Mini Corn Dog Muffins

My kids love corn dogs, especially the mini ones, but making them at home is a pain and not all that easy... also not terribly healthy (ok, these aren't either, but they're healthiER).  This recipe is easy, you have a little more control over what's in them and kids LOVE them.  They're also cheap enough to make it into my budget recipe list at a whopping 73 cents per serving!  These make a fun appetizer or party snack for kids too.

1 package of turkey hot dogs, cut in quarters (you only need 6) - $2.99
2 packages jiffy corn bread mix - $1.00
2 eggs - $0.30
2/3 cup 1% milk -  $0.10

Preheat oven to 400ºF.  Spray two 12 cup mini muffin tins with cooking spray.

Mix corn bread mix according to package directions.  Place 1 hot dog piece in each muffin cup and fill with about 1 Tbs of muffin mix. 

Bake for 12-13 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.  Serve with favorite dips (ketchup, honey mustard, cheese sauce, etc).  Makes 6 servings of 4 muffins each.  I usually serve these with some baked beans or cowboy beans.

Total cost: $4.39 alone  or a little over $6 with the baked beans

Rice Krispies Sushi Treats

The California Grill, on the top floor of Disney's Contemporary resort, used to have this really fun dessert for kids... it was rice krispie treats wrapped in fruit rolls with a gummy worm or swedish fish center. Sushi for dessert! I haven't been to the California Grill in a while, so I'm not sure if these are still on the menu or not... but luckily for me, or my kids anyway, I have the recipe!

These are really fun and easy to make, though a little sticky... ok a LOT sticky (I found that rubbing softened margarine on my hands helped a great deal here), but still no harder than making rice krispie treats in general. I didn't have the gummy worms or swedish fish, so I used regular old fruit snacks for the centers.

Rice Krispies Sushi Treats

8 chewy fruit rolls
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 (10- ounce) package miniature marshmallows
6 cups crisp rice cereal
16 worm-shaped chewy candies or 24 fish-shaped chewy candies


Method:

Unroll fruit rolls, and place, with plastic sheet down, on cutting board (trust me you want to unroll all of them first, as the cereal mixture cools it becomes harder to work with).

Melt butter or margarine in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add marshmallows, stirring until melted; remove from heat. Stir in rice cereal until blended.

Spread about 1/2 cup cereal mixture quickly over each fruit roll, leaving a inch border on 1 long side. Arrange 2 worm-shaped candies or 3 fish-shaped candies lengthwise down center of cereal mixture.

Roll up, starting at side without border. Press to seal securely. Repeat procedure with remaining fruit rolls, cereal mixture,and candies.

Cut each roll into 4 or 5 slices.