger ale or lemon-lime soda
  • Red food coloring
  • Whole cleaned strawberries

Things You'll Need

  • 1 envelope unsweetened powdered drink mix
  • Water
  • Lemon-lime soda
  • Peach gummy rings

Fruit Punch

Mix equal parts water and lemon lime soda with unsweetened drink mix. Pour into clear glasses and serve with umbrella straws.

Drop in a gummy ring "life preserver" for extra fun.
Ice-Cream Shake

Things You'll Need

  • Ice cream: vanilla, chocolate, cherry
  • Syrups: chocolate, strawberry, caramel, butterscotch
  • Fruit: strawberries, bananas, pineapple, cherries
  • Milk
  • Whipped cream
  • Ice
  • Ice cream scoop
  • Straws
  • Blender

The fun is having your guests choose which combination of flavors they want to mix!
Let's Begin:
Place ice cubes and 1 cup of milk in blender. Blend until there are small chips of ice.
Drop scoops of ice cream in blender. Add syrup and fruit to taste. Blend until creamy. Add small amount of milk if needed.

Pour shake into glasses. Put whipped cream on top and place a piece of fruit in the whipped cream. Insert a straw.

Purple Milkshake

Mix purple unsweetened powdered drink mix with vanilla ice cream and milk in a blender.

 

Food Fun - Desserts

No party is complete without dessert! Here are lots of great recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Cupcake Cones

Cut bottoms from egg carton. Turn upside-down. Set cones upright in it while you fill them with the batter.
Mix cake mix, eggs and pie filling in a bowl using a mixer or spoon.

Spoon the batter into the cones, filling them 2/3 full.

Things You'll Need

  • 1 egg carton
  • Flat-bottom ice-cream cones
  • 18-ounce package cake mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 21-ounce can pie filling
  • Mixing bowl
  • Mixer or spoon
  • Rubber scraper
  • Microwave
Remove one cone from egg carton and set it in the microwave. Microwave for 30 - 40 seconds. Let cone stand for 2 - 3 minutes in the microwave.
Use a pot holder to carefully take the cone out of the microwave. Repeat with the other cones.
 

Girlfriend Cupcakes

Let's Begin!

Decorate frosted cupcakes with "girlfriend chatter" using the gel or frosting - "Sweet," "Cute," "Funny," "Silly," "Chatty," "Giving," "Artsy," "Dancer," "Diva," "Girly Girl," "Groovy," "Chic," "Sporty," etc.

Things You'll Need

  • Baked cupcakes frosted with white frosting
  • Tubes of cake-decorating gel or canned frosting with decorator tips
Heart Cake

Things You'll Need

  • White cake mix plus ingredients to make it
  • Frosting and decorations
  • 9-inch round cake pan
  • 9-inch square cake pan
  • Pot holders
  • Mixer
  • Mixing bowl
  • Spoon
  • Rubber scraper
  • Cooling rack
Preheat the oven to the temperature listed for your pan size on the box of cake mix.

Mix the cake batter following the instructions on the box of cake mix.
Grease and flour the cake pan. Pour half the batter in each pan. Bake following the instructions on the box.
Take the hot cakes out of the oven and tip them out of the pans, onto a cooling rack. Let cakes cool completely.
Cut the round cake in half. Place the cut sides against two sides of the square cake to form a heart.

Frost and decorate the cake as you choose.

Things You'll Need

  • 9-inch round cake pan
  • 5 cups crisp rice cereal
  • 1/4 cup margarine or butter
  • 10-ounce package marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
  • Large bowl
  • Spoon
  • Kitchen funnel
  • Measuring cup
  • Plastic wrap
  • Saucepan
  • Stove

Giant Kiss

Melt the margarine in the saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until they are completely melted. Cook for 3 more minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the cereal and stir until it is coated with the mixture. Let the mixture cool slightly.
Coat the funnel and your fingers with margarine. Press the cereal mixture into the funnel, then pop out to cool.

Wrap cooled kiss in plastic wrap. Makes 2 - 4 kisses.
 
Star & Moon Cookies

Things You'll Need

  • Sugar cookie dough
  • Lollipop sticks
  • Frosting: blue, yellow
  • Colored sugars or sprinkles
  • Rolling pin
  • Spatula
  • Cookie cutters: star, moon
  • Cookie sheet lined with baking parchment
  • Oven
  • Pot holders
  • Cooling rack
Roll out cookie dough 1/4 - 1/3 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters. Move cookies to cookie sheet with spatula.
Stick lollipop sticks into some cookies to use on centerpiece or to serve as cookie pops. Leave some cookies without sticks.
Preheat oven to correct temperature. Bake cookies as directed. Remove pan from oven. Let cool.

Frost moon cookies with yellow. Frost star cookies with blue. Sprinkle cookies with sugars or sprinkles.

 

Moon & Stars Cake

Press cooled, iced moon and star cookies into icing on top and sides of your favorite layer cake.

Other Ideas

Serve your cookies and cake with milk or hot chocolate with marshmallows. Pretzels and cut-up vegetables with French onion dip make great slumber party snacks, too!

Deep Sea Gelatin

Make the gelatin, following the instructions on the package.
Chill gelatin in refrigerator until it begins to thicken. Pour into clear glass bowl.

Push fish candies down into gelatin using toothpick or kabob stick. The fish should look like they are swimming in the gelatin.

 

Things You'll Need

  • Large box blue gelatin
  • Fish-shaped "gummy" candies
  • Glass measuring cup
  • Saucepan
  • Mixing bowl
  • Timer
  • Spoon or wire whisk
  • Clear glass bowl
  • Toothpick or kabob stick

Graham Cracker Bars

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Unwrap the stick of butter and put it in the pan. Stick it in the oven while it is heating up. Leave it in just long enough for the butter to melt.
Tilt the pan to cover the bottom with a layer of melted butter. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs evenly over the melted butter. Pour the sweetened condensed milk right from the can, all over the crumbs.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips, coconut and nuts evenly over the sweetened condensed milk. Press it down lightly with the palm of your hand.
Using pot holders, carefully put the pan on the middle rack of the hot oven. Bake for 25 minutes, or until light brown.
Remove the hot pan from the oven. Let it cool completely. Cut the cookies into bars.

Things You'll Need

  • 1 bunch of celery
  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped nuts
  • 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
  • 13 x 9-inch baking pan
  • Pot holders
  • Mixing bowl
  • Spoon

Penguin Cupcakes

Things You'll Need

  • Baked cupcakes
  • White frosting
  • Chocolate frosting
  • Chocolate chips
  • Orange fruit roll-up
  • Small knife or spatula
  • Toothpick
  • Cutting board
For penguin face, use toothpick to draw a heart in center of cupcake. Use spatula to spread white frosting in heart shape.
Spread rest of cupcake with chocolate frosting.
For beak, unroll fruit roll-up on cutting board. Cut a small triangle. Press beak onto face (see photo).

For eyes, press two chocolate chips onto face.