Friday for the kids...In like a lion.....

Every day (when it's not raining or too cold) we head to the playground for some after school energy release.  The boys run around and play with their friends, inventing new games like Star Wars tag,  ninja Spiderman, or chasing witches to destroy them with water-shooting magic wands.  The parents try to catch up, having abbreviated conversations between chasing the littles (who are trying to escape the mulched area, desperately trying to reach the enticing parking lot) or assisting a kid up the rock wall.  We often bring snacks to share.  Usually I grab a bag of goldfish before running out the door, or if I'm really motivated, I'll bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies.  But, since we're celebrating March this week, I decided to bring a snack that the kids could make and eat together.  Here is our recipe for Cheesy lions.

Ingredients:

* Babybel cheese for each kid

* Pretzel sticks
* Raisins

* Carrots cut into triangles (see directions below)
* Food coloring marker (I had orange and black.)

Before you go to the the playground, wash, peel, and slice a carrot like so.

Trim the rounded edges off to make a triangle.  You need one triangle per lion.

When I got to the playground, all of the kids washed their hands, gathered around the picnic table, and received a plate.

Unwrap the Babybel cheese and remove the red wax layer as well.

Press carrot "nose" into the center of the cheese.

Press pretzel sticks into the sides all around the cheese to form the mane.  Some kids broke the pretzels in half to make a shorter mane, others decided to leave the pretzels whole.

Jesse, showing off his lion so far.

Use a pretzel stick to make holes for the eyes.  Press in raisins into the prepared "sockets."  Use food coloring markers to make the mouth and whiskers.

The finished products....  The kids really enjoyed making and eating their own little lions!

Happy first day of March!!!!

(((Amy)))