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Mummy Dogs

These are so simple!  My kids love them- I actually think I'll make these for dinner tonight because I just picked up a bunch of crescent rolls on sale and we always have hotdogs.

Just roll out your crescent roll dough, pinch the seams together, then use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into strips.

Wrap each hot dog in a random, overlapping sort of way, stretching the dough a little, leaving a spot for the eyes and gaps between the strips for a mummy wrap sort of look.

Optionally, you can wrap a quarter slice of cheese with the dog for cheese dogs.  I've made the eyes with cloves before and the kids didn't like the residual taste after removing them... ketchup or mustard (as shown here) is probably a better choice.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake in 475' oven for about 13 minutes, until the wrapping is light brown.  Fun and easy!

Apple Bites

Totally creepy. But fun! Kids will love this one.

Cut an apple into quarters, then make two cuts (not all the way through) to remove a section for the "mouth".

Coat all exposed parts of the apple with orange juice, to prevent it from turning brown.

Stick slivered almond "teeth" along the upper and lower "gums" and serve.

Great project for kids!  Easy to do and healthy too.  Plus you get to do creaky old voices and keep asking if anyone's seen your teeth...

Kitty Litter Cake

If you can get past how realistic this looks (gotta love the newspapers under the litter box) it really tastes good!

You will need a NEW litter box, liner and pooper scooper.  Brand new.  Of course.

1 box spice or German chocolate cake mix
1 box of white cake mix
1 package white sandwich cookies
1 large package vanilla instant pudding mix
A few drops green food coloring
12 small Tootsie Rolls or equivalent

Prepare and bake cake mixes, according to directions, in any size pan. Prepare pudding and chill.
Crumble cookies in small batches in blender or food processor. Add a few drops of green food coloring to 1 cup of cookie crumbs.
Mix with a fork or shake in a jar. Set aside. When cakes are at room temperature, crumble them into a large bowl. Toss with half of the remaining cookie crumbs and enough pudding to make the mixture moist but not soggy. Place liner in litter box and pour in mixture.

Unwrap 3 Tootsie Rolls and heat in a microwave until soft and pliable. Shape the blunt ends into slightly curved points. Repeat with three more rolls. Bury the rolls decoratively in the cake mixture. Sprinkle remaining white cookie crumbs over the mixture, then scatter green crumbs lightly over top. Heat 5 more Tootsie Rolls until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake and sprinkle with crumbs from the litter box. Heat the remaining Tootsie Roll until pliable and hang it over the edge of the box.

Place box on a sheet of newspaper and serve with scooper. Yum!

Swamp Juice

I've never used tapioca pearls before, but I have to say they make great fish eggs!  Kids are sure to love this murky, bubbly drink.  Serving it in jars is a nice touch if you have them!

1/2 cup small tapioca pearls (found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores)
Food coloring
4 tablespoons sugar
8 gummy fish
Seltzer water
Lemonade
8 gummy worms

MAKE THE EGGS: Bring 6 cups of water to a boil and add the tapioca pearls. Reduce the heat slightly and boil the pearls, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes.

COLOR THE EGGS: Divide the pearls, with the remaining water, between two bowls. Add 4 drops of food coloring (we used 3 drops of yellow and 1 drop of green in one bowl, and 4 drops of blue in the other) and 2 tablespoons of sugar to each bowl. Stir the mixtures, then allow them to sit uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and rinse the pearls with cold water.