November Recipes for Kids

Fruit Turkeys

I made these cute fruit turkeys as part of a breakfast (which also included Apple Cinnamon French Toast sticks) but it could also be used as an afternoon snack.

You will need: a pear, an apple, peanut butter, an almond sliver, two mini M & M's or similar candy, a Craisin.

First half a pear and center it on the plate.

Slice an apple into very thin slices and slip several behind the pear half, fanned out to look like the turkey's feathers. I only used a quarter of an apple for each turkey.

Attach two mini-M & M's with peanut butter for eyes. You could also use chocolate chips or some other similar candy.

Attach a almond sliver with peanut butter for the beak. Add a Craisin for the waddle in the same way.

You could also add pretzels or almond slivers for feet, although I left mine without and no one noticed.
This is an adaption of the 4 King's fruit Turkey.

Pilgrim Hats and "Tea"Time

I saw these cuties on Craftily Ever After and knew at once that they were easy enough for even my youngest to do and simple enough not to be too much for an already busy week.

For each hat, you will need:

1 chocolate coated cookie (Such as Entenman's Raspberry Cookies or Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafer or Fudge Striped Cookies)

1 small Reese's peanut butter cup

tube of yellow or orange frosting with piping tips

Place cookies on work surface; squeeze a dime-size dot of frosting in center of each. Unwrap and invert peanut butter cups on frosting, pressing down gently. Using the round piping tip, pipe a hat-band with frosting around peanut butter cup and a square buckle. Let frosting set before storing. Can be made up to 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

I had wanted to show you pictures of the steps, but for some reason they all were blurry. I do have a few photos of our "tea" time to show you, though.

I made a pot of hot chocolate with snowmen marshmallows...

and homemade whipped cream.

We talked about all that we are thankful for...

and all our plans for the week.
A joyous time.

Turkey Treats

There are many instructions out there for these type treats, but here is mine made from what we had on hand. The interesting thing about these is that November is the only time you could make them because the candy corn is still around from Halloween and the Bell-shaped chocolates are just coming in the store, ready for Christmas.

You will need:
2 Oreos (I used regular but Double Stuff might work even better)
1 Bell-shaped chocolate
Candy corn
M&M minis
Frosting (I used white because that is what we had on hand, but chocolate would look better)

Take one Oreo and lay it flat on your work surface. Put a dab of icing on the bottom of the unwrapped bell-shaped chocolate and place it at the near edge of the Oreo. Take another Oreo and put a dab of icing on one edge and place that edge, icing side down, behind the bell chocolate. Take a few candy corns and put a small amount of icing on the thinner end and then gently place it in the grove of the Oreo. This is where the Double-stuff might come in easier- more room to fit the candy corn into. I put an additional row of candy corn on the flat side of the Oreo by putting the icing on the back side of the candy corn instead of the tip, but my husband preferred them with this row left off. Use your own judgement on this one. The eyes and waddle are made from the mini M&M's, using the icing as a glue on the back side. You can let your kids get creative and vary them as they wish. For example, one was made by cutting off just the yellow portion of a candy corn and using this for the feet, icing them on the front of the cookie. These are fun and versatile and fun to eat. You might just have to watch to make sure that not too many of the ingredients get eaten before they get made into turkeys!

Thanksgiving Cornucopia Favors

I saw this idea on Scribbit, and just fell in love with the idea of having these little cornucopia treats at each place setting for Thanksgiving dinner!

You might even have the materials on hand to make these already. All you need is some sugar ice cream cones and some small candies. 

To make the little cornucopias, heat water in teakettle and put pointed end of a sugar cone into spout. Let steam until softened (about 1 minute.) Gently curve end 1/2 inch from tip and hold for about 15 seconds.

Now they are ready to be filled.

Runts work particularly well because of their fruit shapes.

A little plastic wrap and ribbon holds them until they are ready to be eaten.

Turkey Bread

Directions for this turkey bread comes from Almost Unschoolers.

Start with one loaf's worth of bread dough, made the traditional way or thawed from the store.

Divide it in half, and pat one half down on a greased cookie sheet, into a slightly, flat circle.
Divide the other half, into ten equal pieces.
Shape eight of the pieces into tear drop shapes, three to four inches long, and cut them with kitchen shears, or a sharp knife (shears work better), up the sides, to give them a feathery look.
Fan them out, pointy ends up, under the top edge of the circle, for tail feathers.
Combine the two remaining pieces of dough, and pull off three small bits, to turn into a beak, and feet. Flatten what's left of the dough into a bowling pin shape, and place it on top of the circle, to form the turkey's neck, and head.
Pinch one small piece of dough into a beak, and pinch it down into the middle of the head.
Cut small slits in the dough, to the right, and left of the beak.
Insert raisin eyes.
Form the last two scraps of dough into small circles, and snip them two, or three times on the bottom edge, to form feet. Then, place them under the bottom edge of the turkey.
Cover the turkey with a clean towel, and let it rise for about 45 minutes.
Bake for 25 minutes, at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rub it with butter, as soon as you remove it from the oven.
Serve.