Today was a Perfect Sunday afternoon.  The kids usually come over Sunday afternoons so their mom can take a nap.  We read and relax together.  The Farm House is the Reading House and the kids know I will drop anything to read with them.  When they read on their own and finish a book, they get a marshmallow or a caramel.  It’s good incentive!

Later this afternoon we began to prepare for the last Cookie Walk of the season, and it was our turn to host it.   During the warm months, our neighborhood has a Cookie Walk every month.  Usually 3 families set up tables in their front yard and fill them with cookies.  Neighbors are invited to help bake the treats.  Then everyone walks from house to house, sampling the treats and visiting with friends.

For our contribution this evening we decided to make Cocoa Puff Puds and Caramel Apple bites.  We enlisted the kids to help make them.

To make the Caramel Apple Bites, we filled cookie sheets with the square hatched pretzels.  Then I cut Kraft Caramels in half and the kids put one piece on each pretzel.  Next you bake them at about 260 degrees until the caramel is softened.  It took about 8-10 minutes.  Keep an eye on them.  Then I smashed each caramel into the pretzel and topped it with a bite of crisp apple, securing it all with a toothpick.  We made more than 200 of these apple bites.

At 6:00 people started to arrive.  Kids come on bikes and scooters.  Parents wander over.  We all visit and enjoy the treats.  The apple bites were a huge success.  Only 2 or 3 were left at the end of the evening.  You can’t eat just one!

I loved being with these kids and our friends today.  It will be hard to leave this neighborhood.  We’ll have to return for the Cookie Walks next year.