Brownie Cup Turkey Treats

The “Kid Table” has got to be a great place to be…
You’re just out of sight of the adults that want you to use manners, keep your hands to yourself, and not giggle when your cousin burps. But, is it far enough away to hide the fact that you don’t want to eat your vegetables?
One night at dinner when I was a young girl, fresh green beans graced the table that evening. None of us six kids really loved our vegetables, but we knew it was not an option to not eat them. My attack was always to try and hold my breath while I ate them all in one mouthful, and wash down the nastiness with whatever Mom served for the main dish. After dinner, Dad would always head outside and do a few chores. On this particular evening, moments after Dad had walked outside; we were all called back inside to the kitchen table. There sat a very sad looking pile of string beans. Dad had found them just below an open window outside of the dining room. It seemed as though one of the kids had tried to opt out of their veggie and perhaps hope a neighborhood pet would quickly come and eat them all. It was a weak plan at best, and we all sat at the table looking at each other with a pile of now even “ yuckier” green beans in the middle of the table. Dad said no one was going anywhere until the owner of the beans confessed.
To be honest, I don’t remember which one of my sisters claimed the beans. I do remember wondering why I had never thought of an idea of how I could not eat them…
Nevertheless, if you have some cute kids sitting at your Thanksgiving table this year and you’d like to make them a special treat, try these:

Brownie Cup Turkey Treats

Make plain brownie cups by mixing up brownie batter from a boxed mix as directed. Then spoon the batter into twelve cupcake tins and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool. After they cool, frost them with chocolate frosting. Then place sliced almonds in for feathers, a candy corn for the beak, broken pretzel pieces for the feet, and a quick dollop of white frosting, followed with a dot of black for the eyes.

Simply add a name tag if you need place cards for your dinner.

Drumstick Scotcheroos

There’s been some Mama Bear heartache over the past couple of days, but as I keep watch on Y when he doesn’t know I’m looking, I think he’s doing okay. Over the years as my boys have had their struggles, especially in sports, I wait and wonder if I will see my DNA emerge. Y handled the disappointment of being cut with class and dignity. I would have been psychotically destructive. :)

Last year during football season, Y had a JV game against a team we thought would be a tough opponent. With the score of 27-0 after the first quarter, we realized all the talent for the opposing team was at the Varsity level. That was great news for us as we assumed it would mean some time for our #20 (Y). We waited and waited…and waited. Finally with 8:36 left in the fourth quarter, we get to see Y warm up his quarterback (2nd string) on the sidelines. This is the quarterback Y says he makes look good in practice with his amazing one-handed leaping catches that get replayed in the kitchen after practice. #12 (the quarterback) was sent into the game. Y held the football, waiting to be sent in as his receiver. Unfortunately the first string receivers were still getting all the reps. That’s it. That’s how the game ended. #20 never left the sidelines.
I became frustrated with the coaching staff, or rather those who deemed themselves such. Was it really that hard to rotate some kids in and give them an opportunity, essentially thank them for working hard in practice every day? Especially with a score like 27-0? I tried to distract myself with household business as I waited for Y to come home. As I saw the lights of his car slowly coming down the driveway, I seemed to become increasingly angry at the entire football program. How dare they ask me to volunteer and do my part when they can’t even rotate my kid into the ball game! It was raw Mama Bear anger!
Y comes into the kitchen. At my husband’s encouragement, I try to play it cool… I fail… It went something like this:
I asked Y if he wanted to go hit something.
He said no.
“Throw something? “
He said “No.”
“Slit someone’s tires?”
He said “No.”
“Make someone poisonous brownies?”
He said “No.”
I said “You’re not angry?”
He said “No.” Then he added, “It sucked not getting an opportunity. But I’m not angry, Mom. But if it would make you feel better, you can make cookies.”
And so I did. . .

This morning as I woke up early- 5:30 and failed in my attempt to fall back asleep. I wondered what Y’s course forward would be. He will meet all academic graduation requirements at the end of the first semester. His plan is to try and find a job and work full time until college in the fall. I’m just wondering what opportunities lay ahead for him. I hope his course forward brings him continued joy in the journey. Nevertheless, with my own angst filled energy at 6:00am, I headed to the kitchen to make one of his favorite treats—Thanksgiving style.

Drumstick Scotcheroos
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups rice krispies
____
1+ cup choc. Chips
1+ cup butterscotch chips

Over medium heat, dissolve sugar into corn syrup. Remove from heat as it begins to boil. Stir in peanut butter. Add rice krispies and stir. Pam hands thoroughly and form rice krispy mixture into drumsticks. Melt chips on low stirring constantly. With a small spoon, cover the “drum” of the stick in chocolate. Let set.

If you have helpers, and the opportunity to make place cards for your Thanksgiving dinner this year, you can mark the drumstick with a guest’s name.