posted 02-19-2005 12:39 PM         

A smile is always good.

posted 02-19-2005 01:28 PM         

Celebrate Presidents' Day by making a replica of the one room log cabin that Abraham Lincoln was born in. Your building materials include pretzel logs, candy stone walls and green coconut grass. It's lots of fun to build and it also makes a tasty snack!

Duration: Over One Hour

WHAT YOU NEED
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1 pint milk carton
Utility knife
Creamy peanut butter
1 package each of GOOBERS, RAISINETTES, SNO-CAPS
1 package of pretzel sticks
1 box of graham crackers
1 bag of silvered almonds
Butter knife
1 bag of Coconut flakes
Green food coloring
Small bowls for mixing
Spoon or spatula
Piece of cardboard (at least 18 by 12 inches)
Aluminum foil

HOW TO DO IT
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Cut a piece of cardboard so that it measures 18 inches long by 12 inches wide.

Cover the cardboard with aluminum foil, using masking tape to secure it to the cardboard on the bottom.

Cut the bottom portion of the milk carton so that the sides measure four inches vertically.

Using masking tape, secure it to the center of the aluminum covered cardboard.

Spread peanut butter over the entire surface of the carton.

Use graham crackers for the roof, door and window shutters (see image).

Use pretzel sticks around the door to simulate logs. They are also used to frame the windows (see image).

With peanut butter, stick a SNO-CAP where the doorknob would be.

Make four rows of RAISINETES and GOOBERS around both sides and the back of the house to simulate a stone border.

Form a small winding path from the front door of the log cabin. Begin by spreading a layer of peanut butter from the door out to the edge of the board.

To make it a stone path, cover the peanut butter with rows of slivered almonds.

To finish the landscaping, place 8 oz. of white frosting in a small mixing bowl.

Add 8 to 10 drops of green food coloring, until the frosting is a medium green color.

In another small mixing bowl, put about 1/2 cup of coconut. Add 8 to 10 drops of green food coloring, until it's a medium green color.

Spread the green frosting all around the log cabin, coming up to 1/4 inch from the edge of the aluminum cardboard surface.

Sprinkle the green coconut all around and lightly press to make sure it sticks.

TIPS
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Set out enough of the "building materials" for everyone to snack on while they are creating the log cabin.