Popcorn Animals

1/2 bag of Marshmallows
3 Tbsp Butter or Margarine
10-12 C Air-popped Popcorn
Candy or Dried Fruit
White Icing
2 Plastic Sandwich Bags
Rubber Bands

In a large bowl, microwave butter and marshmallows until the mixture is smooth when stirred (about 2 minutes on high, stir, then another minute or so)
Add popcorn to the marshmallow mixture. Stir until well mixed. (Parents only as the marshmallow mixture is very hot.)
When the popcorn is cool enough to touch, have child wear "mittens" using sandwich bags and rubber bands to press gooey popcorn into desired shapes.
Add candy or fruit for decorations, using icing to secure pieces if needed.

Nature Ornaments

1 C Salt
1 C Warm Water
4 C Flour
Cookie Cutters (optional)
Paints, Colored Markers and/or Food Coloring
Clear Shellac (optional)
Large Metal Paperclips

Pour the salt into a large bowl. Add the water and stir until most of the salt dissolves. Add the flour and stir until well mixed.
Rub a little flour on a board or counter. Kneed the mixture on the floured surface for about six minutes. If it's too sticky, add a little more flour. Optionally add food coloring while kneeding.
Break off a piece of dough and roll it into a fall. Flatten the ball gently with the palm of your hand. Create desired ornament using cookie cutters or scraping tool.
Press paperclip into top of the ornament as a hanger.
Let ornaments dry for several days or bake in 325° oven for about two hours. They should get dry and hard but not brown. Let cool before handling.
Paint or otherwise decorate ornaments if desired. To make them last longer, spray or brush ornaments with shellac, letting one side dry completely before coating the other.

Winter Bird Feeders

Pine Cone
Peanut Butter
Bird Seed
Yarn/String

Coat the pine cone with peanut butter.
Roll the pine cone in bird seed.
Tie a piece of yarn or string to the top of the pine code.
Hang from a tree branch close to a window to watch the birds as they eat the seed.

Spiralized Veggie Mandarin Tossed Salad

Lettuce Varieties of your preference
Zucchini
Yellow Squash
Cucumber
Radish
Croutons
Bacon bits
Deli meat, sliced thinly (optional)
Canned mandarin oranges, drained
Santa Fe style seasoned tortilla strips
Brianna's New American Creamy Balsamic Dressing (available at Cooke's)

Spiralize the zucchini, yellow squash, cucumber, and radish. (I love my Veggetti Pro.)
Combine with lettuce and add remaining ingredients. Top with Brianna's dressing. Enjoy!