February "Recipes of the Month"-- Chocolate!!!

Kissed Cookies
 


Ingredients Needed:

1 (18 ounce package) of refrigerated cookies
1/4 cup flour
36 chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Utensils Needed:

spoon
measuring cup
mini-muffin pans
oven
pot holders



Directions:

1.  Wash and dry hands.
2.  Place a cookie dough disc into each cup of the mini-muffin pan.
3.  Press dough into  cup to form cups with floured fingers (or the back of a floured spoon).
4.  Place 1 chocolate kiss in each cup.
5.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
6.  Let cookies cool in pan for at least 15 minutes before removing to cool on rack.
Makes 36 cookies
*To add a festive look, colored sugar or sprinkles can be added to the cups before baking.

This is a great activity for counting, and works well for improving intrinsic hand motions, by unwrapping all the kisses, and forming the dough to the cups. If a child is allergic to chocolate, white chocolate kisses can be substituted.



Chocolate Chip Cherry Drops



Ingredients Needed:

12 ounce package of chocolate chips
2 tablespoons milk
1 12 ounce jar of maraschino cherries, drained, patted dry and chopped

Utensils Needed:

Microwaveable bowl
Spatula
Teaspoons
Plastic knives
Paper towels
Plate
Waxed paper
Cookie sheet
Microwave

Directions:


1.  Wash and dry hands.
2.  Pour chocolate chips into microwaveable bowl.
3.  Microwave for 1 minute, stir with spatula and microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring until melted.
4.  Add milk and stir until it forms a thick sauce.
5.  Add cherries and mix well.
6.  Drop by teaspoonful onto waxed paper. * Sprinkles or little holiday candies can be sprinkled on chocolates at this time, if desired.
7.  Cool until firm.
Makes 36-48 drops.

This is a great activity to work on cutting skills.  To enhance the math aspects of this recipe, require the children to cut the cherries into a specific number of pieces. Cutting can be used to address fractions--cut the cherries in half, into quarters, etc.  If you have children that are allergic to chocolate, candy wafers can be substituted for the chocolate chips.