Recipe(tried): Some children-friendly ideas

Here are a few ideas, Sher...

Popcorn Cake

This is a fun cake!!

14 cups popped popcorn
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanuts
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
5 cups miniature marshmallows

Line a 10-inch tube pan or other 12-cup pan with
aluminum foil.

In a very large bowl, combine popcorn, chocolate chips and peanuts and mix well.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt margarine.
Stir in peanut butter. Stir in marshmallows and
continue stirring until marshmallows melt and the
mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir
marshmallow mixture into popcorn mixture until well
coated.

Press mixture into prepared pan. Allow to cool
completely before removing and cutting into slices to
serve. ____________________________

Frozen Banana On A Stick

1 banana
2 craft sticks
vanilla yogurt
cookie crumbs or graham cracker crumbs, crushed

Break the banana in half. Insert a craft stick into the
flat end. Roll banana halves in yogurt. Then
roll them in crumbs. Put into freezer for about 1 hour.
Enjoy!
____________________________

Ants on a Log

This snack is so easy to make! Keep
reading and you'll find out why it's called
Ants on a Log.

What you will need:

celery sticks
peanut butter
raisins

Directions:

1.Wash the celery and cut it into pieces (about 5
inches long).

2.Spread peanut butter in u-shaped part of celery,
from one end to the other.

3.Press raisins into peanut butter.

4.Enjoy your ants on a log!

(Note: A semi-soft cheese or even cream cheese can be used instead of the peanutbutter if you wish.)
_____________________________________

And then there is Jell-0... finger jello and jello jigglers...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
FINGER JELL-0 aka KNOX BLOX

4 envelopes Knox Unflavored Gelatin
3 packages (3 oz each) flavored gelatin
4 cups boiling water

In a large bowl, combine Knox Unflavored Gelatin and
flavored
gelatine; add boiling water and stir until gelatine
dissolves. Pour
into large shallow baking pan (for example, 13''x9'') and
chill until
firm. Cut into squares to serve. Makes about 100 one
inch
squares.

%%%%%%%%%

ANOTHER FINGER JELLO
3 pk Jello -- (any flavor) (3oz)
1 c Whipping cream
2 1/2 c -Boiling water

Boil water. Add gelatin and jello, stirring until dissolved
very well.
Add whipping
cream and continue stirring. Pour into 8 x 8 pan and
chill well.
When firm, cut into
squares or rectangulars, or use cookie cutters to cut
into shapes.

%%%%%%%%%

ANOTHER FINGER JELL-0 aka JELL-O(R) JIGGLERS
==================

Ingredients:

4 small or 2 large JELL-O Brand Gelatin
2 1/2 cups boiling water or apple juice

Completely dissolve gelatin in boiling water or juice.
Pour into
13x9-inch pan. To un-mold: dip pan in warm water
about 15
seconds. Cut
into squares or use cookie cutters. Lift from pan.

%%%%%%%%%

LAYERED JELL-O

To show off your layering, pick your
Jell-O flavors so that each
layer is a very different
color from the adjoining layer.
Or, add whipping cream to one of
the layers to lighten the
color. Many layers can be built up this way.

When layering Jell-0, you can
make the layered treat so the
different layers stick together
tightly, or you can make the
layers so they "peel" apart. Kids seem
to love the peel-apart layers.
The difference is the amount of
time you allow each layer to
gel before adding thenext.

To make layers that stick together,
chill each layer until set, but not
firm, before adding the next layer.

To make layers that peel, chill each
layer until almost firm before
adding the next layer.

Except for the first layer, the
gelatin mixtures should be cool and
slightly thickened before
being poured into mold -- if the
mixture for the new layer is too
warm, it may soften the
layer beneath and mixtures may
run or mix together. Hint: If this
happens, tell you friends you did
it intentionally.....psychalellic Jell-O. %%%%%%%%%

TIPS

To prepare Jell-O Gelatin, dissolve the gelatin
completely in
boiling water or other liquid -- for a clear, uniformly set
mold, gelatin must be completely dissolved. before
adding any other ingredients, including cold liquid or
ice cubes

To double a recipe, use two 3-oz. packages or one
6-oz. package
of Jell-O Gelatin and twice the amounts of the other
ingredients except salt, vinegar, and lemon juice
...about 1 1/2 times the amounts of these ingredients
are sufficient.

For large molds, decrease the required liquid about 1/4
Cup for
each 3 ounces of Jell-O Gelatin. The firmer
consistency makes the mold less fragile and less
likely to crack at the base after it is unmolded.

For soft-set Jell-O Gelatin, increase the required liquid
about 1/2
Cup for each 3 ounces of Jell-O Gelatin -- this gelatin
will be too soft to unmold, but will have excellent eating
quality.

To add fruits and vegetables, chill the gelatin until very
thick. not
set, before adding the other ingredients. If the gelatin
isn't thick enough, the fruits or vegetables may float or
sink.

To mold Jell-O Gelatin, pour the gelatin into molds or
serving
dishes -- a 3-oz. package without fruits or vegetables
makes 2 cups. a 6-oz. package makes 4 cups. Chill
until firm - - several hours or overnight, depending on
size of mold (Baking pans, metal mixing bowls and
measuring cups, small paper cups, calls. and
saucepans can be used as molds, as well as molds
designed for the purpose.) %%%%%%%%%%

HOW TO WHIP JELLO GELATIN

One of the easiest things you can do to change the
texture and
appearance of Jell-O Gelatin -- just whip it until thick
and fluffy. Prepare Jell-O Gelatin (any fruit flavor) as
directed on package and chill until very thick. Then
beat with rotary beater or electric mixer until mixture is
fluffy and thick -- about double in volume results in the
best eating quality and flavor.

To shorten the chilling and beating times, chill the
gelatin until
slightly thickened. Then place the bowl of gelatin in
another bowl of ice and water before starting to beat.

Pour whipped gelatin into molds or shallow pan, or add
cubes of
Jell-O Gelatin or fruit and pour into molds. Chill until
firm. Unmold, cut in squares, or spoon into serving
dishes; serve with fruit or a custard sauce, if desired. A
3-oz. package makes about 4 cups, or 4 or 5 servings;
a 6-oz. package makes about 8 cups, or 8 to 10
servings. %%%%%%%%%%

TO MAKE SPECIAL DESIGNS

To make special designs, foods can be arranged in
gelatin to make
a simple mold more decorative in two ways:

Simple way: Chill gelatin until thick; then pour about
1/4 inch
gelatin into mold. Place a design of fruits or vegetables
in gelatin. Chill until set, but not firm. Then pour
remaining cooled gelatin into mold.

"Expert" way: Pour about 1/8 inch of gelatin into mold;
chill until
set, but not firm.

Cool remaining gelatin. Arrange design on set gelatin,
cover
carefully with a few spoonfuls cooled gelatin to anchor
design, and chill until set, but not firm. Then pour
remaining cooled gelatin into the mold.

%%%%%%%%%%

GELATIN MOLDS

To chill gelatin molds, leave mold in Refrigerator until
firm.

Since metal chills more quickly than glass, gelatin in
metal molds
will be firm in less time than gelatin in a glass mixing
bowl or serving dish. To hasten chilling, chill the mold a
few minutes in a pan of ice and water before placing in
refrigerator. For storage overnight or longer, it's wise to
cover the gelatin to prevent evaporation and drying.

%%%%%%%%%

To make one serving, dissolve 1 3/4 tablespoons Jell-O
Gelatin in
1/2 cup boiling water.
Chill until firm.

%%%%%%%%%

TO SPEED SET JELL-O

To speed-set Jell-O substitute ice cubes for cold water
as follows:

To use ice cubes, dissolve Jell-O Gelatin in boiling
water as
directed on package; then add 1/2 tray ice cubes (7 to
10, depending on size) for 3 oz. package Jell-O Gelatin
or 14 to 20 ice cubes for 6-oz. package Jell-O Gelatin.
Stir about 3 minutes to melt ice, or until gelatin is
thickened. Remove any unmelted ice. Pour into serving
dishes or individual molds. Chill until soft-set and ready
to eat from dishes, about 30 minutes, or until firm
enough to
unmold, about I hour. To use ice and water mixture,
dissolve Jell-O Gelatin in boiling water as directed on
package; then substitute a mixture of ice
cubes or crushed ice and water for the cold water,
stirring until ice melts completely. Chill.

To add fruits or vegetables or to whip when using ice
cubes, let
gelatin stand 5 or 6 minutes to thicken after removing
unmelted ice. Then fold in ingredients or whip .Chill
until firm.

To use premeasured frozen mold, freeze 3/4 Cup water
in a 2- or
3-cup mold for 3-oz. package Jell-O Gelatin or 11/2
CupS water in a l-quart mold for 6-oz. package Jell-O
Gelatin. Then dissolve Jell-O Gelatin in boiling water as
directed on package and pour the hot mixture over ice
in mold. Stir until ice is dissolved, or until gelatin starts
to thicken. If ice does not melt completely, remove
unmelted pieces before chilling mold. To add fruits
or vegetables, freeze water in a larger mold to allow
space for added ingredients and allow gelatin to stand
3 to 4 minutes to thicken before folding in the
ingredients. Chill until firm.

%%%%%%%%%

TIPS ON UNMOLDING JELL-O GELATIN

The art of unmolding gelatin is easy to learn -- it just
takes a little
practice. Before unmolding gelatin, make certain that
gelatin is completely firm -- it should not feel sticky on
top and should not sag toward side if mold is tilted. If
gelatin is firm, dip a small pointed knife in warm water
and run tip of it around top edge of mold to loosen. Or
moisten tips of fingers and gently pull gelatin from top
edge of mold. When using disposable metal cans as
molds, puncture bottoms -- this makes it easier to
unmold the gelatin because it eliminates any vacuum
in cans, which are usually deeper in relationship
to top surface than other molds.

Moisten top of gelatin and a chilled plate -- the moist
surfaces
make it easier to slide the gelatin into the center of the
plate after it has been unmolded.

Dip mold in warm water -- do not use hot water as it
will melt the
gelatin. (If oven-proof
glass, china, or paper containers are used as molds,
the water
should be slightly warmer.)
Working quickly, dip the mold just to the rim in the
warm water --
about 10 seconds. Lift
from water, hold upright, and shake slightly to loosen
the gelatin
from mold. Invert
moistened plate on mold. Always unmold gelatin on a
chilled or
cold plate or platter -- a
warm plate will melt the gelatin. Then invert plate and
mold
together. Lift off mold
carefully -- if gelatin doesn't release easily, dip the
mold in warm
water again. If necessary,
move gelatin to center of plate.

NOTE: If desired, try this new way of unmolding
gelatin. Oil mold
slightly; then place a l-
inch strip of aluminum foil across bottom and up sides,
letting it
extend as tabs on both
sides. Smooth foil to remove wrinkles and press to
shape of mold.
Add gelatin and chill
until firm. Then moisten top of gelatin and a plate,
place plate over
gelatin, and invert
together. Gently pull one of the tabs to break vacuum
in mold; then
remove mold and the
foil strip.