Fall Food Craft

Kitchen fun for kids during festive time of year

Edible acorns, the perfect food project, kitchen magic!

Tis the season for school breaks. Luckily, this time of year is also filled with some wonderful seasonal foods and festive holidays. Keep the kids away from the TV and take them into the kitchen for some fun food crafts. Here are two acorn food crafts that are super simple, fun to make and even more fun to eat. These edible acorns are also the perfect food project for all kids.

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE ACORN BITES

Personally, I think peanut butter and chocolate are a great combination. If you agree, then these bite-sized fall snacks will become a seasonal favorite. (Note: If your child has a peanut allergy, substitute the Nutter Butter for a Ritz Bitz!)

INGREDIENTS

Mini Nutter Butter cookies, mini chocolate chips and Hershey’s Kisses

DIRECTIONS

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 1/2 bag of minichips to use as the “glue,” in 5-second intervals, stirring really good each time. Dip the flat end of the Hershey’s Kiss into melted chocolate and top with a bite-sized Nutter Butter. Dip the flat end of a mini-chip into the melted chocolate and stick it to the Nutter Butter. Let the chocolate harden for a few minutes before serving.

NUTTY DONUTS

For these you will need only four ingredients: Glazed doughnut holes, chocolate sprinkles, pretzel sticks and Nutella spread (or your favorite nut butter).

DIRECTIONS

Spread Nutella (or nut butter) on the tops of each doughnut hole. Dip into chocolate sprinkles. Insert half of a pretzel stick into top of doughnut. Serve!

While making these fun snacks with your kids, take the opportunity to share some interesting facts about acorns: • The acorn is the fruit of the oak tree. • There are more than 450 acorn varieties. • Acorns are an important source of food for wildlife such as birds, mice, squirrels, bears and deer. • Acorns are toxic to some animals such as horses. • Acorns have an impressive number of health benefits for humans, including the ability to protect the heart, boost energy, improve digestion, regulate blood-sugar levels, build strong bones and protect the skin.

Ice-cream cone teepees, learning while having fun!

While helping your kids create these decorative and edible teepees, share with them some facts: A teepee (tipi, tepee) is a Plains Indian home. It is made of buffalo hide fastened around very long wooden poles, designed in a cone shape. Tepees were warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Some could hold 30 or 40 people comfortably. There was a small fire in the center for cooking and for warmth when needed. Tepees had an open space at the top, a little off center to let the smoke out. Women decided where to place a tepee. Men often painted the outside of the tepee they called home. The painting was often symbolic of their achievements.

INGREDIENTS

To get started, you will need only a few things: small ice-cream cones, fall-colored sprinkles (leaves are perfect if you can find them), pretzel sticks, chocolate morsels or candy melts and parchment paper. These cute teepees don’t even require you to touch the oven or stovetop; they are easy and fun for all ages. And you can make dozens in a short time.

DIRECTIONS

1.

Line your working surface with parchment paper.

2. In a small microwave-safe dish, heat your chocolate chips on 50 percent power for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted.

3.

Carefully break off the tips of your cones, just big enough so that you can fit a couple of pretzel sticks inside.

4.

Now hold the tip of your cone and dip the bottom into your melted chocolate, just enough that it will cover the edges.

5.

Then set on your parchment paper and dribble your leaf sprinkles onto the melted chocolate.

6.

Carefully hold the center of your cone and dip the opposite side into the chocolate.

7.

Break three pretzel sticks into three different sizes, dip the ends in your chocolate, and stick them onto the top of your cone teepee.

8.

Sprinkle a few more leaves onto the top.

9. Optional: Decorate the outside of the teepee with colorful icing .

10.

Carefully transfer to the freezer for about 15 minutes to harden chocolate.

These edible teepees are great for table decorations at Thanksgiving and can then be filled with ice cream after your feast!

Turkey popcorn centerpiece, great for home or school parties!

While you have the kids’ attention during this craft, take the time to share with them some interesting facts about the turkey: • The wild turkey is a native bird of North America. • Turkeys can run up to 20 miles per hour. • Wild turkeys can fly, but domestic turkeys cannot. • The long, loose skin that hangs down on a turkey’s neck is called a wattle. • Adult male turkeys are called toms and females are called hens. • Benjamin Franklin wished to have wild turkeys as the national bird, rather than the bald eagle.

INGREDIENTS

You will need to either buy or pop 3-4 bags of popcorn, a large brown grocery bag, 2 small brown lunch

bags, a hot-glue gun, scissors, white paper for the frill, a large platter and some additional items to set the scene.

DIRECTIONS To make the frills, cut a standard-sized sheet of white paper in half, lengthwise. Fold each half in half, lengthwise. Make small cuts with scissors on folded edges to create loops. To make the drumsticks, put your fist in each of the corners of a small paper bag and use your other flat hand to mold and round the edges. Fill the bag 2/3 of the way to the top with popcorn. Gather the opening of the bag and twist tightly. Hot glue the beginning of the length of frill and wrap it around the twisted part of the lunch bag; hot glue the end of the frill to hold in place. Repeat this step to make a second drumstick. For the turkey body, round the corners of a large paper shopping bag. It works best to use a plain brown bag, but if you can only find one with writing on the outside, carefully turn the bag inside out. Fill the bag with popcorn. (If using buttered popcorn to fill the turkey, you will need to use parchment or wax paper to line the paper bag to avoid grease marks). Fold the sides of the bag in and tuck the bottom edge under, using hot glue to secure the edge closed. Use hot glue to attach drumsticks to sides of turkey body. Place on platter and garnish with parsley, fruit and corn-on-the-cob favors, if desired.

• The pilgrim leader, Gov. William Bradford, had organized the first Thanksgiving feast in the year 1621, in Massachusetts. • The first Thanksgiving celebration lasted three days. INGREDIENTS

1 cup vanilla frosting 7 drops yellow or orange food coloring 32 miniature peanut butter cups 1 package fudge-striped cookies 32 pieces orange mini Chiclets gum (optional) DIRECTIONS

Mix the food coloring into frosting to create an orange or yellow color. Holding the bottom of a peanut butter cup, dip top of cup in frosting. Place cookies upside down, so chocolate side is facing up. Place the peanut butter cup over center hole on the bottom of cookie, forming the hatband. Add a buckle by piping a small square with the icing or placing a piece of the Chiclets gum in the center. These are the perfect fall snack or school party treat! You can even use these as cupcake toppers for a festive dessert table! For more fall food crafts to do with your kids this season, visit toti.com.

Mandy Carter is a local mom with a passion for family travel, a popular travel blogger including her own family blog at Acupful.com and the Digital Content & Engagement Editor for TOTI Media.