Sand Art Brownies

 My oldest daughter made this brownie jar for Father's Day in her church Activity Days recently. We thought the gift of the beautiful jar was a cute idea, but then we made and tasted the brownies and... YUM! Recipe from Monica Torpy.

Layer in a large mason jar:

1. 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2. 3/4 tsp. salt
3. 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4. 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5. 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
6. 2/3 cup white sugar
7. 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
8. 1/2 cup white (vanilla) baking chips

Directions to make brownies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175° C). Grease a 9 x 9" square baking dish. Pour the contents of the jar into a large bowl and mix well. Stir in:

1. 1 tsp. vanilla
2. 2/3 cup vegetable oil
3. 3 eggs

Mix until just combined, then pour into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until center is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Serves 12.

Candy Bar Bunnies

I made these wrapped candy bars for the kids in my Primary class for Easter Sunday. I'm sure they'll arrive at church all hopped up on candy already, but I thought these were really cute. Idea from Martha Stewart's website...

You'll need:

• Full-size candy bar(s)
• 8 1/2 x 11" white paper
• Clear tape, scissors
• Acrylic paint or ink pads
• Permanent black marker

Cut paper in half to make a 8 1/2 x 5 1/2" sheet. Wrap the candy bar like a present using clear tape. Cut out bunny ears out of white paper and tape to the back of the wrapped candy bar. Press your pinky finger into a little acrylic paint or an ink pad and make circular eyes and nose on the front of the wrapped candy bar. Let the paint or ink dry completely, then draw on pupils, mouth and whiskers to complete the bunny face! 

Spring Candy Topiary Craft!

I made these fun Spring Candy Topiaries this week at a monthly craft group I attend. I was so happy with them, I thought I'd share them with you! They are made with food, after all, so I guess they're appropriate for our recipe blog:)

Idea from Crafty Sisters...

Materials needed:

• Pots (can use terra cotta (painted or plain), painted ceramic, tin buckets, mason jars, etc...)
• Floral foam
• Ribbon
• Homemade flower (optional)
• 3 to 5" styrofoam ball(s)
• Acrylic craft paint
• Foam brush
• Wooden dowel(s)*
• Several bags of jellybeans**
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Moss

1. (Optional): Paint styrofoam ball(s) a color that matches one of your jellybeans. I painted my white styrofoam pink.
2. While your paint is drying, cut floral foam to fit snugly into your pot(s). Stuff the empty space with some paper. (pictured above, left).
3. If desired, wrap a ribbon around your pot(s) and secure the ends with a little hot glue. I also added a homemade flower. There are so many fun ways to make flowers! See HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE for tutorials.
4. *Cut wooden dowels, if necessary. (I bought a long one that was a half inch in diameter and used garden shears to cut mine.) I would suggest a thick dowel to support the weight of your candy topiary. They do get heavy! 
5. Wrap wooden dowels with ribbon: Start with a little dab of hot glue and wrap the ribbon on the diagonal all the way down until the dowel is covered. Secure end with some hot glue. Set aside.
6. When your paint is dry on your styrofoam ball(s), set them on a towel or washcloth for a workspace, so they don't roll away. With your dowel, carefully poke a hole into your styrofoam ball(s), a few inches in, then remove the dowel.  Beginning around the hole, make a small line of hot glue, then press the jellybeans slightly into your styrofoam ball. Be careful not to squish the jellybeans!
7. When your styrofoam ball(s) are completely covered with candy, squirt some hot glue into the hole you made with the dowel, then push the dowel in. Carefully push the other end of the dowel into your floral foam in your pot(s). Cover the top of your pot(s) with moss and you're done!

**My 4" styrofoam ball took 1 1/2 bags of jellybeans and my 5" ball took a little more than 2 bags of jellybeans! I promise I didn't eat that many:)

Flubber for kids!

My kids have made this at their last 2 schools for science when learning about polymers.  The word polymer comes from the Greek language from poly “many” and meros “parts." Polymers are large molecules consisting of repeating identical structural units connected by chemical bonds. I just learned something, did you?!? Last week, my daughter and her friend wanted to make Flubber, so I thought I'd share the recipe here! It bounces, it rolls, it stretches and they think it's more fun than play dough!

In a small bowl, mix:

       3/4 cup warm water

       1 cup Elmer's glue

       Food coloring, if desired (I omit)

In a large bowl, mix:

       2 tsp. Borax (a laundry detergent 

additive you can find at the grocery 

store)

       1/2 cup warm water

Pour glue mixture into Borax mixture and mix with your hands or stir well with a wooden spoon.

Storage and safety guidelines:

Store Flubber in an airtight container or plastic bag.  Flubber is non-edible and good for kids that don't still like to eat glue! When you are through with it, throw it away in the trash. Do not wash down the drain.