Mary Ann Dames, M.S., R.D.

Although I served Mulled Apple Cider for Christmas, it is great on any cold day. For parties, I cover the outside of a crock pot with brightly colored wrapping paper or even aluminum foil. Not only is it festive looking but it keeps the cider warm for hours.

Combine and tie up in a square of four time thick cheese cloth:
3 cinnamon sticks (broken into 1-inch pieces), 1 tablespoon allspice berries, 1 tablespoon whole cloves, 1 teaspoon grated dried lemon peel, 1 teaspoon grated dried orange peel and 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg.

Add to 2 quarts apple cider and heat.

Not only can kids help make the spice bag, they can stud a small apple, orange, or lemon with whole cloves to float in the crock pot.

Put your child to work making Christmas trees instead of the chopped bell pepper in Christmas Brussels Sprouts. We use an aspic cutter. Be sure to use unblemished red bell peppers that are fresh, crisp and cool. Let kids “smash” the peppers sections flat before cutting. Who doesn’t like to get physical?



Ingredients
1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, washed
1 medium red bell pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Trim the stems of the Brussels sprouts, discarding any wilted leaves. Cook in a microwave safe bowl, covered, for about 6 to 8 minutes or until done.

In the meantime, cut the red bell pepper into quarters. Here's the fun part. Smash the peppers pieces flat and cut out Christmas tree shapes or triangles. In a medium sized skillet, saute them in 1 tablespoon butter about 3 to 5 minutes, until soft.

In a serving bowl, combine the Brussels sprouts, red pepper trees, and basil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 3 to 4 servings.

© Mary Ann Dames, MS, RD 2009

Here is a last minute appetizer using ingredients many of us have on hand. Kids can prepare the Tortilla Bites and place them in the pan for baking. Or these can be served cold.

If your kids aren't adventurous with horseradish, use half the amount or substitute prepared mustard.

Ingredients
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
6 (7-inch) flour tortillas
1 package (about 3 ounces) dried beef

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray an 8x8-inch square pan with vegetable spray. Cut a piece of foil large enough to cover the pan.

Combine softened margarine and prepared horseradish. Spread one side of each tortilla with the horseradish butter; top with slices of beef. Roll the tortillas into "cigars" and place them seam side down in the pan. Cover the pan with foil. Heat in oven for about 10 minutes or until warm.

To serve
The tortillas can be served as is or cut into thirds or even quarters as appetizers.

To Think About
Ask your child what other meats he might like to use instead of beef. Can he think of a different spread? How about spinach flavored tortillas instead of wheat ones? For a kid's party, try peanut butter and jelly roll ups.

Mary Ann Dames, M.S., R.D., ©2009

At this busy time of year, trying to make the holiday meal a special event can be overtaxing. Keep it simple by adding a special touch to an everyday favorite.

Cut red or green bell peppers into triangles for Christmas trees. Use them in the Christmas Brussels Sprouts recipe, as dippers, or in a salad. Place a peppermint stick in hot chocolate for a flavorful stir stick.

Today I cut spinach tortillas with a cookie cutter and crisped them in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes. They will be the dippers for salsa -- instant holiday cheer of red and green for the family Christmas gathering. Not much work and not much money. Just the extra touch that kids can help with as you prepare the for celebration.

Christmas is almost upon us and there are always last minute gifts to give. Here is a mix my kids would drink as soon as we made it so we always had to make extra For gift giving we put the mix into decorative pint jars.

Ingredients
2 cups chocolate malted milk powder, divided
1 cup butter mints
3 cups nonfat dry milk powder
1 1/2 cups chocolate drink mix

Directions
In a food processor, combine 1 cup malted milk powder and mints. Cover and process until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Add nonfat dry milk powder, chocolate drink mix and remaining malted milk power. Mix well. Store in airtight container.

For each serving
Combine 1/4 cup mix and 3/4 cup boiling water in a mug; stir until dissolved.

Makes 6 3/4 cups mix or 27 servings.
From Taste of Home

Wild Rice Pancakes are versatile. Serve them with maple syrup for a sweet accent to any meal or top with a dollop of sour cream for a savory touch. Eat them while reading Escaping Tornado Season by Julie Williams.

The pancakes are great for breakfast, a perfect snack, or yummy at dinner. Children can mix all the ingredients and, depending on their age, even fry up these yummy treats.

Ingredients
1 cup cooked wild rice, drained
2 tablespoons pecan pieces
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, beaten

In a medium bowl, combine wild rice, pecans, cranberries, flour and baking powder. Add egg and stir well to coat the rice.

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat. Using a ¼ cup measurer, drop mixture into prepared skillet. Using a spatula, shape each pancake if needed. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden.

Makes 5 or 6 pancakes.

Mary Ann Dames, M.S., R.D., ©2009

Visit Kid Friendly Recipes to see how to make these cute trees for the Christmas Brussels Sprouts.

"We've all heard the story of the three wise men who brought their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the baby Jesus. But what about the camels who carried them? Here is the story of Humphrey the camel and his long and cold journey to Bethlehem."

Humphrey's First Christmas is a delightful book, written and illustrated by my friend Carol Heyer. Definitely a wonderful addition to anyone's library. While reading it, enjoy the simple to make Blanket Flower Cookies.

Ingredients

1 16-ounce roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
60-80 drops yellow food coloring
24 green gumdrops*

Preheat oven to 350F degrees F.

In a bowl, combine and knead the cookie dough, flour and food coloring until well mixed.

To shape the cookies, divide the dough into 24 pieces. For each cookie, divide one of the larger pieces into 4 smaller pieces. Roll each of these small pieces into a ball. Hint: If the dough becomes too sticky to easily work with, refrigerate it for 30-60 minutes.

On an ungreased cookie sheet, put 4 small balls together to make a flower with four petals. Press a gumdrop firmly onto the center of the flower. Continue making flowers until all the cookie dough is used up.

Bake cookies at 350 degrees F. for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool for 2 minutes. Place the cookies on a cooling rack.

*After the cookies have cooled for 30 minutes, and if you didn't use the candies, you can put a dab of green food coloring in the middle of the cookie flower.

Makes 24 cookies.

© 2007 Mary Ann Dames, M.S., R.D.

Leo is ready for the holidays.

Thanksgiving is a perfect time to let kids contribute to the meal with this easy, make-ahead recipe for Cranberry Dip.

Read Hide-and-Seek Turkeys by Judy Enderle and Stephanie Gordon.

Ingredients
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 cups (16 ounces) non-fat or low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup canned cranberry sauce
Fresh and/or dried fruit of your choice

Equipment: medium mixing bowl, measuring cup, chef's knife, cutting board, scraper, mixing spoon, serving bowl and plate

Finely chop the dried cranberries. Place in the mixing bowl. Add the yogurt and the cranberry sauce. Mix well. (This step can be done the day ahead of time, if desired.)

Place Cranberry Dip in a serving bowl. Arrange cut fresh fruit and/or dried fruit on a plate. To eat, using the fruit, scoop up some of the Cranberry Dip. Enjoy.

Mary Ann Dames, M.S., R.D. ©2010