This Just In

I picked this up at Walgreen’s while looking for Easter candy for my boys’ Easter baskets:

It retails for $5.99.? This is a fantastic value at this price, considering that you pay that much for two dozen boring, premade?cookies at a bakery.? With this kit, you not only get cookies, but something fun to do with your kids on a Saturday afternoon.

The one thing I think they can improve on is something on?the packaging itself.? It shows two eggs and a stick of butter (8 Tablespoons)?in the illustration of what you need to make these cookies.? When you read the instructions however, you find that you really need three eggs and 12 Tablespoons of butter.?

?There is enough room on the packaging to illustrate three eggs, and a tablespoon of butter with either “x 12″ next to it, or the words “Twelve tablespoons” or the butter graphic with a 12 in front of it.? This would make it much easier for younger children who cannot read yet, but can count, to understand what extra items are needed.? When I asked Little Man to tell me how many eggs and how much butter we needed, the first thing he did was look at the back of the box, not the instructions–good thing I went behind him and read them.

The box states it makes 24 cookies.? We didn’t get that many, but this was due to creativity–there is definitely enough dough to make two dozen cookies when it’s made up.

I did tell Little Man it was a springtime theme.? I don’t think he really cared, as you’ll soon see.? He had fun playing with this dough, and apparently he rather enjoyed the raw dough as well.? In fact I couldn’t get him to stop eating it, he kept sneaking it.? Please note that I do not advocate consuming raw cookie dough because of the possibility of food bourne illness…I’m just recounting what happened in my home–and that is that Little Man was just loving that stuff.

?First we had a flower.? I showed Little Man how to make a petal or two and he took it from there.

This is where the “springtime” theme train ran off the proverbial track.? There was no looking back after this.

Yes my darlings, it’s a shark.? Are you surprised?? I’m not either.? I knew it was coming.?

Rounding out our first batch of cookies were the usual and customary “initial” cookies…E for Little Man, and S for me.? This is a requirement any time there is dough to be shaped by hand.?

Evan made a few more cookies…

The flower exploded into a giant worthy of Alice in Wonderland status.? I mean seriously, it was huge.?

Incase you doubted the veracity of my hugeness claim.? Which I know you didn’t, but just incase.

The shark also exploded upon baking.? It looks like it ate a few small gnomes while in the oven.? To me it looks more like a whale shark now.? Do you see his beady little eye staring you down?? Mini chocolate chips make wonderful shark eyes, incase you were wondering.

There was a banana too, but Mommy ate it before it could be photographed.? It was mighty tasty.

?After he finished with all these cookies, all seven that he created, he was ready to be done.? He told me I could make the rest.? I promptly put all the dough that was left together, rolled it into a log, chilled it for ten minutes, sliced it up?and made a dozen VERY LARGE tie-dyed cookies.? I didn’t take pictures of those, and they’re gone already.? We thought they tasted really good.? They stayed nice and soft too.

This kit was fun to work with.? I do not like a lot of food coloring or dyes, but since we don’t consume much of those anyway, once in a while it’s ok.? All things in moderation.? The powdered food coloring was tasteless (that’s a good thing!) and cleaned up very easily with soap and water.? It did not stain my formica counter tops.? Did I just admit to *sigh* formica countertops? Yeah, well, just keepin’ it real.?

Don’t feel limited to the kit “theme”.? Just color the dough and let your kid’s imaginations run wild.? It’s more fun that way.?(I’m fairly certain Crayola would totally indulge me on that one.) ?Of course if they want to make “springy” things, that’s fine too.

Little Man and I both recommend this kit if you’re looking for a fun, easy, tasty and economical treat/activity for your family; I know we’ll be buying these kits again, and because they’re so fun to do, we’ll be gifting to our young friends, cousins and playmates too.

S.