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Now that Halloween is over, we seem to be getting slammed with Christmas already. It happens every year. Decorations are up in stores and I've even seen several commercials with Christmas themes to them, too.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a Christmas junkie, but let's not forget about the lovely food-focused holiday that is Thanksgiving Day. Well, let's be honest, most holidays are food-focused -- but this one "takes the cake," if you will.
Anyway, this month's column will feature three Thanksgiving-themed treat ideas. Two of which are super easy and the other, well, it takes a little more time and patience. But all three are fairly cheap to make.
First, the harder one -- turkey cake pops. I made these several years ago and people went nuts over them. They turned out so cute, but they were more time consuming than I expected them to be. I'll say this one was a "nail," however, I don't think I'll be making them again -- at least not in the same way I did these. If I do make them again, I'll try out an easier version.
Turkey cake pops
Here is a list of what I used to make them, but there are so many versions you can make and so many different things to use to make them. Get creative with yours!
• Cake mix -- choose your favorite, I used Pillsbury vanilla for mine
• Icing -- choose any, I used cream cheese icing
• Candy corn
• Peanut M&Ms
• Sprinkles in the shape of hearts
• Green gel icing in a tube
• Small orange candy for the beak
• Melting chocolate, I use Almond Bark
• Cake pop sticks
• Wax paper
Make the cake mix according to the directions. Let the cake cool. Once it's cool, crumble it into a large bowl. Add in the icing and mix together. Make several round balls out of the mixture to form the pops. Melt some chocolate in a bowl and dip the cake balls into the bowl and cover evenly with chocolate. Cover an M&M in chocolate and place it onto the cake ball to make the head. Hold it there until it dries a bit so it stays in place. Put one heart-shaped candy under the head by the body to make the "wattle." Line a few candy corn candies on the back of the cake ball for the tail feathers. You can hold them in place until the chocolate dries under them or you can stick them into the cake ball a bit. Place an orange candy on the face to make the beak. I found a small jar of orange flavored candies that were perfect. You can use a piece of candy corn or any orange candy you like. I used the gel icing to make the eyes, but you can use anything. They make candy eyes that would work really well too. Push a cake pop stick into the top and let them dry completely.
Peanut butter cup/cookie Pilgrim hats
What you need
• Miniature peanut butter cups
• Keebler fudge striped cookies
• Yellow icing in a tube
Unwrap a peanut butter cup and put it upside down on an upside down cookie. Draw a line with the icing around the peanut butter cup where it meets the cookie and a "buckle" on the peanut butter cup. That's it! So easy! This one definitely was a "nail!"
Doughnut hole acorns
What you need
• Doughnut holes
• Chocolate, melted
• Chocolate sprinkles
• Pretzel sticks
Melt some chocolate in a bowl and dip the bottoms of the doughnut holes into it and then put some sprinkles on top before the chocolate melts. Stick a broken piece of a pretzel stick into the top and you're done! Another "nail!"
You can find many different versions of these pins when you search for them on Pinterest.
Stellfox is a former Sun-Gazette editor who loves to try new crafts, recipes and other ideas out on Pinterest. Her column is published on the second Sunday of each month in the Lifestyle section. Share your Pinterest nail or fail with Stellfox, or suggest a pin for her to try, by emailing the Lifestyle Department email at life@sungazette.com or follow her on Pinterest.