Burgers, Hot Dogs, and Eggs for Dessert

When my kids were little, and they were allowed to bring in homemade treats to school, or I needed something fun for an office potluck, I used to put together these fun-to-make cookie and candy foodstuffs.

These are all really super simple to make - definitely a fun way to spend a summer afternoon with the kiddos... in fact, I'm think I just may put these on my to-do list next month while I babysitting my daughter's kids for awhile after their new little baby sister arrives!

I'll take them in order of simplicity, beginning with the "bacon and eggs", then on to the "hot dog", and ending with the hamburger!

Candy Eggs and Bacon

What you'll need:

• pretzel sticks
• Almond Bark, white candy melts, or white chocolate chips
• Yellow M&Ms (I prefer to use the mini m&ms, especially if you want to make two eggs  instead of one!)
• Cookie sheet
• Parchment paper or waxed paper

Directions:


Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper.  Pick through the M&Ms bag to make sure you have all of the yellow M&Ms separated out. Over a double boiler, or in the microwave, melt your white candy until it's pourable.  If you're microwaving, you'll want to stop every 15 secs after the first minute to stir the candy and make sure it's not overdone - it will get grainy and useless if you over microwave it, so use caution.


Once your white candy is melted, pour about a teaspoon onto your prepared and lined cookie sheet.  Immediately arrange 1 or 2 M&Ms on top to form the egg "yolks" and two pretzel sticks as the "bacon."


Allow the candy to harden at room temperature, or if you'd like to speed up the process, you can place the cookie sheet in the fridge or freezer so the candy will cool at a faster rate.

Candy Hot Dog

What you'll need:

• 1 bag of Circus Peanuts (candies)
• 1 bag of Kraft Caramels
• Yellow frosting (or Red if you're from Chicago where ketchup is cool on hot dogs)
• Green gumdrops ( diced finely for "relish")

Directions:


Slice each Circus Peanut open from the center top not quite all the way through the bottom to created the "bun"


Warm a caramel in your hands or in the microwave for just a few seconds and form it into a hot dog shaped cylinder


Place the "Hot Dog" inside the "bun" and add a zig zag of "Mustard" (yellow icing) or "Ketchup" (red icing), a sprinkling of gumdrop relish - and these are ready to eat!

Cookie Burgers

What you'll need:

• Vanilla Wafers
• Chocolate covered mint cookies (Most people use Keebler Grasshoppers, but I always try to keep some Girl Scout Thin Mints in the freezer for just such an occasion!)
• Coconut
• Green Food Coloring
• Red Frosting
• Yellow Frosting
• Orange Frosting (if you're going to make cheeseburgers)
• Green Gumdrops (sliced very thin)
• Honey
• Sesame Seeds

Directions:


(These are not "properly built" burgers (my apologies to my hubby who would rebuild a real burger if I served it to him like this!) but to keep them from falling apart, I find this assembly works best!)


Prepare the "lettuce" by putting coconut in a small baggie or shaker container along with a few drops of green food coloring.


Put a dollop of red frosting (ketchup) on the flat side of a vanilla wafer, add a chocolate covered mint cookie, then a dollop of orange frosting cheese, a few slices of green gumdrop "pickles", some coconut "lettuce", yellow frosting (mustard), and another vanilla wafer.  Brush the top vanilla wafer "bun" with a little bit of honey, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and voila!  Smiles all around when your little ones see these sweet treats!


Hope your week is off to a wonderful start!


xo,