I've wanted to combine cooking and working with kids for a long time. Having 2 small kids though proved to be a challenge. Now that they are a little older, 4 and 2 years old, I feel like I can move forward with this. It helps that I also found a place where I can conduct short classes within kid-centered events. So exciting! 


This past Sunday was the first event! It was an April Fool's Day themed event with laughter yoga, drumming, walking the wooded trails of the Kettle Moraine Forest and of course - April Fool's Day snacks!! I made Rice Krispie 'Sushi' Bites, Turkey 'Cupcakes', and Dirt Cups. 

The snacks were a hit! The best part was that a few of the kids and an adult had no idea that the cupcakes were made of turkey with mashed potato frosting. April Fools! 
Here are the recipes below: 


Classic Dirt Cups
1pkg. (5.9 oz.) Chocolate Instant Pudding
3 cups cold milk
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
15 OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 1-1/4 cups), divided
10 gummy worms
Beat pudding mix into 3 cups of cold milk with a whisk for about 2 minutes. Let set for 5 minutes. Spoon pudding into 8 clear 9 oz plastic cups leaving 1/4 of the pudding mixture. 
Add 1/2 Cool Whip to the remaining pudding and add 1/2 the crushed Oreo cookies. Spoon over the pudding in cups. Top with remaining cookie crumbs and add a gummy worm to each cup. 


Turkey Cupcakes 
1 lb ground turkey
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs 
2 Tbsp of milk
2 tbsp onion, grated or minced
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp sea salt
Add the breadcrumbs, I like to use fresh, with milk to make a panade. Add the rest of the ingredients and divide equally in muffin tin. I ended up having enough to fill a dozen and then some. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake for 20 minutes or until the juices run clear. Frost with Mashed Potato Frosting below. 


Mashed Potato Frosting
2 Large Potatoes peeled and cubed
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Milk or Cream
2 Tbsp Chicken Broth
1/4 tsp Granulated garlic
1/4 tps Onion powder
Bring water to boiling and add potatoes to the pot. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until fork tender. Drain reserving a tablespoon of liquid. Add potatoes and the rest of the ingredients into the pot and mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Frost turkey cupcakes with spoon or pipe with pastry bag.  


Rice Krispies Sushi Bites
4 cups of rice cereal
1 bag of mini marshmallows 
3 Tbsp of butter
2 boxes of fruit leather
1 pkg Swedish Fish gummy candy
1 pkg gummy worms
Melt butter and marshmallows in a pan. Take off burner and add rice cereal until mixed thoroughly. While still warm, take 1/2 the rice cereal mixture and mold oval shaped mounds. Top with Swedish Fish candy. 
With the remaining rice mixture, spread on baking sheet with greased hands. Place a row of gummy worms one inch from the edge and then carefully roll the rice krispies over the gummies. Cut the roll from the rest of the pan and cut roll into 1 inch slices. Wrap each slice with fruit leather. (see Family Fun recipe for gummy worm sushi rolls: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/mock-sushi-687463/) 

I hope you enjoy these treats for a fun snack anytime of the year!