Fun with Nature - #2 - In the Kitchen

Snakes Alive!

Naturally with our young chef taking his position in our kitchen recently, he has acquired a penchant for exploring many of our cookbooks, sometimes daily. With our recent insect find outdoors, he promptly donned his father's apron and began to gather ingredients for a recipe which had already caught his eye. This day warranted creating a slithery sweet snake bunch to completion, icing decor and all.

The recipe was called "Sugar snakes", a take off of a sugar cookie. With Lent behind us he isn't coy about how often he might wish to produce more goodies in my kitchen. Of course this was the perfect recipe! How could it not be? That is...if it appeals to the senses and children's desire to appeal to their peer's senses is huge around here. It was a hit...though at first i wasn't sure why. :-)

Appetizing. (Ah-hem)

Would you like to know precisely how to make these cookies yourself? Oh gee, I implore you to tap into your "natural side" and just go ahead and try them. Your children will love them. And then you see, make it a mommy moment with a hot cuppa something and send the children out to find a snake while you take time to sip and relax. Sounds like a plan huh?

Gather a basic sugar cookie recipe.
(If you can't locate one, write to me and I'll give you mine)

• Lightly flour hands and shape dough into 3 equal parts and pat into 3 rectangular shapes 9 x 3 inches.
• Refrigerate for an hour, then cut each shape into 12 strips about 1/2 inch wide.
• Roll each into a long snake and place onto a cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Our son decided his batter would be green for this snake cookie project, but then created several wild icing colors in individual bowls for all to decorate their snakes with. Somehow a green snake with purple icing just didn't make my mouth water, but nevertheless it was a very good item to couple up with a fresh cup of mid afternoon coffee.