Thanksgiving Treats to "gobble, gobble" up!

I love Thanksgiving.  There's an incredible emotion surrounding this event as family and friends gather and reflect on the blessings God has bestowed on each and every one of us.  

Growing up, I can remember waking up to the smell of homemade crescent rolls in the oven, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on TV and a day spent with those that meant the most to us.  My Mom and I would spend hours in the kitchen, covered in flour, working out all the small details and chatting.  These memories are incredibly precious to me as an adult.

The food ideas below are intended to be projects that encourage time spent with your little ones.  Any project can be used to talk about the blessings that are especially important to you or the things that your children are most grateful for.  The cornucopia and Pilgrim hats below can encourage conversation about the origins of this holiday.

Acorns and Turkey

Candy Turkeys

My Mom and I have been making these candy turkeys for years and my boys love them just as much as I did as a little girl.  They are quick to make and look darling sitting on plates with place cards.

Items needed:

• Caramel Squares - I used Trader Joe's Fleur-de-Sel Caramels but found them VERY soft to work with.  You may be better off with the regular grocery store variety.
• Fudge Striped Cookies 
• Hershey's Kisses
• Candy Corn
• Edible Food marker

Turkey overlooking the manufacturing area.

Lay a cookie, fudge stripes up on to the counter.  Make sure to have an unwrapped Hershey's kiss and a candy corn ready to go nearby.  Place the caramel square for a few seconds in the microwave until it has just barely softened, 10 seconds or less for the caramels I used.  If you warm them too long, you'll end up with a big puddle of gooey mess in the microwave and more than likely it will scorch and make your whole house smell.  Take my word for it, keep your eyes on those little caramels and don't leave them in there.  I speak from experience.

Remove the caramel square and lay onto the cookie, press the Hershey's Kiss into the bottom of the caramel to form his feet and press the candy corn into the top forming his beak.  Try to make sure that the kiss is positioned so that the turkey will stand up straight.  After the caramel set up, add two little black eyes with an edible food writer.  If you don't have one of these, you should get one.  These food writers work on bread, hardboiled egg shells, and banana peels to name a few and kids love having messages and pictures on their lunch and snack items.

Gobble, gobble!

Acorn Treats

Items needed:

• Mini Nutter Butter Cookies (or mini vanilla wafers)
• Hershey's Kiss
• Mini Chocolate Chips

My assistant, Noah will be demonstrating how to make these fun little "acorns".

  

Chef Noah:  "First you have to unwrap all the Hershey's Kisses.  Its best if you eat the ones with the broken tops."

Mom's note: Eating all the ones with broken tops is not necessary and not recommended.  

Chef Noah:  "Have your Mom melt some chocolate chips in the microwave."

Mom's note:  A few chips in the microwave for 10 - 15 seconds or just soft enough to use as "glue" for the project.

Chef Noah:  "Dip the big part of the Kiss into the melted chocolate and then squish it on the cookie."

Chef Noah:  "After it dries, flip it on its side, and stick a baby kiss on the top."

The acorns, by the way, look adorable in a little treat bag tied with some raffia.  A perfect way to share your treats with neighbors and friends.

Ice Cream Cone Cornucopias

These look adorable but Mom has to do most of the steps and the little guys just got to put the candy in at the end.

Bring 1 - 2 inches of water to a boil in a large pot with a steamer basket set in the bottom.  Just make sure that the water line doesn't go above the holes in the steamer basket or you'll have soggy cones on your hands.

Place 2 ice cream cones in the steamer basket and steam until the ends have softened.

Remove from the pot and bend end of cone up and around a pen/ pencil to make "horn" shape.

After they cool, they can be filled with mixed nuts, Chex Mix, or  assorted candies.

Completed Cornucopia

Marshmallow Pilgrim Hats

 Items Needed;

• Fudge Striped Cookies
• Marshmallows
• Chocolate for Dipping (we used Ghiradelli's)
• Candy Corn

Following manufacturer's directions, melt chocolate in the microwave.  Using a deep bowl makes it easier since you can completely submerge the marshmallow.

I used a fondu fork, inserted it through the middle of the cookie (fudge cookie side towards the marshmallow) and into the marshmallow.  Dip the marshmallow in chocolate until thoroughly covered.  Tap off excess chocolate.

Slide the cookie up towards the marshmallow and pull the fondu fork out of the marshmallow.

Place on wax paper to set up.

Cut a small bit of the yellow portion of a candy corn off and use the food writer to make a small black rectangle in the center to create the "buckle".

Stick the "buckle" onto the melted chocolate and let them dry completely.

Cornucopias and pilgrim hats

And there you have it!  Four different treats for you and your kids to make this Thanksgiving.  May God richly bless your time with your little loved ones throughout this holiday season and I pray that you make memories that will last a lifetime.

Rachel Skavil
Fondant Flinger