Here a Peep, There a Peep

So I volunteered for two class Easter parties on perhaps my busiest day of the year - EVER.  Realizing, however, that my class party days could be over in a mere six short years (apparently middle schoolers are not allowed an egg hunt!), I decided to make the best of it with an old favorite, a new idea and a few shortcuts.

Peep Cupcakes

Here's the old favorite - the one my kids beg me to bring to all the Easter parties.


How cute are they?  The great thing about these cupcakes is that they are so much easier than they look!  Just start with a batch of cupcakes, add some tinted frosting and top with a Peep!



The key to making these cupcakes look impressive is to match the frosting to the Peeps.  Today I did three colors:  yellow, orange and purple.  I used Wilton food coloring.   Go ahead and use your 40% off coupon at Michael's or JoAnn's and get the biggest box of assorted food colors that you can.  It will last you forever.  As they say during pre-school crafts - a drop is a lot!  The Wilton gel colors work so much better than the liquid food coloring at the grocery store, because it doesn't change the consistency of the frosting.  For these cupcakes, I used a homemade cream cheese frosting.  This is my all time favorite frosting, and here is the simple recipe:

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

2 sticks butter, room temperature
2 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
2 pounds confectioners sugar (1 bag)
pinch of salt

Beat until well mixed.

After you have mixed the colors, spoon the frosting into a gallon ziploc bag.   Cut about 1/4" off the bag tip and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes in a circular motion.  Piping the icing onto the cupcake gives it a professional look, and makes it thicker than using a knife.  You want a soft spot for the Peeps to sit!



Party Carrots

This was my something new.  I found this cute set-up idea at http://familyfun.com.  For more instructions, just go to the website and search "party carrots".




Fruit Kabobs

By the second party of the day, I had no time left and found this impressive short cut.  In 12 minutes I was able to convert one bowl of fresh, Costco pre-cut up fruit...


into 20 fruit kabobs!



Why is it that the same kids that won't eat fruit salad will eat it on a stick?


Of course, what Easter Party blog would be complete without pictures of the egg hunt?





Success!









Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Butter Bean Soup

Image
Happy New Year!  We are off to a cold start! It's so cold that the Governor cancelled school for the entire state! That never happens. Up here in Minnesota, when it gets cold, we just pull up our snow pants and pull down our hats.  In the South, they say it's not the heat, it's the humidity.  Up North, we say it's not the cold, it's the wind.  Windchill temperatures (what it actually feels like), are said to be -40 to -50 degrees Fahrenheit. That's the coldest it's been since 1996 - just shortly before we moved to Atlanta.  Hmmmm…… it's all coming back to me now.  Nevertheless, my 16-year old says it's a great way to start second semester! When it's cold outside, there is nothing I love more than making soup. Soup is the perfect excuse to stand over a hot stove on a cold day. You can hold soup in a coffee mug and let it warm your hands. You can sip soup in the same mug and let it warm you from the inside out. There's a reason for
Read more

Dr. Seuss Snacks!

Image
One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.  I admit it.  I love Dr. Seuss!  A collection of these sing-song-y rhymes was the first thing I put on the bookshelves of our very first baby nursery.  Four kids later, I now have talents that include being able to recite The Cat In The Hat from memory! In honor of the late great Dr. Seuss (He would have been 107 on March 2nd) we are making these cute snacks!  Absolutely no skill or talent required! Simply start with a box of blue Jell-O..... and divide into four clear plastic cups. (The fish have to have a place to swim!) After the Jell-O has set, have the kids add their own fish!  (Swedish Fish, that is!) Ella's kindergarten class gets a Dr. Seuss party after they have collectively read 107 books! Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!
Read more

Groundhog Pudding Cups

Image
Now that we are back living in The North, I'm starting to remember why, prior to my life in The South, I had only had a handful of pedicures and didn't own any sandals.  Exposing one's feet presents health risks.  Like frostbite. Groundhog's Day (February 2nd) is just around the corner. At this time, as legend has it, the groundhog will either emerge from its hole on a sunny day, see its shadow, get scared, and hide leaving us with six more weeks of winter, or it will emerge on a cloudy day, see nothing noteworthy and predict an early spring.  Sunny or not, a package of Pepperidge Farm Milano's was all the inspiration I needed to celebrate the impending season. When I first saw these cookies in Family Fun magazine, I immediately tore out the page. How cute are these groundhogs?  The actual assembly is a bit tedious, but the eager anticipation of the recipients makes it all worth while. Begin with some Milano cookies.  Use sliced almonds for the
Read more