Are You Up For a Challenge?

Kids, grab your parents!!!

For a second year, Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) and US Airways are working together to help children nationwide discover the joy of reading. Starting April, adults are invited to join the 2009 Read with Kids Challenge and help collectively log five million minutes spent reading with kids. You’ll have the chance of winning a family vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort® and more great prizes. Get on board! Visit www.RIF.org/readwithkids today.

I love, love, LOVE this website, especially the Book Search feature. Be sure to download a copy of The World's Grossest Books List to bring to the library.

RIF Reading Planet: http://www.rif.org/readingplanet/

Recipe to Read By: Super Easy, Fun, and Delicious Candy Cookies

While you're perusing (looking at) the RIF webpage, munch on this sugary snack. You may even get away with crumbs on the keyboard and chocolate smudges on the desk when your mom realizes how incredibly easy (and relatively mess-free!) these little treasures are.

Ingredients:

One roll of slice and bake cookie dough. Any flavor will work. (Try to convince mom to buy the chocolate chip, the sugar, AND the peanut butter--trust me, one batch will not be enough.)

Bags of assorted chocolate candy. (Think Hershey's kisses, Reese's PB Cups, Bite-Size Milky Ways...go a little crazy here...)

Directions:

First, slice the cookie dough into 1 to 1 1/2 inch slices. (Time to break out the ruler, people!)

Next, lay the slices on their sides and cut them into quarters (that means 4 equal pieces).

Place each quarter into a greased mini-muffin tin.

Next, peel the wrapper from the candy. (One piece for every cookie you are making.)

Throw away the trash before mom does and score some major brownie points.

Bake the cookie dough at 350 degrees for just a few minutes—6 to 8 at the most.

*Important* Almost as soon as you pull the warm cookies from the oven, you’ll want to begin lightly pressing one piece of candy into each cookie. The warmer and softer the cookies, the better!

Try all kids of combinations! Here are my faves:

Peanut butter cookie dough with Hershey's Hugs

Sugar Cookie dough with Snickers

Peanut butter dough with Rolos

Chocolate Chip dough with bite-size Milky Ways

Recipe courtesy of the Pioneer Woman. Watch how to make this recipe step-by-step by clicking the link:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/01/cookie_dough_and_candy_/