Give popcorn balls, cookies or s'mores as party favors.
Giving a party favor to each guest is customary at children's parties. Traditional party favors include inexpensive trinkets or small goodie bags filled with candy. You can cook party favors for kids to make your child's party special. Bake cookies-on-a-stick from your favorite sugar cookie or gingerbread dough recipe, or make simple and inexpensive popcorn balls. You can make either of these delicious treats several days before the party. You can also make microwave s'mores ahead of time or at the last minute, if necessary. Be creative and cook unique favors for your next party.
Instructions
Popcorn Balls
1. Place the butter in a saucepan and melt over medium heat. Pour the mini marshmallows into the pan and stir. Turn the heat to low and cook the mixture seven minutes, stirring frequently, until the marshmallows melt completely.
2. Place the popped popcorn in a large bowl. Drizzle the melted marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and stir. Continue drizzling and stirring until the marshmallow mixture is gone and the popcorn is coated.
3. Spray your hands with cooking spray. Grab the popcorn a handful at a time and form it into balls. Set the finished popcorn balls on a cookie sheet to cool.
4. Wrap cooled popcorn balls individually in plastic food wrap. Cut lengths of curling ribbon with scissors and tie around each ball.
Cookie-on-a-Stick
5. Roll out the cookie dough 1/4 inch thick and cut desired shape(s) with cookie cutters.
6. Place the cut dough shapes on a cookie sheet prepared per recipe directions, leaving room for the lollypop sticks. Gently push a lollypop stick 1-1/2 inches straight in from the edge toward the center of each cookie. Position each stick so that the cookie will be right side up when held by the stick.
7. Bake the cookies per recipe directions. Remove the baked cookies from the cookie sheet and let cool completely. Frost and decorate, if desired, and let set until fully dry.
8. Wrap the cookies individually in plastic food wrap. Cut lengths of curling ribbon with scissors and tie the ribbon around the stick at the base of the cookie.
Microwave S'mores
9. Place one or more graham crackers flat on a microwavable plate. Make only as many s'mores at one time as will lay flat on the plate.
10. Put 15 to 20 chocolate chips on each graham cracker. Place two large marshmallows on each graham cracker atop the chocolate chips.
11. Carefully place the plate in the microwave and cook on high for 20 to 30 seconds. Note that the marshmallows should puff up a lot.
12. Remove the plate from the microwave. Immediately top each s'more with another graham cracker and press down gently. Break the graham crackers in half, if desired.
13. Wrap each s'more in plastic food wrap and tie with curling ribbon cut to length with scissors.
Tags: popcorn balls, cookie sheet, curling ribbon, food wrap, graham cracker, plastic food