Meatloaf Cupcakes

Who said you couldn't have cupcakes for dinner? 

meatloaf recipe tweaked from my blessed life

Awhile back I came across this pin-- it was posted as a kid friendly meal even for the pickiest eaters. I planned on giving this a try for when my nephew comes over (still will) but meatloaf sounded so good tonight, I decided to whip it up. Turned out pretty cute if I say so myself. 

Here's how my I made my meatloaf:

ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1/2 milk
• 1 c shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 c oats
• 3/4 c chopped red onion
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ketchup, dijion mustard, and brown sugar

instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F, grease muffin pan
2. Mix together ground turkey, egg, milk, cheese, oats, onion, oregano, garlic powder, and salt.
3. Divide mixture into muffin pan. Mix ketchup, dijion mustard, and brown sugar; glaze over each mini meatloaf. Bake for 1 hour or until the meat is thoroughly cooked. 

Time for the icing: Mashed Potatoes! Confession, I cheated on this part and whipped up some instant mashed potatoes. What ever kind you decide to make, take your mashed potatoes and put them in an icing bag (or a zip lock works just as well). Swirl over your mini meatloaves and garnish with oregano. TA-DA CUPCAKES FOR DINNER =)

Finger Knitting!

Alright here it goes-- the new popular thing every kid's doing these days or begging to learn: FINGER KNITTING! I figured before camp starts it's pretty much mandatory for me to learn it, just in case if I come across some little fingers that want to try doing it. So I learned today--Yay for me! (I was actually taught by one of my third graders). It is actually pretty easy to do and very neat. I taught it to one of my kindergartners and she caught on really quick. This is a great craft for the kiddies of all ages,  they love it and it'll keep them entertained for hours! Here's how mine turned out: 

BTW meet little Miss Chloe-- She did such a good job being mama's little model for the scarf! 

To learn how to finger knit I recommend checking out Pretty Ditty-- great tutorial with descriptive steps and pictures! ENJOY =)

Loaded Banana Bread Cookies

I had some bananas I had to use up so I decided to whip together some banana cookies. It was too hard to just add one thing to it, so I ended up adding a little bit of everything and calling them Loaded Banana Bread Cookies! They are so chewy and moist-- reminds me of a muffin top!

Recipe tweaked from Two Peas and Their Pod

ingredients

• 1 1/4 c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 bananas (mashed)
• 2 c oats
• 1/2 c chocolate chips
• 1/2 c peanut butter chips
• 1/2 c chopped nuts

instructions

1. Mix together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside
2. In another bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add vanilla, egg, and bananas. Beat in flour mixture little at a time. After all mixed together add in oats, chips, and nuts.
3. Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 F for about 10-12 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire racks. Enjoy!

It's a fiesta!

With Cinco De Mayo being tomorrow, me and the kiddos had a little fiesta! We crafted up some homemade pinatas and those cute little sombrero cookies! 

Homemade Pinatas:

Take a lunch size brown paper bag and open it up all the way. Cut strips of tissue paper and make slits in them; tape them around the paper bag. Repeat this until the whole bag is covered with the tissue paper strips. Now fill them with candy; staple and tape shut. The kiddos had so much fun with this, ecspeically when it was time to take a swing at them! 

Sombrero Cookies: 

• sugar cookies
• white icing
• gum drops
• sprinkles

1. Frost the edge of the sugar cookie; roll it in the sprinkles until it is covered.
2. Frost the bottom and lower edge of the gum drop; roll the icing part of the gum drop in the sprinkles. Stick in the middle of the sugar cookie!

Que tenga un buen dia (Have a good day!) =)

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Nom...nom...nom--so easy and tasty!

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICHES 

ingredients

• 3 tbsp fat free plain yogurt
• 3 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 c chopped celery
• 1/2 c grapes (quartered)
• 1/2 c chopped apple
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 canned chicken

instructions

1. Drain chicken from can; brown on the stove and shred (let cool)
2. Mix together yogurt, mustard, and oil
3. Add celery, grapes, apple, and chicken
4. Season with salt & pepper

Got Noodles?

I've had a box of noodles left over from when we used them to make noodle necklaces. Every time I open the cabinet there they are staring me in the face. Now of course I can't just throw them away that would be a waste, so I thought what else can we do with these?  I came up with the idea of making noodle art-- using the noodles to make words or pictures! Here's how some of them turned out:

One of my second graders thought to make one for mothers day-- such a cute idea! She hasn't painted it yet but once she does I'll be sure to upload it! 

what you need:

• cardboard
• noodles
• paint
• tacky glue

what you do:

1. arrange the noodles how you want them on a piece of cardboard
2. use tacky glue to keep them in place
3. paint how ever you want and let dry !

Be creative, have fun =) 

Edible Sand Cups

The kiddies love making those little sand jars by layering different colors of sand but it's even better when the sand is edible! All you need is some fruit loops! Here's how it works:

1. Sort the fruit loops into different colors
2. Crush them up until the fruit loops look like sand
3. Use a clear plastic cup and layer spoonfuls of the different colors of "sand" 
4. EAT AND ENJOY! =)