Cubs In The Kitchen/02-01

CHRISTMAS TREES  

3 Tbsp. butter
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. green food coloring
4 cups Cheerios
Sliced gumdrops
Toothpicks
Yellow/gold stars
Melt butter and marshmallows; stir often.
Remove from heat, and add vanilla and food
coloring. Fold in Cheerios. Cool. While
cooling, make stars and slice gumdrops.
Butter hands and shape 2/3 cup mixture into
a tree and place on waxed paper. Add
gumdrop slices. Put a star on top with
a toothpick.

NUTCRACKERS PEANUTTY MICE  

1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Peanut halves
Mini chocolate chips
Shoestring licorice
Cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars.
Beat in the egg and vanilla until fluffy. Sift
together with the flour, baking soda, salt, and
stir into the wet mixture just to blend. Cover
and chill until firm (about 1 hour). Shape
level tablespoons of dough into balls. Pinch
one end of the ball to form the pointed
mouse nose. Then flatten the bottom and
pinch sides to create a rounded back. Place
the mice 2" apart on an ungreased cookie
sheet. Push in peanut halves for ears and
mini chocolate chips for eyes.
Use a toothpick to make a small rounded
hole for the tail. Bake in pre-heated 350
degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until firm.
Cut the licorice into 3" long tails and insert
while the cookies are still warm. Makes 4-5
dozen.

RAINBOW SOUP IN A JAR  

Warm the heart as well as the stomach with this
colorful bean soup.
8 kinds of beans, dried peas, lentils etc.
9 wide mouthed pint-canning jars
Rainbow soup recipe (see below)
Pour 1/4 cup of each kind of beans in layers
into the jar, put on lids and decorate the lids,
tie with a ribbon and attach the recipe card.

COOKING THE BEAN SOUP:
Rinse, pick through beans, and soak them
overnight. Drain and rinse beans again and
place them in a soup pot with 4 crushed
garlic cloves and 10 cups water or stock.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer
for 1 1/2 hours. Add 2 diced carrots and
simmer for one or more hours. Add 2 cups
crushed tomatoes, 2 chopped onions, 1
diced green pepper, 1 tsp. dried parsley,
1/4 cup lime juice, 1 tsp. chili powder.
Cook slowly for thirty more minutes. Stir in
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro and salt
and pepper to taste. Serves 8.