May the 4th Be With You...

read.

Ok, so the reading part is a bit of a stretch on this one, but bear with me.  If it’s one thing I learned teaching it’s that reading doesn’t always have to be the classic bound book.   For a lot of kids it takes more than that to get them excited about reading.   If they don’t seem into reading bound books, try other venues: magazines, comic books, cookbooks, or instruction manuals.   The point is to just get them to read!   Once they start reading that opens their mind up to so much more.   For my particular family we read our Star Wars cookbook and discussed what looked the coolest and what sounded the best.  I do know that there are a lot of Star Wars books out there…especially early readers!         

cook.

After reading the book, I suggest throwing a Star Wars party.   Invite your neighbors, friends or just the family!   Here are some menu ideas. 

MENU:

*Princess Leia rolls   (cinnamon rolls)

*Lightsaber dippers (Carrots and ranch or hummus)

*Yoda Soda (Sprite with lime sherbert)

*Tie Fighter Dogs (Recipe below)

*Death Star popcorn balls (Recipe below)

TIE FIGHTER DOGS RECIPE:

Ingredients:

*6 hotdogs cut in half (to make 12)   

*1 pkg 12 breadsticks


Supplies:
*pizza cutter
*baking sheet

1) Open the package of breadsticks and separate the lengths of dough.

2) Cut the lengths in half and set aside. You should have 24 lengths of dough when you are finished.

3) WARNING THIS GETS CONFUSING!!  Take 1 length of dough and wrap it around the base of the sausage half. Cross the ends and let them fall on the baking sheet in the form of the letter V.

4) Using another length of dough, wrap the same sausage in the opposite direction. Cross the ends and let them fall in the form of an upside-down V. Repeat with remaining dough and sausage halves.

5) Bake according to breadstick package directions, or until dough puffs up and turns golden brown.

DEATH STAR POPCORN BALL RECIPE

**If you have the STAR WARS Cookbook please note this is not the recipe they use.  I tried it and had a really hard time following it.  I would really like that 2 hours of my life back!!**

Ingredients:

*1/2 cup oil

*1 C unpopped popcorn

salt

*1/2 C butter (1 stick)

*2 C brown sugar

*1/2 C corn syrup

*1 15 oz sweetened condensed milk

*cooking spray

Supplies:

*Pot (the one with 2 handles)

*Large Saucepan (the one with 1 handle)

*liquid measuring cup

*1 cup measuring cup

*can opener

*wooden spoon

*parchment paper

1)   Heat oil in a large pot along with 1 popcorn kernel; covered.

2)   Once that kernel pops add the rest of the kernels until there is no popping for 3 seconds. 

3)   Add salt. 

4)    In a medium sized saucepan melt the butter. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk Stir it all around until well blended.

5)   Heat the mixture to boiling. Boil for 3 minutes while stirring.

6)   Remove from the heat and pour caramel over the top of the popcorn. Stir it up with a large wooden spoon until all of the popcorn is covered. 

7)   Let mixture cool slightly and then spray hands with cooking spray.   Form popcorn into baseball size balls and place on parchment paper.  

PRESENTATION:

See GROW.

grow. 

Do a basic Google image search for: Yoda (Coloring Printable), Light Saber (Coloring Printable), Tie Fighters (Coloring Printable), Death Star (Coloring Printable).   Have your child color in the above pictures and write the menu title underneath the pictures.   Glue pictures on heavy (halved) card stock so your guests know those aren't just any popcorn balls ; )